Oklahoma
Meet the 2024 Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame class
The current president of the University of Oklahoma, a past president and first lady at Oklahoma State University and a pair of just-retired Oklahoma university presidents are among 11 people who comprise the 2024 class of the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.
The Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society announced the list of inductees this week. The 30th annual induction ceremony and banquet will be held Nov. 4 at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.
OU President Joseph Harroz, who has led the Norman university since May 2019 and earlier served as the dean of OU’s College of Law, will be among those recognized.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame Class of 2024,” Harroz said. “This recognition is a testament to the incredible dedication and hard work of the entire University of Oklahoma community. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the other inductees this year, whose contributions have enriched the landscape of higher education in Oklahoma. Together, we celebrate the transformative power of education and reaffirm our commitment to advancing knowledge, opportunity, and excellence for all.”
Also on the list of inductees are Jim Halligan, former OSU president and former state senator, and his wife, Ann Halligan. Jim Halligan served as OSU’s leader from 1994 until 2002 and represented Stillwater in the Oklahoma Senate from 2008 to 2016.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Jim and Ann Halligan,” said Kyle Wray, OSU’s senior vice president for system affairs. “As consummate servant-leaders, the Halligans led OSU through steadfast dedication and unwavering focus on improving the lives of the Cowboy family. Whether it was leading the university’s first capital campaign to overwhelming success or directly impacting students through retention efforts, facility upgrades, or simply hosting them for dinner, Jim and Ann’s leadership laid the foundation for success at OSU, and their impact continues to echo throughout the university system.”
Larry Rice, of Rogers State University, and John McArthur, of Cameron, who each retired last month after long tenures, also will be inducted. Rice was president at Rogers State in Claremore from 2008 until June after serving four years as an executive assistant to the president at the University of Tulsa.
“It’s an incredible honor to be selected for induction by your peers. It’s one of the highest honors you can receive, to be recognized for your lifetime commitment in education, in my case, higher education,” Rice said. “I’m very appreciative of those individuals that nominated me.”
McArthur has been at Cameron, located in Lawton, since 2004, serving as a dean and the vice president of academic affairs before becoming the university’s president in 2013.
Two former state regents among those also being inducted
Ann Holloway, of Ardmore, who served on the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education from 2013 until this past April and previously served a nine-year term as a Regional University System of Oklahoma regent, also is a member of the induction class. Holloway now holds the title of state regent emeritus. She is president of Holloway, Inc., which focuses on real estate and home building.
“Regent Holloway is a tireless champion for Oklahoma’s students and higher education campuses, especially in support of adult learners returning to complete a degree they started, but didn’t finish,” state higher education Chancellor Allison Garrett said. “She is deeply deserving of this recognition for her exceptional service to our state system of higher education.”
Other inductees include:
• John F. Barthell, who served from 2013 2020 as provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Central Oklahoma;• Clyde Montgomery Jr., the vice president of academic affairs at Langston University for 12 years. His administrative roles also included associate vice president of academic affairs, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and chair of the Department of Music;• Marion Paden, who served as vice president for enrollment and student services at Oklahoma City Community College from 1992-2015 and president and chief executive officer of Leadership Oklahoma from 2015-2024;• Robert L. Spurrier Jr., who served 14 years as the director of the Honors College at OSU and has been its director emeritus since 2014;• Russell D. Vaught, a former president and general manager of the Oklahoma Journal newspaper who was instrumental in founding and developing Oscar Rose Junior College, now known as Rose State College in Midwest City. He also served as a state higher education regent for 14 years (1973-1987) and was chairman for two terms.
OKLAHOMA CITY (KSWO) — Oklahoma lawmakers have voted to honor country music artist and Oklahoma native Toby Keith.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 recognizes Keith’s lasting impact on music and proposes renaming a planned turnpike in his memory.
The concurrent resolution was authored by Rep. Jason Blair, R-Morgan, and Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman.
The planned route will extend from Interstate 44 east to Interstate 35, then continue east and north to I-40 at the Kickapoo Turnpike.
