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 County Democrats Optimistic After President Biden’s Address 

The Vice President of the Oklahoma County Democratic Party said President Biden’s words reminded him of the late John F. Kennedy. Jay Bridwell referred to Biden’s phrase “to pass the torch to a new generation.” Kennedy used those words in his inaugural address in 1961 when he talked about passing leadership responsibilities to the future of our communities. 

Bridwell watched Wednesday night’s address with his family at his home in Edmond. He said Biden’s words offer him hope during a rocky political climate. 

Bridwell said he could feel the energy inside his party again. Bridwell was optimistic about the future with the change to Vice President Kamala Harris potentially leading the top of the Democratic ticket. He said this election year offers Americans a chance to bring fresh ideas to the White House.  

“What is your purpose and what do you aspire to be? Bridwell said. “As long as we continue to navigate toward an opportunity for a black woman from California to be the next president of the United States, that opens up so many possibilities for others in like communities.” 

Apart from politics, Bridwell cherished chances to be with his family watching the evening news and listening to the President speak from the Oval Office. The decades worth of news over the past two weeks brought back old traditions.

Bridwell used to watch the news with his late parents as a child. He said the public needs to restore the lost art of civic engagement regardless of political ideals. 

Republican Reaction To Biden Address

Republicans are paying close attention to the Democratic National Committee following President Biden’s departure from the presidential race, and Kamala Harris’ rise as the presumptive nominee. It follows the RNC convention in Milwaukee, where many speakers aimed their messages toward Biden.

In Oklahoma County, GOP chairman Ken Warner believes Biden’s address carried the same messages democratic leaders have already attached themselves to through the race.

“I would say, this speech tonight, I think is his way of saying goodbye in some ways,” Warner said. “And I don’t know how much his mental acuity will affect the next six months. As far as being president, I don’t necessarily buy into the fact that if he gets out of the race for the presidency for a second term it will compromise him being able to run the country a little bit [longer].”

Warner also expanded on his decision not to call on Biden’s resignation, because it would mean Kamala Harris would immediately step into the remainder of the presidency. Harris, he believes, is farther on the left than Biden.

While Oklahoma is a securely red state, Warner imagines that voters in battleground states will largely be spoken to in the language of economics. While Biden’s administration has underscored achievements to create jobs and stimulate the economy, Warner argues that everyday inflation is too extreme for average Americans to accept Biden’s accomplishments.

“I think Trump is the right pick right now,” Warner said. “Because I think we’re a nation in peril and we’ve got to reestablish ourselves and become the leader of the free world again. And because right now we’re not.”

An Oklahoma City Police officer charged with kidnapping and assaulting a woman will go before a McClain County judge on Wednesday morning.

Ryan Stark is accused of driving the victim to his Blanchard home last month, where court documents say he beat, raped and threatened her.

A probable cause affidavit alleges that Stark drove a woman in his patrol car back to his house, where she says she was assaulted.

Documents state that the woman had to be treated at a hospital for her injuries.

According to police, the woman said she had been in a relationship with Stark.

According to the affidavit, Stark brought the woman to his house and tried to take her phone. It then says she tried to escape to the car, but the woman alleges Stark accelerated the car, breaking her foot on the garage door.

The woman also claims she was “held against her will” and that Stark put a gun to her head, threatening to kill her.

The woman alleges that she was sexually assaulted inside the home.

He’s charged with domestic assault and battery, first-degree rape, threatening to perform an act of violence, kidnapping, use of a firearm while committing a felony and disrupting or preventing an emergency phone call, according to the McClain County Sheriff’s Office inmate booking page.

Stark has pleaded not guilty to his charges.

OCPD said Stark is on paid administrative leave.

Oklahoma City Police Officer Arrested On Several Complaints In McClain County