In an email to OU students and employees, interim OU President Joseph Harroz announced he would recommend Belinda Higgs Hyppolite as vice president for diversity and inclusion.
Hyppolite is currently an assistant vice president for development and enrollment services at the University of Central Florida. According to her online bio, Hyppolite has worked in higher education for 23 years.
"Her background has given her remarkably broad experience in promoting student success, from housing and residential life to providing support for at-risk students and acting as an administrative advocate for diverse student populations," Harroz said in the email. "Her experience in diversity and inclusion efforts covers a wide range of leadership oversight and program development around matters of social justice and advocacy, educational initiatives, multicultural programs and more."
Hyppolite will replace current interim Vice President Jane Irungu, who has served in her interim role since August 2018. Irungu was appointed by former President James Gallogly after Jabar Shumate's rocky exit from the university in the summer of 2018.
Irungu, Hyppolite and Robinette Kelley, a former vice provost at North Carolina State University, were the three publicly announced candidates who held meet-and-greets on campus.
"On behalf of the university, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to our own Dr. Jane Irungu, who served as interim Vice President during a critical time," Harroz said. "We are indebted to her for her invaluable leadership and ardent commitment to our university."
Hyppolite earned her bachelor's degrees from Southwest Missouri State University and her master's degrees in counseling education and human resources from Western Illinois University. Hyppolite also holds a doctorate in professional leadership, inquiry and transformation from Concordia University, according to Harroz's email.
Hyppolite will take over as head of the university's diversity and inclusion efforts following multiple racist incidents on campus last semester and during a time in which students are giving increased scrutiny to OU's diversity initiatives. Harroz has listed increasing the university's diversity as one of his foremost goals during his interim presidency.
"Dr. Hyppolite is committed to help lead OU in addressing diversity and inclusion holistically as an entire university community," Harroz said. "She expresses her vision for this work as a three-pronged approach involving awareness, education and advocacy."
