Oklahoma State University A&M Board of Regents announced that they’ve accepted the resignation of President Dr. Kayse Shrum after almost four years on the job.
Her resignation was effective Monday, though the announcement came Wednesday morning.
The board released a statement thanking Shrum for her achievements and announced they will begin the process of finding the next president of OSU. As Shrum steps down, Jeanette Mendez, OSU provost and senior vice president will be the acting president until an interim president is named, according to the board of regents.
“During her tenure, Oklahoma State University has experienced record enrollment, student retention rates, research funding and philanthropic support setting the stage for a bright future,” a quote attributed to the board said.
The Coweta native was tapped to become OSU’s 19th and first female president in 2021. Under her leadership, OSU has seen record enrollment as it emerges from the worst of the coronavirus pandemic, though tuition and fees have remained flat.
During her almost four-year tenure, Shrum supervised the Human Performance and Nutrition Research Institute, created in 2022 to create strategies to combat obesity and chronic diseases. In 2023, she announced OSU Polytech, an initiative offering students nationwide greater access to flexible learning opportunities and real-world learning experiences.
She also oversaw the creation of the Aerospace Institute for Research and Education, which will support the growth of the aerospace industry in Oklahoma.
Shrum has been employed by OSU in various roles for roughly two decades. Before becoming university president, she was the president of the OSU Center for Health Sciences (OSU-CHS). She was named to that position in 2013, becoming the youngest and first female president of a medical school in Oklahoma.
In March 2019, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt named Shrum the Secretary of Science and Innovation. Shrum was widely seen as integral to the state during the coronavirus pandemic, as officials scrambled to secure personal protective equipment and testing kits. She stepped down from Stitt’s cabinet in June 2020 to return full-time to OSU-CHS.
OSU A&M Board of Regents will start the search for OSU’s 20th president immediately.
“The Board will begin the process of identifying the next leader for Oklahoma State University and will provide updates as that process moves forward. In the meantime, we are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and maintaining the momentum of OSU’s mission to serve the state of Oklahoma and beyond,” the board statement said.
“We thank Dr. Shrum for her service and wish her the very best in her future endeavors.”
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