OSU-Tulsa names new president

Friday, June 14, 2019

Dr. Pamela Fry was named president of Oklahoma State University-Tulsa during the OSU/A&M Board of Regents meeting Friday in Oklahoma City. She has been the provost and vice president for academic affairs at the Tulsa campus since 2016.
Fry is the third person and first female to lead OSU-Tulsa since it was founded in 1999.
She succeeds Howard Barnett Jr., who announced in January he was stepping down to become president emeritus and will now focus on external university issues like legislative matters and fundraising.
“Dr. Fry is the perfect choice to lead our OSU-Tulsa campus,” OSU President Burns Hargis said. “She has done an excellent job guiding academics at OSU-Tulsa and will easily transition into the role of president. Pam is well positioned to expand our efforts in Tulsa.”
Prior to being named provost for OSU-Tulsa, Fry focused on academic programming, student success and constituent relations. She has held higher-education leadership positions for nearly three decades, serving at the levels of program chair, school head, associate dean, dean, associate vice president, vice provost, interim provost, vice president and provost. She has ties with Tulsa and the precursor of OSU-Tulsa, the University Center at Tulsa.
"It is an honor to be chosen to lead the branch campus of a land grant university that impacts so many in the Tulsa area," Fry said. "I look forward to collaborating with university, industry, agency and community partners in Stillwater and Tulsa to increase access and create clearer pathways to undergraduate and graduate degrees for Tulsans.”
During most of her term as provost and vice president for academic affairs she split her time between Stillwater and Tulsa while also serving as vice provost for the Stillwater campus. Since 2011, Fry has served as associate provost and associate vice president of undergraduate education and vice provost for OSU-Stillwater. Previously, she served six years as dean of the OSU College of Education and three years as the head of the School of Teaching and Curriculum Leadership. She also served as OSU's interim provost from 2013-2014.
Before joining OSU in 2001, Fry served 12 years as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Oklahoma.
Her research focuses on analyzing teaching, learning and curriculum at the pre-kindergarten-12th grade and collegiate levels.
She holds a bachelor’s degree with highest honors from OU, where she was part of her college’s inaugural hall of fame class known as the “75 Who Made a Difference.” Fry earned a master’s degree from OSU in applied behavioral studies and a doctorate in curriculum and supervision.
Her role as president of OSU-Tulsa begins July 1.

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