OSU Institute of Technology says farewell to Dr. Scott Newman, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, after serving more than 20 years of leadership and service to the institution.

Newman has been selected as the next president of the OSU-Oklahoma City campus, approved by the Oklahoma State University/A&M Board of Regents on June 18. OSU System President Emeritus Burns Hargis selected him in consultation with President Kayse Shrum after a competitive, national search.

"Although we lament that fact that we are losing Dr. Newman's leadership at OSUIT, we celebrate gaining a partner and colleague as he joins the presidential ranks of our sister institution," said OSUIT President Bill R. Path.

Since 2000, Newman has held a range of both faculty and mid and senior level leadership positions at OSUIT. Those positions include serving as the founding dean of the School of Information Technologies and as the institution's provost & vice president of Academic Affairs.

"My past nearly 21 years at OSUIT have been the most rewarding of my career. As a native of Henryetta, I was well aware, long before I came here, of what the institution had done for so many—including countless family members and friends," said Newman. "I was drawn to OSUIT by a desire to be part of something which has such significant, positive impacts on people and their communities."

Newman's accomplishments at OSUIT include leading numerous student success initiatives, boosting graduation rates and reorganizing the institution's academic programs to improve service to stakeholders while reducing administrative costs. As dean of OSUIT's School of Information Technologies in 2001, he led the creation of award-winning associate and bachelor's degree programs and developed industry partnerships.

"I've worked with Dr. Newman for many years, and his leadership through the year 2020 is a prime example of his contribution to this institution," said Steve Olmstead, dean of the School of Engineering & Construction Technologies. "2020 was at best a year of great resolve. We were faced with many challenges, including providing our students with the same quality of education in our hands-on model in an online environment. Dr. Newman's leadership and the persistence from OSUIT's academic team made this happen to result in a better and stronger institution."

Newman holds bachelor's and master's degrees from The University of Oklahoma, a master's from the University of Oxford and a doctorate from Oklahoma State University. He is also an alumnus of Harvard University's Institute for Educational Management, a former Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Fellow and an American Council on Education Fellow. He is currently a Rising Presidents Fellow of the Aspen Institute.

He has been a member of the Higher Learning Commission Peer Review Corps since 2009 and is active with a number of community and professional organizations throughout his postsecondary career. His scholarly interests include student success, employer engagement and postsecondary leadership, with recent activities including presentations at the American Council on Education Annual Meeting and Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference and an article in “New Directions for Higher Education.” His book “Higher Education Administration: 50 Case-Based Vignettes” was published in 2015.

"OSUIT's unique mission in serving students and its employer partners, and getting to work with so many talented and committed staff and faculty, kept me energized and motivated throughout those two-plus decades. As I take my next step, I carry with me the many wonderful memories and relationships I gained during my time at OSUIT, as well as a great sense of gratitude for the opportunities it provided me to grow and serve others."

Newman, his wife, Anne, and their children look forward to becoming part of the Oklahoma City and OSU-OKC communities.

Jody Grammer has been appointed to serve as the acting provost & vice president of Academic Affairs while a search for Newman’s replacement continues.

Dr. Newman will begin his new assignment as president of OSU-OKC on August 1.