STILLWATER – There is sadness on the Oklahoma State campus. What has been reported for close to 18 hours is absolutely true. Dr. Kayse Shrum did resign as President of Oklahoma State University.
Shrum became the President in June of 2021. She will leave campus in June, making her tenure four years. An interim will be appointed on Friday, Feb. 7. OSU Provost Jeanette Mendez is serving as temporary interim President until that announcement.
The Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents made the announcement Wednesday morning.
In an article by NonDoc, an anonymous quote spoke on the expedited resignation from Shrum.
“She went from being on solid footing last Thursday to essentially not being president on Monday night,” an anonymous source told NonDoc. “Things moved really, really fast.”
Later on Wednesday afternoon, Shrum, who left Stillwater to spend time with her husband and work through the sadness of leaving a job she absolutely cherished, made this statement.
I have loved Oklahoma State University all my life. Serving as its president has been the highest honor of my career, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of such a remarkable institution.
My core values are integrity, excellence, and service. These values have guided every decision I have made as a leader. I have always lead with honesty, transparency, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right for students, faculty, and the great sate of Oklahoma. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply not true. My dedication to this university has been rooted in integrity and a steadfast belief in OSU’s mission.
As I step away from this role, my heart is full of gratitude, for the students who have inspired me every day, for the faculty and staff who work tirelessly to shape the future leaders, and for the OSU community that embodies the Cowboy spirit. Watching our students challenge the status quo, overcome obstacles, and achieve their dreams has been the greatest privilege of my time here. I am immensely proud of all that we have accomplished together, expanding opportunities, fostering innovation, and strengthening OSU’s impact across our great state and beyond. This university is built on a foundation of excellence, and its future is brighter than ever because of the incredible people who make OSU what it is.
Though I may not longer serve as president, I will always be part of the Cowboy family. OSU will always have my heart, and I will forever be it’s champion, standing firmly in my integrity, my love for this university, and my belief in the students who carry its legacy forward.
It is unbelievable anyone would want a President to resign who has been as successful as Dr. Shrum in leadership, fundraising and strategic planning. Our reports are that the negotiations of a resignation began last week. The Oklahoma State and A&M Board of Regents will officially announce the resignation early Wednesday morning. It will be interesting to see if there are any further developments revealed on this story.
Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics
Dr. Shrum talks athletics with Posse members and Chad Weiberg.
The 19th President of OSU, Shrum faced a lot of challenges such as the continuing effects of COVID-19 and within six weeks of taking over as President Big 12 founding schools University of Texas and University of Oklahoma announced they were leaving the Big 12 Conference, and that caused major disruption and concern in the conference. Dr. Shrum was a leader in the Big 12 recovery including a heavy hand in hiring Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark.
Shrum became more visible on campus, often taking walks during the day to meet and speak with students. Shrum became active in student causes. This was a purpose she saw for the entire university and the land-grant mission under which it was established. She initiated a plan for the Oklahoma State future through a strategic planning process. The result was the We Are Land-Grant strategic plan that included projects and strategy to establish OSU as the nation’s premier land-grant university by addressing societal problems, providing world-class education and preparing students for future challenges.
Dr. Shrum showed her prowess at fund raising that she used in Tulsa to build up OSU-Tulsa and the Oklahoma State University Medical School. Dr. Shrum is a 22-year veteran of the OSU system having started as a faculty member at The Oklahoma State University health Sciences Center in Tulsa in 2002. In 2013, she took over leadership of Oklahoma State University Medicine.
She is capable of dealing with important leaders and celebrities, putting her foot forward for the betterment of the school or entertaining students and being as casual as you would expect a university president to be.
Dr. Shrum enjoyed Oklahoma State victories in academics as well as athletics. She especially enjoyed the win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, her first year as President. She enjoyed all the trips of Cowgirls softball to Oklahoma City for the NCAA World Series.
Oklahoma State Athletics
Dr. Shrum and husband, Darren, at Cowgirl softball.
She was a huge friend to athletics having been a student-athlete herself as a softball pitcher. She understood the role of athletics, and especially football, at Oklahoma State and the future of the school and the athletics department.
Throughout Shrum’s tenure, Oklahoma State University has set multiple enrollment records, including the highest undergraduate enrollment, largest first-time freshman class and becoming Oklahoma’s largest university system. OSU also set records for non-residents, Honors College, Spears School of Business, Native American, first-generation, online and new graduate students. Despite this growth, OSU has maintained flat tuition and mandatory fees for three consecutive years, emphasizing student access, STEM education and workforce readiness.
Relationships, fund raising, competitive attitude and ability to motivate faculty, coaches, athletes, and students. She checked all the boxes of a modern-day President.
I encourage all Oklahoma State constituents to seek for themselves why this would have happened. It shouldn’t have.
Reports are the Oklahoma State and A&M Board of Regents have plans to announce and interim President later this week. Shrum, who will receive a settlement, also has had some very attractive future opportunities. I do know she wants Oklahoma State University to do well and will do all within her power to continue to do that while she is still on campus (scheduled until June). Shrum and her husband, Darren, who was also very active on campus, as well as her children that attended Oklahoma State, will continue to support the university.
