Strong rumors swirling from multiple sources that David Boren will tomorrow announce his retirement as President of the University of Oklahoma.

I haven't been able to independently confirm this but it sounds pretty solid.


No word on a possible successor but like with Coach Stoops, someone may have already been hand-picked.

I know athletic director Joe Castiglione would be considered.

Strong rumors swirling from multiple sources that David Boren will tomorrow announce his retirement as President of the University of Oklahoma.

I haven't been able to independently confirm this but it sounds pretty solid.


No word on a possible successor but like with Coach Stoops, someone may have already been hand-picked.

I know athletic director Joe Castiglione would be considered.

I first heard this rumor several months ago when someone I would consider credible told me Boren was planning to step down and run for governor.

My understanding is the successor has been hand-picked and it's likely going to be Joseph Harroz, the Dean of OU Law School.

Well, at least as of tonight they're denying it.

https://twitter.com/jesserpound/status/910327962058264576

I know athletic director Joe Castiglione would be considered.

interesting... if (and i think this would be a pretty big if!) castiglione were chosen as next university president, it wouldn't surprise me if stoops took over as athletic director.

I think many in the know would be surprised if it wasn't Joe Harroz

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/ousportsextra/blog/guerin-emig-is-david-boren-s-retirement-imminent-sources-say/article_3989122e-8c72-5b0d-ae4c-0e641898e559.html

Switzer for President?

interesting... if (and i think this would be a pretty big if!) castiglione were chosen as next university president, it wouldn't surprise me if stoops took over as athletic director.

That's masking the assumption that Stoops would want to do that. That job is very busy and if you're retiring, i dont think making your schedule worse than it ever was, would be attractive. It's not as though he needs the money. But I have found it interesting that he isn't doing ANYTHING yet. Normally, when someone retires from coaching, they pick up a commentary job or some other random thin to keep in things. So from that perspective, if he's been in on it for some time now, then it would explain why so many unusual things fell when they did.

He will announce it today at 2 pm.

Apparently he will officially retire at the end of the academic year, which likely rules out the rumored run for governor.

He will announce it today at 2 pm.

Apparently he will officially retire at the end of the academic year, which likely rules out the rumored run for governor.

Any idea if they'll announce a successor?

Ya got the email about his announcement today at 2pm. I have a feeling he will wait to announce a successor but I guarantee he will hand pick one.

Any idea if they'll announce a successor?

I don't believe so, but I wouldn't rule it out. I believe the plan is to have OU spend the rest of the year celebrating Boren and his accomplishments while they conduct a search for his successor. Ultimately, I believe, it will lead to Harroz.

I don't believe so, but I wouldn't rule it out. I believe the plan is to have OU spend the rest of the year celebrating Boren and his accomplishments while they conduct a search for his successor. Ultimately, I believe, it will lead to Harroz.

Harroz is young and has the credentials. I would just find it tough to follow Boren.

I hope it is Harroz. He is a fantastic leader and has made a substantial impact on OU College of Law. I think it's a good fit all around.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/boren092017.jpg

FWIW, I had lunch a month or two ago with someone that has connections to the university on several levels. I was told then that the regents wanted Dave to retire, post heart attack. Interestingly at the time it was told to me that one or two regents were putting out feelers to Frank Keating.

Interestingly at the time it was told to me that one or two regents were putting out feelers to Frank Keating.

Please no. Keating would be a terrible pick for the university.

Please no. Keating would be a terrible pick for the university.

May I ask why ?

May I ask why ?

Probably too republican lol

I would prefer they pick someone younger. Keeting is 73, only 3 years younger than Boren.

I'll share some rumors.

Rumor is the board of regents wants someone outside of Boren's choices. They launched a nationwide campaign a while back and have some people in mind. This is causing some Deans to leave OU for fear a big change might occur.

All this is rumor.

We've seen the diminishing returns of a politician-as-university-president model in the last 6-8 years in this state. David Boren will go down in history as one of the state's all-time great leaders and even he couldn't get the state government to support public higher ed effectively toward the end of his tenure. (You could argue that it would've been worse without President Boren at the helm.) For a University now ranked in the top 100 nationally, I have no doubt any search for a replacement will be national in scope and done right.

May I ask why ?

