OU-Tulsa President Ken Levit has announced that he will be leaving OU on June 1.

Dr. Gerry Clancy, the current dean of the OU College of Medicine in Tulsa, will serve as the interim OU-Tulsa president, Levit said.

"I love working at OU, and the OU-Tulsa job was terrific," Levit said.

Students and professors on campus said they appreciate what Levit has done for OU-Tulsa since he became president in September 2001, said Erik Vanderlip, third-year medical student at OU-Tulsa.

"He's certainly done a lot for the campus," Vanderlip said. "We seem to be a growing presence in the community."

Levit said he has accepted a new position as the executive director of the George Kaiser Family Foundation in Tulsa.

The foundation focuses on community development in Tulsa, emphasizing early intervention in health care and education, social services, economic development and city enhancement.

His new job will be closely related to the goals of OU-Tulsa.

"I'll be able to make OU stronger but also work on some other issues to make Tulsa stronger," Levit said.

Under the direction of OU President David L. Boren, OU purchased the campus five years ago and made it OU-Tulsa, he said.

Levit's Legacy

o OU-Tulsa President Ken Levit to leave position on June 1

o Levit hired in September 2001

o As president, he emphasized OU-Tulsa's role in the community

o Levit to become the leader of community development foundation in Tulsa

o Interim president will be Gary Clancy

Source: Staff reports

OU-Tulsa offers diverse areas of study, including social work, education and medicine.

"It's a natural thing to work together," Clancy said about the interdisciplinary cooperation that is cultivated at OU-Tulsa.

OU-Tulsa emphasizes cooperation toward community development, Levit said.

He said OU-Tulsa has been "experimental" in the way higher education has helped improve the community.

"I think we're really at the frontier of what's going on in higher education," Levit said.

"Bedlam Clinics" are one example of OU-Tulsa's innovative community outreach. OU-Tulsa and Oklahoma State University-Tulsa began the clinics, and OU-Tulsa has embraced them, Vanderlip said.

These student-run clinics provide discounted health care for the underprivileged of Northeastern Oklahoma, even providing services free for those without insurance.

OU-Tulsa has negotiated with local pharmacies so patients can fill prescriptions for only $10, he said.

"The Bedlam experiment has transcended everything else," Vanderlip said. "It's not just this [one] clinic anymore. It's branched out to schools and apartment complexes."

About 1,150 students attended OU-Tulsa in the fall, according to the OU Factbook.
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