Latest news with #JimHess
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
OSU receives historic $250M investment for veterinary teaching hospital
STILLWATER, Okla. (KFOR) – Oklahoma State University (OSU) is celebrating a big boost from the state announcing on Thursday a historic $250 million fund supporting the construction of a new veterinary teaching hospital. OSU leaders say, the state appropriation is the university's largest in advancing the future of veterinary education, food, security and public health in Oklahoma. The new 255,000-square-foot facility is set to replace the existing veterinary hospital expanding the programs ability to train the next generation of veterinarians. OSU President Jim Hess says, veterinary medicine is a cornerstone of Oklahoma's economy and public health, highlighting the transformational investment directly supports OSU's land-grant mission to serve the state's needs. Thunder win Western Conference Finals, make first NBA Finals appearance since 2012 'Today marks a very historic day for Oklahoma State University and the entire state of Oklahoma,' Hess said. 'Gov. Stitt and the members of the Oklahoma Legislature are to be congratulated for their contribution and transformational dedication to our College of Veterinary Medicine, the food supply of Oklahoma and the agricultural economy of our state.' OSU officials say, the new facility continued compliance measures are tied to facility upgrades after the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine was previously placed on probationary accreditation in the fall of 2024. 'This $250 million investment powerfully answers the call to build a new teaching facility for OSU`s veterinary medicine school, and we thank our elected leaders for their commitment to this vital project and the veterinarians who fought for it,' said Oklahoma A&M Board Chairman Jimmy Harrel. 'We celebrate this significant progress as a win for Oklahoma State University, its veterinary students, and the agricultural community. The facility will serve the state for at least the next 40 years and equip our graduates to meet the evolving needs of Oklahoma's vital animal industries. Our mission is to be number one in the nation, and this will be the launching pad to achieve our shared vision, advancing the university's top-tier status as a land grant institution.' OSU officials confirm, its veterinary college is just 1 of 33 accredited veterinary colleges in the United States meeting veterinary workforce needs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oklahoma State University A&M board of Regents names Dr. Jim Hess as 20th President
GOODWELL, Okla. (KFOR) – On Friday, the Oklahoma State University A&M board of Regents announced the appointment of Dr. Jim Hess as the next president of Oklahoma State University. Hess has been serving as the interim president since the former president, Dr. Kayse Shrum, suddenly stepped down three months ago after an internal audit. As reported by NonDoc, the internal audit revealed $41 million in funds from the legislature to OSU's Medical Authority were not handled properly from July 2022 to January 2025. Shrum denied any wrongdoing. RELATED: 'Dollars were spent': Board of Regents member addresses OSU audit Hess was appointed to a three-year term, and the vote came during the board's regular meeting at Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell. 'Dr. Hess has proven himself as the right leader at the right time for Oklahoma State University.' 'His deep understanding of OSU's land-grant mission gives our board complete confidence in his ability to lead the university forward. Every day, Dr. Hess demonstrates his commitment to putting students first in everything he's doing, which aligns perfectly with OSU's mission.' Board Chairman Jimmy Harrel, OSU A&M Regent OSU names Dr. Jim Hess as interim President 'I am honored by the board's trust and excited about OSU's future,' said Hess following the vote. 'We share a commitment to our students, an awareness of our challenges and possibilities, and a bold vision for this institution. We launch this journey with an urgency of purpose and the confidence that we can change lives, transform education, and pave the way for the next generation of Cowboys.' Hess added, 'This moment doesn't belong to me, it belongs to our students who work hard to pursue their dreams, to our faculty who ignite our students' minds and conduct life-changing research, to our staff who operate OSU with excellence every day, and to our alumni and friends who share their time and resources so generously with this institution.' 'We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Jim Hess as the 20th president of OSU. His inspiring vision for student success and dedication to enhancing education ensure that OSU will continue to thrive and contribute to Oklahoma's future.' Blaire Atkinson, President of the OSU Foundation Hess holds a bachelor's and master's degree from Northeastern State University and a doctorate from Oklahoma State University. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Oklahoma State University governing board appoints new president to 3-year term
