Editor's note: This article was updated on Sept. 12 at 9:42 a.m. to reflect the proper spelling of Roger Frizzell and Daniela Garofalo's names.
The OU Board of Regents will consider a search committee for the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications dean, converting monthly employees to a biweekly pay schedule and changing the university’s policy related to advertising and promotion with alcoholic beverages during its September meeting Wednesday.
OU President Joseph Harroz Jr. recommended the search committee to replace former Gaylord College Dean Ed Kelley, who stepped down at the end of June and cited a need for younger leadership in the college.
If approved, the search committee would be made up of faculty, staff and students both inside and outside of Gaylord College.
The committee would be chaired by Corey Phelps, Price College of Business Dean.
The committee would include Gaylord College faculty and staff: Professor Robert Kerr, Associate Professor Doyle Yoon, Assistant Professor Erin Kökdil, Associate Professor Jensen Moore, Senior Academic Advisor Joshua Kahoe, Director of Student Services Kathy Sawyer and member of the board of visitors for the college Roger Frizzell.
Two students within the college, graduate student Alex Eschbach and public relations senior Acacia McDonald, would also be on the committee.
Outside of the college, four others would join the committee: John Banas, associate professor in the department of communication; Daniela Garofalo, professor in the department of classics and letters; Emily Reed, executive director of advancement for the OU Foundation and Tyler Tokarczyk, senior program officer at the Inasmuch Foundation.
Harroz is also asking the Board to approve various changes to university policies related to intellectual property, advertising and promotion and the president’s athletics council.
Harroz suggested revisions to the advertising and promotion policy, specifically to remove the prohibition on using OU’s logo and other trademarked symbols in alcohol advertising except when used to inform and educate the dangers of alcohol.
The Sooners released their official beer in partnership with COOP Ale Works in August.
Harroz also asks the board to authorize a trademark administrative committee to establish additional guidelines relating to advertising alcoholic beverages and remove the ban on beer and liquor products in certain advertisements and promotions.
Harroz also recommended that the Board of Regents convert monthly paid employees to a biweekly pay schedule. The regents would need to approve a one-time payout of leave for the transition.
Of the 11,500 people employed by the university at its Norman campus, 5,900 are hourly and on a biweekly pay schedule, according to the agenda. The transition would simplify payroll processing across campus.
The Board will also consider the approval of a resolution of exclusion concerning the management of OU’s classified defense information program.
As outlined in the agenda, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency has determined that each member of the OU Board of Regents is a designated key management personnel.
In Harroz’s recommendation, the Board of Regents Chair and Vice Chair should “take all reasonable steps to secure a personnel security clearance.”
The resolution of exclusion, if approved, would state that the chair and vice chair will serve as cleared personnel and will apply for personnel clearance annually when elected to office.
If approved, the current members of the OU Board of Regents, who have not yet or who have submitted an application for personnel security clearance, will not have access to classified information until their clearances are issued.
The Board of Regents will also consider broader policy changes, 2024 health plan rate increases and various athletic facility upgrades and personnel contract adjustments.
The OU Board of Regents will meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday at Cameron University’s Duncan campus.
