OSU Board of Regents names Dr. James Hess as interim president after Shrum’s resignation

Oklahoma State University’s Board of Regents met Friday morning to determine the university’s next steps following President Kayse Shrum’s sudden resignation.

One of the first steps was to name Dr. James Hess interim president. Hess currently serves as the Vice Provost for the OSU Center for Health Sciences and as a Professor of Family Medicine & School of Health Care Administration. Hess will serve as interim while the university searches for a permanent president.

The board accepted Shrum’s resignation, effective Feb. 3. Shrum served as OSU’s president for nearly four years. News of her resignation came as a surprise to many students, who learned about it through an email from the university Wednesday morning.

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Her departure follows the board’s decision to halt financial transfers and spending tied to OSU’s Innovation Foundation. The foundation’s CEO, Elizabeth Pollard, also resigned.

In a statement, the Board of Regents said, “We remain steadfast in supporting OSU faculty, staff, and students and are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining the momentum of OSU's land-grant mission to serve the state of Oklahoma and beyond.”

Shrum also released a statement, calling her time as OSU’s president “an honor” but did not provide a reason for her resignation. It remains unclear what her next steps will be.