Copyright 2026 KSWO. All rights reserved.
Governor Kevin Stitt has said he wants the State Superintendent of Education to be a governor-elected position instead of an elected one. Political analyst Scott Mitchell examines what this would mean for the state.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is urging lawmakers to send a state question to voters that would make the state superintendent an appointed position, as he named Lindel Fields of Tulsa to the role and announced a turnaround team to help implement his education agenda.
Is the State Superintendent an elected role?
Yes, the State Superintendent of Education is still an elected role. Elections are scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
Cons of making the superintendent an appointed position
Mitchell said making this position appointed could cause distrust among some Oklahomans
“Over the years, we’ve seen that capture of regulatory sort of is easy to do when you have term limits, then lobbies become more powerful, and they have all the history. It’s very complicated.
He also said if the position were to be elected, they would likely have the same agenda as the governor.
“Yes, and I think the governor would be absolutely saying, ‘Yes, they’re going to do what I want them to do.’”
Changing how the superintendent is chosen changes what the founding fathers set.
“Voters are going to have to say yay or nay if it gets to them, is whether or not we want to change the way that the founding fathers set up the way that we make sure that power is not concentrated in Oklahoma,” he said.
Is Ryan Walters’ term the reason Stitt wants to make this position appointed?
Mitchell said he believes the former State Superintendent played a role in the government wanting to appoint this position.
During his time as superintendent, Walters was known to have multiple controversies. He resigned in 2025, allowing Stitt to appoint Lindel Fields.
“His impact on this, even though he’s gone, is certainly evident,” said Mitchell. “Walters left midstream, right? And so the governor had a chance to appoint someone. Well, it wasn’t just an appointment; it was chaos before and relative calm and competency after. And that has given the governor an opening for people to see with their own eyes. Yeah, you can put somebody in, we’re talking about Lindel Fields, that appears to get up every day, not trying to find some, get a click on social media, but rather to do his job. And across the board, for the most part, this guy’s getting thumbs up.
Stitt said electing Fields has already given him some leverage since he has been well perceived so far.
“That allows a governor to say, Look, I’ve got some standing, some leverage to go to the voters and say, let’s put expertise as the main reason that a person’s there, not because they were able to win an election because they had some sort of populist or dramatic ideas.”
Who is running for Oklahoma State Superintendent?
Republican Ballot
- Sen. Adam Pugh
- John Cox
- Rep. Toni Hasenbeck
- Ana Landsaw
Democrat Ballot
- Craig Mcvay
- Jennettie Marshall
Independent
To learn more about each candidate, click here.
A full breakdown of candidates in the 2026 Oklahoma State Superintendent race, including party affiliation, background and key education priorities.
An Oklahoma highway could soon be named after the late country superstar, Toby Keith, pending new legislation.
House Concurrent Resolution 1019 would rename a proposed turnpike project the “Toby Keith Expressway.” This roadway is set to be built from Interstate 44 East to Interstate-35, continuing East and North to Interstate 40. This road is a part of the ACCESS Oklahoma Long-Range Plan, which is meant to update and expand the state’s turnpike system.
This resolution was adopted by the House on Wednesday.
“Toby Keith was more than a country music star. He was a proud Oklahoman who never forgot where he came from,” said Rep. Jason Blair, R-Moore. “Naming this turnpike in his honor is a fitting way to recognize a man who represented our state with ultimate patriotism and generosity.”
Keith was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, raised in Moore and resided in Norman. He died on February 5, 2024, in a battle with cancer.
“Over the course of his legendary career, Toby Keith never forgot where he came from or what he stood for,” said Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman. “His Oklahoma roots shaped him, and his love of America defined him. He was a country music superstar and a true patriot. I can think of no better way to honor his memory than by naming this future stretch of Norman turnpike in his honor, creating a lasting tribute to the legacy he leaves behind.”
During his career, Keith sold over 40 million records and more than 20 number-one singles
Legislation authors believe this would commemorate the life and legacy of Toby Keith.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
To read the full House Resolution, click here.
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