OSU-Tulsa President Trennepohl to Return to Faculty
Oklahoma State University-Tulsa President Gary Trennepohl announced that he will be leaving his position of 10 years as president and returning to a full-time OSU faculty position. Trennepohl became president of the newly designated OSU-Tulsa campus on Aug. 1, 1999.
“When I took the position in 1999, I told then OSU President Jim Halligan that I didn’t see myself serving longer than 10 years,” Trennepohl said. “After a decade in a leadership role, it’s usually a good time to bring in new leadership with fresh ideas and perspectives. We’ve completed the start-up of OSU-Tulsa and we’re moving into the next phase of development.
“Serving as president has been a rewarding experience and I appreciate all the support I have received from the OSU-Tulsa team and the Tulsa community,” he said. “I know even greater days are ahead for OSU-Tulsa.”
Trennepohl is a professor of finance at OSU who holds the President’s Council endowed chair. He teaches courses in Investment Management or Derivatives each year at OSU-Tulsa. He also conducts seminars for the Chicago Board Options Exchange to professional investment managers and the Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University for practicing business journalists.
Serving as the first president of OSU-Tulsa, Trennepohl has guided OSU-Tulsa’s transition from the four-school University Center at Tulsa (UCT) consortium, to a stand-alone entity providing undergraduate and graduate OSU degree programs for Tulsa. During his tenure, enrollment has increased from 870 students to almost 2,700 students and the number of resident Tulsa faculty has grown from 12 to 70. Student records and services now are integrated with the Stillwater campus to create “one university” for students, whether they live in Tulsa or Stillwater. Students can take courses in either Tulsa or Stillwater to earn their OSU degree.
In 2003, Trennepohl secured $45 million in funding from Vision 2025, as well as state and private sources, to construct the Helmerich Advanced Technology Research Center. In addition, he has garnered more than $37 million in private gifts, endowed chair funds and state matching dollars.
Ed Keller, chair of the OSU-Tulsa Trustees and former OSU/A&M Regent, said OSU hopes to have a replacement no later than December. According to S.B. 1426 that created OSU-Tulsa, the OSU/A&M Board of Regents will form the committee that will be comprised of two OSU Regents and two OSU-Tulsa Trustees. Hargis may also appoint student, faculty and staff representatives. Hargis, in consultation with the search committee, will make a recommendation to the OSU-Tulsa Board of Trustees and the OSU/A&M Board for final approval.
Trennepohl said he and his wife, Sandra, plan to continue to live in Tulsa and he will office on the OSU-Tulsa campus, while teaching classes in Stillwater and Tulsa.
Updated 04-07-2009
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