Today marks a milestone in President David Boren’s career. He is now the second-longest serving OU president, and his achievements have been nothing short of remarkable.
No one has done more to restore a sense of community to the campus than Boren. When he returned to OU in 1994 as president, students had forgotten the many traditions and chants we take for granted in everyday campus life. He spearheaded the renovation of campus buildings and landscaping, making the campus a beautiful place to come and learn.
Thriving student involvement in campus activities and events developed as a result of the ConocoPhilips Student Leadership Wing, and initiatives such as the Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth are training students to become innovative and entrepreneurial leaders of the future.
Boren has also put OU on the map for its study abroad programs. Because of his service in the Senate and as the longest-serving chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Boren brings important policymakers and intellectuals to campus, giving students invaluable insight into national and global politics.
None of the leaps in the quality of campus life and academic excellence during the past 16 years could have happened without Boren, and for this we would like to say thank you.
However, we would be remiss not to give suggestions to continue OU’s succes. The work of a leader is never done, and there are a few areas that we encourage Boren to pay attention to and champion at OU in the coming years.
First off, we would like to see greater transparency in OU’s administration. As it stands, almost any information on administrative issues must be obtained through the Open Records office, which won’t produce anything for students unless documents exist pertaining specifically to the request. Furthermore, too many administrators refuse to comment on even the most basic issues without obtaining some kind of official approval.
Another important issue Boren must focus on is gender-blind initiatives. For years, student groups such as Students for a Democratic Society and OU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Friends have lobbied for gender-blind housing arrangements, but a decision to implement such arrangements rests ultimately with Boren and the OU Board of Regents.
Boren’s last remarks on gender-blind initiatives weren’t encouraging when he said in February 2010 that he didn’t see OU making any advancements in this area simply because, “We live in the state of Oklahoma.” However, Undergraduate Student Congress voted unanimously in support of such an initiative last year, indicating that students recognize the need for such a change on campus.
We have faith that Boren will hear the students on these issues, and we can’t wait to see what he has in store for the university next.
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cheapnihilist 1 year, 4 months ago
None of the leaps in the cost of campus life and academic excellence during the past 16 years could have happened without Boren, and for this we would like to say thank you.
williamlonn 1 year, 3 months ago
I find it funny that "cheapnihilist" both went through the process to register an account and (presumably) attends a state run university.