Oklahoma State University Interim President Jim Hess speaks at a meeting of the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents March 7, 2025 in Stillwater. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma State University's governing board on Friday appointed Jim Hess to serve as the school's 20th president for the next three years. Oklahoma State University A&M Board of Regents said in a statement that Hess, who had been serving as interim president, has proven he's the right person to lead the state's second largest university. The board's statement did not say why Hess was appointed for only a three-year term. 'Dr. Hess has proven himself as the right leader at the right time for Oklahoma State University,' said Board Chairman Jimmy Harrel. 'His deep understanding of OSU's land-grant mission gives our board complete confidence in his ability to lead the university forward.' The board had tapped Hess to serve as interim president in February following the abrupt resignation of Kayse Shrum, the university's first female president. Officials have not said what led Shrum to step down after slightly more than three years at the helm. 'While we could have spent an entire year searching for a new president, seeing Jim's work up close over the past months has provided a level of insight and confidence that no interviews with outside candidates would have yielded,' said Rick Walker, the board's vice chair. 'His positive impact across the OSU community has been swift. He immediately took action on key issues and legislative priorities, and his engagement with OSU's students, faculty, and staff has restored much-needed connections and stability throughout the institution.' Hess brings 43 years of experience working in higher education to the role. He most recently served as vice provost for graduate programs at the OSU Center for Health Sciences. He earned a bachelor's and master's from Northeastern State University and a doctorate in education from OSU. Hess said he was honored and excited about the university's future. 'We launch this journey with an urgency of purpose and the confidence that we can change lives, transform education, and pave the way for the next generation of Cowboys,' Hess said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Internal audit finds 'significant issues' in how OSU spent appropriated money
About a month after the surprising resignation of Oklahoma State University President Kayse Shrum, an internal audit released by OSU after an open-records request found 'significant issues in the allocation and management of legislatively appropriated funds' at the university. Among the findings of the audit – released Wednesday, two days before the next meeting of the OSU/A&M Board of Regents – were that the university did not properly account for $41 million in legislatively appropriated funds between July 1, 2022, through Jan. 15, 2025, a time during which Shrum was serving as president. The scope of the audit was limited to an amount of about $55.5 million for fiscal years 2023 to 2025, and sought to try and understand the specific restrictions and intended uses of the appropriated funds. It did not include all legislative appropriations during that time. According to the audit's executive summary, the $41 million in funds 'were not properly restricted and in some instances were co-mingled with other funds, leading to expenditures that were not aligned with the restricted purposes.' The improper handling of funds, the audit said, included unauthorized transfers to the OSU Innovation Foundation, one of Shrum's favored projects, which was rebranded in 2023 from its former name, the Oklahoma State University Research Foundation. 'Such actions in some cases violated state laws and policies, thereby posing financial and reputational risks to the institution,' the audit said. Shrum has not returned messages seeking comment since her resignation became public and OSU officials have remained mum as to the 'why' of her decision. OSU officials kept the situation so secret that the OSU/A&M Board of Regents didn't officially announce Shrum's resignation until two days after it took effect, neglecting to give a heads-up to key state higher education officials, including Chancellor Sean Burrage and Dennis Casey, the chair of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Less than a week after Shrum resigned, regents named Jim Hess as OSU's interim president. 'OSU remains focused on its land-grant mission to provide accessible education, conduct groundbreaking research, grow the state's workforce, and deliver high-quality health care for Oklahomans,' OSU spokesman Lance Latham said in a statement Wednesday. 'Newly appointed Interim President Dr. Jim Hess is taking swift action, along with the OSU/A&M Board of Regents, to address these matters. 