Yes, he doesn't have the right disposition to lead a university in my opinion. You have to get along with people from a lot of different backgrounds at large universities and they expect you to support them. Keating has a history of being devisive, dismissive, hyperpartisan, and will insult groups without even trying to understand their position. Go back and look at the comments he made about teachers. He called them "slugs" and suggested "homicide" would be the best way to address teachers' union concerns. He called Tulsans "very dumb" for not electing his wife. He made comments like these multiple times over the years. University presidents' need to be inclusive and know how to get along with others. You can certainly be a Republican and do all these things, but you can't be exclusionary on social issues. You don't want a president who is constantly bumping heads with the faculty Senate, who are a strong force in universities. It can become a real distraction and prevent the university from doing the work it needs to do.

You can watch live here:

http://ondemand.ou.edu/

Keating has no loyalty to education or passion for it.

And frankly, given that republicans in this state repeatedly disrespect the value of education, as well as deny science as a whole, should be enough to disqualifying them.

And frankly, given that republicans in this state repeatedly disrespect the value of education, as well as deny science as a whole, should be enough to disqualifying them.

I'm sure there are moderate Republicans or Libertarians who could do the job well, but Oklahoma Republicans and Democrats skew further right than in other states. Democrats like Boren and Brad Henry were centrists who made a lot of compromises in their political careers. While OU serves the state, it does a lot of national and international business. It's important to have someone who can navigate those different environments. For example, you can't really be against DACA and in charge of university as expelling Dreamers will be a huge economic (and social) blow to your university. A nationalist could make decisions against the interests of the success of the university, which really wants international students. I am sure there are Republicans who would understand that. While I don't necessarily know whether he has the experience, Mick Cornett, for example, would probably be able to do well.

Borne was a Rhodes Scholar and graduated from Yale in top 1% of his class. He was a member of the Yale Conservative Party. He holds a masters in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford. He also got a law degree from OU. He not only observed what great universities are, he lived it. His devotion for education exceeded his love for history and politics. His love for OK and OU was awesome to witness. He is a once in a lifetime leader who not only wanted excellence but knows what it takes to achieve it. He was a perfect fit and will be missed.

I hope we don't get caught up in politics replacing him. We should remember that whoever succeeds him influences generations of thinkers and leaders in this state.

^ very well said, Rover

"We're tearing it down and building a Braum's"

President Boren just announced at a press conference on campus he will retire at the end of this school year from the University of Oklahoma.

Contingent on permanent successor being installed.

So, last night Boren's press secretary said that reports he would announce his retirement today were "inaccurate".

In the broadest sense, why has it become commonplace for public officials (and private ones) to lie when asked a direct question?

Everyone understands that they didn't want the cat out of the bag and thus a 'no comment' or some other vague non-answer would have sufficed. So why provide an out-right lie?

This now happens all the time and society seems to be fine with it: "Well, we had to lie because we didn't want the news out." But why is that even remotely acceptable? Why not avoid or give a generic comment?

I can think of many examples in my own dealings, such as Trader Joe's. They had filed a building permit which was public information and then they told members of the press who called them for confirmation, "We have no specific plans to go to Tulsa".

This happens to me almost once a week. I've learned to get my hands on docs before I call someone because very often they will just straight out lie.

And seems like every single athlete or coach just stands in front of the press and lies about their next move, then very soon thereafter says, "Well, I just couldn't talk about it at that point." So don't talk about it; what they do is lie and that seems standard protocol now.


I don't mean this to be in any way political, just something I find deeply disturbing. Without truth and trust there is no foundation for just about anything and very subtly our society seems to now accept lies without any consequence.

What's so hard about "no comment"?

Hopefully Joe C doesn't get the retirement bug.

Hopefully Joe C doesn't get the retirement bug.

No kidding!

It all depends on what your definition of 'is' is. People think they can spin it so they're not 'really' lying. Reports that he was announcing his retirement today were 'inaccurate' because he's announcing his PENDING retirement. "We have no plans to go to Tulsa" because with the building permit in hand, one might say we're basically already there.

The bottom line though is it's a return of 1984's 'Doublespeak', or as I've often called it, 'bureaucratic bull****'...with a vengeance. Now it is known as 'alternative facts'. It's not a red tie, it's maroon. I'm with you guys, I'd much rather a simple "no comment" or "watch the press conference for details", but that's just not the world we're in.

