Oklahoma City University names Robert Henry as new president

Oklahoma City University announced Dec. 10 its Board of Trustees named Judge Robert H. Henry, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit, the school's 17th president.

"The opportunity to return to Oklahoma City University as its President and CEO is an exciting challenge that my wife, Jan,  and I wholeheartedly embrace.  The future of Oklahoma City is bright and OCU is an important part of that future," Henry said. "The university has great faculty and continues to attract gifted students from around the world, including my son Josh, who is a theatre major."

He will succeed Tom J. McDaniel, who will retire in July as president and assume a new role as Chancellor for the private Methodist-affiliated university with a student body of 3,700 graduate and undergraduate students.

RETIREMENT
McDaniel announced in Sept. 2009 that he would retire.

"Judge Henry brings national and international visibility to the University," Ron Norick, trustee and chair of the search committee, said.  "In addition to Judge Henry's exceptional legal and public service career, he is an acclaimed foreign relations scholar and international humanitarian.  We are so pleased to have Judge Henry serve as the next president of OCU. We could not have found a better leader than Robert Henry. "

OCU officials said a comprehensive national search was conducted.  Forty-three applications and an additional ten nominations were reviewed by the fifteen member search committee comprised of trustees, faculty, staff, and president of the Student Government Association.

Henry has a long standing relationship with OCU.  He served as Dean of the OCU School of Law and tenured Professor of Law from 1991-94.  He taught graduate and undergraduate courses at OCU and has been a frequent guest lecturer.  Henry received a bachelor's degree and a juris doctorate from the University of Oklahoma and is an alumni member of Phi Beta Kappa.

He has served on the Court of Appeals for 15 years.  Prior to his appointment to the Court by President William J. Clinton, Henry served as Attorney General of the State of Oklahoma.  He served 10 years as a state representative in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Henry has also contributed to Gazette as a commentary writer. "Gazette staff

 

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