'Dr. Hess has underscored that while the financial decisions and transactions which occurred are concerning, they were isolated and do not impact OSU's overall financial foundation, which remains the strongest among Oklahoma's institutions of higher education.' According to its website, the Innovation Foundation's mission 'is to maximize the impact of OSU's excellence in aerospace and advanced mobility, energy, agriculture, and One Health by translating innovative applied research into products and services, facilitating strong partnerships with aligned industry and regional partners, and investing in the development of emerging companies — all for the benefit of society.' Another finding in the audit was that the Innovation Foundation lacked 'independent funding' and 'is not operating with financial independence and has inappropriately utilized legislative appropriations intended for OSU. The audit found the Foundation 'relied on inappropriately transferred legislatively appropriated funds intended for OSU special projects to support 96% of (its) operating costs.' The Innovation Foundation's executive director, Elizabeth Pollard, resigned soon after Shrum. Pollard told the Tulsa World, 'The Innovation Foundation followed University policy and procedures, including financial reporting into University systems.' The audit also found that between 2023 and 2025, $55.5 million in legislatively appropriated funds from the OSU Medical Authority was not fully presented to the OSU/A&M regents' board for budgetary approval, something required by both the board and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The audit said $41 million of that amount had been transferred from the Medical Authority to OSU. It also said OSU transferred $11.5 million in legislatively appropriated funds to the Innovation Foundation – money provided through OSUMA and intended for the University. 'Failure to obtain Board budgeting approval for the legislatively appropriated funds undermines the Board's governance of the institution and its ability to conduct fiscal oversight and ensure accountability,' the audit said. Part of the problem, the audit said, is that seven OSU executive leaders, including Shrum, served simultaneously with OSU, the OSU Medical Authority and the Innovation Foundation 'related to the transfer of legislatively appropriated funds from OSUMA to OSU and then to the Innovation Foundation, Inc.' That, the audit said, 'created a conflict of interest and a lack of segregation of duties. Further, the multiple roles blurred the lines of governance.' Late Wednesday afternoon, the university issued another statement, from OSU/A&M Regent Jennifer Callahan, the chair of the board's Governance Review Task Force. 'The OSU/A&M Board of Regents has a responsibility to ensure the financial integrity and oversight of its member institutions and has procedures in place to fulfill that responsibility,' Callahan said. 'The board and OSU administration are committed to transparency and to taking swift action that protects the university's commitment to students.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Internal OSU audit finds significant issues with how funds were spent
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
OSU interim president Hess shares goals, passions for university in new role
When Jim Hess was named Oklahoma State University interim president Feb. 7, some people not familiar with his work had a question. Who is Jim Hess? Hess said it wasn't an uncommon question. 'My goal over the last 43 years is to have a low profile and just do my work,' Hess said. 'So, the fact that some people say, 'Who the heck is Jim Hess?' is actually a compliment.' Hess sat in the OSU President's office, where, as of yet, the space isn't fully furnished. It was a space occupied a month ago by former president Dr. Kayse Shrum, who handed her official resignation to the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents on Feb. 5 in what appeared to be a sudden decision with little warning. The soft-spoken Hess, known for hard work behind the scenes, discussed his new role, his passions and his goals for the university. 'Let me start by saying that it's a real honor and a privilege to serve in this job,' Hess said. 'There have been lot of great people sit in this corner office over the decades, and I feel unworthy sometimes, having worked for many of those people in the past.' Other days, he said he feels like the 'fastest three-legged dog,' a phrase that showed that, although he may feel 'unworthy,' he's worked just as hard as anyone and proven it. Hess has served the higher education system in Oklahoma for more than 43 years. In 2023, Hess was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame. Hess served as vice provost for graduate programs at the OSU Center for Health Sciences, helping to create what is now OSU Medical Center, the only osteopathic teaching hospital in the United States. He most recently served as CEO of the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority and is designated as a Riata Faculty Fellow in the OSU School of Entrepreneurship. Despite his accomplishments, his wife, Angela, told the News Press that sometimes he doesn't realize all he has done. She doesn't often get to say much about him, but when she has the chance, she wants to speak up. 'There's something really special and endearing about Jim, and I think it's his humility,' Angela said. 'If I wasn't married to him, I would want him to be my best friend, I would always want him to be in my corner, because what you see is what you get.' Angela said stepping in as interim president and First Cowgirl was 'not on their radar.' 'We were headed to retirement, and we had been praying consistently every day … 'God, what do you want us to do? Where do you want us to go?'' she said. 'And then this came open, and we were both like, 'Oh, my goodness, this is no mistake.'' She said her husband works 16 hours a day, but she's never seen him complain. Hess is a native of Henryetta, a town one hour south of Tulsa, where he said he grew up poor. 'This place changed my life, changed the direction of my life years and years ago, when I first came down here as a student,' Hess said. 