"We have no comment at this time and he will share his anouncement with everyone tomorrow at 2."

Simple as that.

BTW, people making these intentionally (and usually needless) false statements are paid professionals with the specific job of communicating with the press and general public.

So, the fact they lie as a part of their job without any obvious consequences, I'm telling you this is a profound shift away from honesty or even the idea it is important.

This has all just happened in the last 10 years or so and it seems there is no getting the genie back in the bottle.

Just one more symptom of the decline of western civilization.... Glad I'm not gonna be around in 50 years, hate to see how nasty and weird the world will be then.

Just one more symptom of the decline of western civilization.... Glad I'm not gonna be around in 50 years, hate to see how nasty and weird the world will be then.

Or it could get a whole lot better when we're gone.

No civilization can tolerate a fixed expectation of dishonest communications without falling apart from a breakdown in mutual trust. All human relations rely upon confidence that those in the relations will, as a rule, tell the truth.

From the Hoover Institution at Stanford, "The Death of Honesty":

http://www.hoover.org/research/death-honesty

Or it could get a whole lot better when we're gone.

True, but it's been trending downwards for a while (20-30 years) now, at least in the USA - capitalism run amok, all kinds of rights battles being fought all over again, the immense concentration of wealth at the top, the growing income inequality, politicians beholden to lobbyists and not constituents, never-ending wars, education getting the smackdown, etc. Yeah, they may get reversed in the next 50 years, but I doubt it...

This is a great day for the university of oklahoma, the jackass is gone. I'm sure we can find plenty of presidents who can fleece taxpayers, ticket holders, kill anything fun and keep the flagship university of the state in the worst conference in the country

Boren's tenure has been integral to so many positive changes for the university. He'll leave a great legacy.

This is a great day for the university of oklahoma, the jackass is gone. I'm sure we can find plenty of presidents who can fleece taxpayers, ticket holders, kill anything fun and keep the flagship university of the state in the worst conference in the country

You are one of the people who always cried "Fire Stoops" aren't you? Football is 1 part of the whole college. Academically, OU has risen so, so far under David Boren. But since you don't capitalize proper nouns, that probably doesn't mean much to you.

I'll never understand such bitter hatred towards Boren, particularly for the conference thing.

That was probably mishandled on his part but it's hard to know the exact circumstances.

Even still, so what? How has that substantially hurt the school or the football program? If OU had bolted for the Pac-10 there would be plenty of people freaking out about that as well.

OU will always have lots of options in this regard so even if the Big 12 continues to struggle, a future change could be easily made.


Very narrow-minded to judge him based on something so minor compared to the monumental improvements he's brought to every aspect of the university, including athletics and football in particular.

You are one of the people who always cried "Fire Stoops" aren't you? Football is 1 part of the whole college. Academically, OU has risen so, so far under David Boren. But since you don't capitalize proper nouns, that probably doesn't mean much to you.

Nope, never called for fire stoops once, just think ou would be way better off if boren wouldn't have embarrassed us so bad in the conference realignment game. It's easy to get on tv and talk about how many national merit scholars you have when you get paid to come here as one and the tax payers and other students get fleeced.

OU is an academic program, not a professional football team. It's so strange that a game should have more bearing on the president of an academic institution than actual academics. "How will it affect football" should be dead last when it comes to any decision about anything, but then that is what is wrong with academics in the USA anyway.

This is a great day for the university of oklahoma, the jackass is gone. I'm sure we can find plenty of presidents who can fleece taxpayers, ticket holders, kill anything fun and keep the flagship university of the state in the worst conference in the country
I hope you are not a graduate of OU. It would be embarrassing to our fellow alums.

BTW, people making these intentionally (and usually needless) false statements are paid professionals with the specific job of communicating with the press and general public.

So, the fact they lie as a part of their job without any obvious consequences, I'm telling you this is a profound shift away from honesty or even the idea it is important.

This has all just happened in the last 10 years or so and it seems there is no getting the genie back in the bottle.
I respect you so much Pete, but you can't honestly believe all this started ten years ago.

Boren 2020!

First, I agree that football should factor very little into an assessment of Boren. But, I've been saying it a lot lately, but OU does not need the Big 12 to be strong to succeed. OU has the name recognition that they won't get left out like OSU, Baylor, and TCU did. It is unfair, but OU would have made it with the resumes those teams had the years they missed out. OU will continute to do fine as long football is popular, which I think is the next 10-15 years or so (that's another discussion though).

