Following the May 12 announcement of OU President James Gallogly’s plan to retire, the executive search firm involved in Gallogly’s selection may be obligated to search for his successor.
The contract between the university and Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, the search firm hired by OU in January 2018, guaranteed the firm will conduct one "replacement search" if the candidate chosen by OU "vacates the position" within 12 months of taking office. According to the contract, the search must begin “immediately following the departure of the placement.”
Gallogly started as president July 1, meaning that his retirement could come within the 12-month window and allow for the replacement search.
The contract says “if the placement resigns as a result of discovery of immoral, illegal, or inappropriate business practices on behalf of the University, or because the University of Oklahoma has been involved or engaged in activities that would compromise the placement's reputation then Storbeck/Pimentel will have no obligation to re-initiate the search.”
It is unclear if the circumstances of Gallogly’s retirement — which follows the discovery of misreported donation numbers under the Boren administration and the ongoing investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Boren and Tripp Hall, another former university administrator — violate the contract.
Correction: This post was updated at 1:02 p.m. May 22 to reflect the correct starting date of James Gallogly's presidency.