'So, I felt like since the university's done so much for me, it's my duty to pay back and to serve.' As a freshman, he came to OSU to study petroleum geology because he was intrigued by the oil and gas business. At OSU, his professors saw his potential and challenged him. 'I was gifted that experience of some great professors who inspired me to be a good student, to do the very best that I could and basically live up to the potential that they saw in me, saying, 'You can be an outstanding student, but you're going need to be motivated to be an outstanding student,'' Hess said. One thing he is grateful for was the scholarship he received as a freshman from anonymous donors that enabled him to compete his education. It's with this in mind that Hess wants to create those same opportunities for other students, especially those in need of scholarships. He said the Board of Regents has been 'holding the line' for the costs of student tuition and fees, but this means there is a greater need for private scholarships. The student experience – from the time they arrive to the time they leave – is a window that is 'really the measure of success' and that depends on the financial pressures students face, he said. 'We like to measure ourselves by numbers, and that's important,' Hess said. '… But it's the student experience that really matters because when a student comes here, we have the opportunity to change their lives and change the trajectory of forever.' A professor himself, Hess was responsible for creating several online graduate programs, including the Master of Science in Health Care Administration, the Master of Science in Global Health, the Master of Science in Medical Sciences, the Doctor of Health Care Administration and the Doctor of Forensic Sciences. He teaches the Healthcare Administration course at OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, in addition to a Higher Education Finance course in the College of Education and Human Sciences in Stillwater. The Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa became known as the 'only institution in the state's higher education system to achieve consecutive year-over-year enrollment growth over the last 10 years,' according to a Feb. 7 story published at OSU's website. 'Nobody in the graduate college teaches more than me,' Hess said. 'That's been true for the last five years. And here's why this is so important to me: the interaction with students … that change(s) me, and I hope it changes them.' He said the close interaction with students as a professor helps him learn what students need, the challenges they face and how they're approaching them. Hess said another area that he's passionate about is in making OSU the premier veterinary medicine university it used to be in the 1960s and 1970s. As a freshman, his work study was in the College of Veterinary Medicine. 'I shoveled stalls – you know what that means,' Hess said. 'I was so proud to be there because the College of Veterinary Medicine was at its pinnacle, its high point. I was fascinated by the kinds of clinical work they did there and solving a lot of complex animal problems.' Fast forward almost 50 years, he said, and he became the CEO of the OSU Veterinary Medicine Authority, the entity that supports clinical training, student training and the veterinary teaching hospital at the College of Veterinary Medicine. OSUVMA operates much like the OSU Medical Authority and the University Hospitals Authority in their support for the state's medical schools. Hess said it was a 'full-circle moment.' 'I believe that everything happens that happens in life, happens for a reason,' Hess said. 'That's always been my philosophy.' The opportunity to serve in his previous capacity has given him perspective that OSU can once again be the premier college for veterinary medicine. 'Here's what we once were, here's what we can still become,' he said. Only 33 veterinary colleges exist in the United States, and OSU used to be ranked among the Top 1 or 2 of those colleges in terms of reputation, numbers of clinical volume, including referrals and procedures, but due to financial constraints has dropped in ranking. Hess said it's important that OSU regains that status, because the agricultural economy of the state – including large animal food and production – is 'totally dependent on that very profession.' 'I think, with the help of our legislative partners, we can restore the College of Veterinary Medicine to the greatness that OSU deserves,' Hess said. The No. 1 legislative priority is to build a new animal teaching hospital, Hess said. As for the future, Hess said he's approaching his role with the idea of 'making the best decisions that are in the long-term best interests of the institution.' 'If at the end of whatever time period I'm here, if I can say that I left the place better than when I found it, then I was successful,' Hess said. 'And I think that's really the only measure for me.' Hess also touched on the relationship between OSU and the community, noting that it was a great connection and not one found in many college towns. 'Everybody who works here (at OSU), lives here,' Hess said. ' … If you were going to describe the ideal place to put a university where the culture of the community is important, you couldn't describe a better place than Stillwater.'