Boren 2020!

Start working on the "Make Oklahoma Great Again" shirts and "MOGA" hats.

First, I agree that football should factor very little into an assessment of Boren. But, I've been saying it a lot lately, but OU does not need the Big 12 to be strong to succeed. OU has the name recognition that they won't get left out like OSU, Baylor, and TCU did. It is unfair, but OU would have made it with the resumes those teams had the years they missed out. OU will continute to do fine as long football is popular, which I think is the next 10-15 years or so (that's another discussion though).

Nebraska probably thought the same thing.

I'll never understand such bitter hatred towards Boren, particularly for the conference thing.

That was probably mishandled on his part but it's hard to know the exact circumstances.

Even still, so what? How has that substantially hurt the school or the football program? If OU had bolted for the Pac-10 there would be plenty of people freaking out about that as well.

OU will always have lots of options in this regard so even if the Big 12 continues to struggle, a future change could be easily made.


Very narrow-minded to judge him based on something so minor compared to the monumental improvements he's brought to every aspect of the university, including athletics and football in particular.

This x1000. And I say this as an unabashed Sooner football fan *and* alum, one who attended OU in the Banowsky (sp) era, and remember just how...suboptimal...things were back then, and to look at how far it has come now when I see what my son gets to enjoy now as a student. For anyone to deny Boren's influence in that or to suggest its anything less than positive has other agendas in mind.

Did he handle conference realignment well? No. Were there other missteps along the way? Of course. But the net positive impact Boren had on OU, *including athletics*, just cannot be overstated. And lets keep in mind he's had a great working relationship with his AD and his (former) head coach, so it's hardly like Boren was a Swank type who kinda didn't much care what happened to the football team. I recall many, many times Stoops commenting on how great his relationship was in that vein, and how he also was keenly aware that didn't exist at every school. I think it was one of the key things that kept Stoops here as long as he was. Obviously academics is first priority for a university president, but I'd also minimally like to think Boren's successor would be one who can see that the relationship of college athletics to the school overall can be a mutually positive thing.

This x1000. And I say this as an unabashed Sooner football fan *and* alum, one who attended OU in the Banowsky (sp) era, and remember just how...suboptimal...things were back then, and to look at how far it has come now when I see what my son gets to enjoy now as a student. For anyone to deny Boren's influence in that or to suggest its anything less than positive has other agendas in mind.

Did he handle conference realignment well? No. Were there other missteps along the way? Of course. But the net positive impact Boren had on OU, *including athletics*, just cannot be overstated. And lets keep in mind he's had a great working relationship with his AD and his (former) head coach, so it's hardly like Boren was a Swank type who kinda didn't much care what happened to the football team. I recall many, many times Stoops commenting on how great his relationship was in that vein, and how he also was keenly aware that didn't exist at every school. I think it was one of the key things that kept Stoops here as long as he was. Obviously academics is first priority for a university president, but I'd also minimally like to think Boren's successor would be one who can see that the relationship of college athletics to the school overall can be a mutually positive thing.

The facebook comments are quite funny. People celebrating him leaving and cheering. None of them graduated from OU so I'm not really sure why people have to bash a guy. OU has grown tremendously under his reign and he will long be remembered.

^^^^^^
Agree 100%. Fare the well, DBo.

Even when I was young, my dad, a die hard Republican was a Boren fan, when he was in politics. Really respected him. I don't get the hate either.

I've met him a few times and heard him speak at small alum gatherings when he visited California.

That guy is amazing. Extremely inspirational and passionate and intelligent.

I'm not easily impressed and he never failed to impress the hell out of me.

I disagree with some of his politics but have tons of respect for what he has done for my alma mater and for his long public service. I first saw and shook hands with him at the Rush Springs Watermelon Festival in the '70s when he pressing the flesh while running for senate.

I've met him a few times and heard him speak at small alum gatherings when he visited California.

That guy is amazing. Extremely inspirational and passionate and intelligent.

I'm not easily impressed and he never failed to impress the hell out of me.

Agreed. I got to meet with him two years ago in his office on campus with a mutual friend and I was very impressed with him. Just seems like a stand-up guy with smarts and character.