OU-Tulsa Interim President James J. Sluss Jr. will serve as the OU Polytechnic Institute’s interim director, André-Denis Wright, OU senior vice president, announced Monday.
Pending the Board of Regents’ approval, Sluss will be in charge of designing the institute’s academic programs, according to Wright’s email, with a focus on six specific areas, including cybersecurity and software engineering. The institute, announced in May, will offer undergraduate and graduate programs focused on research in science and technology.
Sluss has previously served as associate vice president for academic affairs at OU-Tulsa and dean of the Tulsa Graduate College, according to the email. He also was the systemwide director for the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Currently, he is the president emeritus at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Education Society, an international organization that shares scientific information with its members in the field. Sluss was recently given the organization's 2022 Distinguished Member Award, according to the email.
“Dr. Sluss’ administrative experience at OU, combined with his STEM background and strong research focus, make him incredibly well-suited to lead the OU Polytechnic Institute during this critical phase of its development,” Wright wrote.
Sluss will continue to serve as the interim president of OU-Tulsa while the university looks for a permanent director for the OU Polytechnic Institute, according to the email.
