Open Letter Criticizes Process Of Finding New OU President

Problems are brewing in the search for the University of Oklahoma's next president.

An open letter from a group of campus faculty is now criticizing the process, saying it's not transparent enough. 

The dean of the College of International Studies has called the search for President David Boren's replacement disappointing and demoralizing.

In an open letter, it criticizes the OU Board of Regents for conducting the search for a new university president in mostly closed meetings.

At one point it reads, "It is inconceivable that the next president ... would be selected behind closed doors, shrouded in secrecy." 

Those that are attaching their name to the letter say holding the process behind closed doors works against the public university's core values and instead they want to see it brought out into the light so the public can have input. They say the Regents should welcome scrutiny about their choices for university president.

News 9 wasn't able to find the exact number of signatures attached to the open letter. The search for a new university leader began last fall when Boren announced he would be stepping down from his post of nearly 23 years at the end of this June.