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Serving the University of Oklahoma for over 26 years in various leadership roles, Joseph Harroz Jr. was named the 15th president of OU on May 9, 2020. Harroz’s previous service to the university includes a one-year term as interim president, nine years as dean of the College of Law, twelve years as general counsel, and two years as vice president for executive affairs.

As president of OU, Harroz led the development of the university’s Strategic Plan – a comprehensive strategy that positions OU as one of the nation’s leading public research universities marked by a transformative student experience. At the heart of the Plan is the university’s fundamental purpose – We Change Lives – three small but powerful words that carry deep meaning. The complete Strategic Plan is available at ou.edu/leadon.

Under Harroz’s leadership, OU is making remarkable strides toward the fulfillment of the Strategic Plan. In fall 2022, OU welcomed its largest, most diverse, and highest academically qualified class in the school’s 132-year history – more than a quarter of whom are first-generation college students. Research at OU has not only recovered from the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, its growth has exceeded the Strategic Plan’s goal of sustained 7% annual growth in research expenditures over seven years, relative to FY2019. As of FY2021, research expenditures reached over $387.2 million university-wide, an increase of 25.3% since the FY2019 benchmark. In addition, the university has enjoyed historic fundraising, receiving a record $317 million in gifts and pledges during FY2022.

An abundance of other successes have come to life since the Strategic Plan’s launch two years ago – the addition of premier freshman housing, the merger of OU Health, joining the SEC, and more. Altogether, these endeavors are sparking a new era of excellence at OU.

A native Oklahoman, Harroz graduated Phi Beta Kappa from OU in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and a minor in zoology. He earned his J.D. in 1992 from Georgetown University Law Center.