Allison Garrett says she'll retire as state higher education chancellor in January 2025

Allison Garrett, the chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education , says she plans to retire in January 2025, after a little more than three years of service in that post.

Chosen by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to replace longtime Chancellor Glen Johnson, Garrett was sworn in as the state’s ninth chancellor – and the first female to serve in that position – in December 2021. Whomever succeeds Garrett as chancellor won’t need confirmation by the Oklahoma Senate, as state regents do.

“Education changes lives, opening doors and lighting pathways for people to realize their God-given potential and achieve their dreams,” Garrett said in a statement Tuesday. “Serving the people of Oklahoma and working collaboratively with our state regents, elected officials, campus personnel, and business and community partners to help move this great state forward has been an honor.

“As I look ahead to a career capstone opportunity to complete an international project in late fall and the prospect of spending more time with family, I am filled with gratitude for the privilege to serve as chancellor and to work to make a positive impact on both Oklahoma’s workforce and in the lives of individual students across this state.”

The chancellor serves as the chief executive officer for Oklahoma higher education, leading a system comprised of 25 colleges and universities, 11 constituent agencies, one university center and independent colleges and universities coordinated with the state system. Among the chancellor’s duties are providing leadership on matters relating to standards for Oklahoma higher education, courses and programs of study, budget allocations for institutions, fees and tuition, and strategic planning.

Garrett leads OneNet , Oklahoma’s most advanced technology network designed to provide the infrastructure to support high-speed broadband services, and the Oklahoma College Assistance Program. She directs 20 statewide scholarship programs, including Oklahoma’s Promise, and statewide GEAR UP efforts. Garrett represents Oklahoma public higher education as a member of several professional, state and national organizations, including serving on the executive committee of the State Higher Education Executive Officers.

“I appreciate Chancellor Garrett’s dedication and service to the state of Oklahoma,” said state Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, the chair of the Senate Education Committee. “Throughout her tenure, Chancellor Garrett has demonstrated leadership in advancing higher education in our state . Her commitment to academic excellence and her vision has left a mark on our educational institutions and the countless lives they touch. Personally, I have appreciated the opportunity to work closely with her and her feedback on initiatives that I have pursed as Senate education chairman.”

Garrett, a 1984 Oklahoma Christian University graduate, served as senior vice president for academic affairs at her alma mater for five years before spending almost four years as an executive vice president at Abilene Christian University in Texas , starting in 2012. In 2016, she became the president of Emporia State University in Kansas . She began her time in academia as a law professor at Faulkner University in Alabama.

Before entering academia, she worked as an executive for Walmart as vice president and general counsel for the corporate division and vice president of benefits compliance and planning. Upon graduation from law school, she went into private practice before taking a position with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

From Neosho, Missouri, in that state’s southwest corner, earned her master’s degree in securities regulation from Georgetown University and a law degree at the University of Tulsa.

Garrett’s father, Wilbur Dabbs of Neosho, died on June 16 at age 94.

Governor, presidents, state regents praise the work Garrett has done as chancellor

Gov. Kevin Stitt and higher education leaders all praised Garrett's work as chancellor.

"I'm grateful for Chancellor Garrett's service to the Oklahoma state higher education system and I want to extend my congratulations on her next endeavor," Stitt said. "I'm looking forward to seeing what's next for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education as we continue to work toward the vision of being a top-10 state."Lana Reynolds, the president of Seminole State College, the immediate past chair of the state regents' Council of Presidents and -- like Garrett -- and Oklahoma Christian alumna, said Garrett "has a challenging job that she has handled with intelligence and grace. The expertise and experience she brought to the position of chancellor was extremely valuable.  I appreciate her service and wish her the best.”

Dennis Casey, the chair of the state regents, noted Garrett played a key role in the development of Blueprint 2030, the regents’ comprehensive strategic plan to advance higher education in Oklahoma, and helped push for an increase in the number of graduates in the state, particularly in key fields such as engineering and nursing.

“We respect her decision and the time she is providing that will allow us to develop and execute a succession plan,” Casey said.

Another regent, Jeff Hickman – a former speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives – said Garrett prioritized streamlining and modernizing the regents’ policies and processing for interfacing with the state’s higher-education institutions.

“She assembled a talented staff and together, in partnership with our board, they continue to lead us through strategic innovations, eliminating a great deal of bureaucratic red tape at the agency, bringing efficiencies to the way we govern the state’s higher education system and positioning us for success in the months and years ahead as we work to transform our higher education system for the future,” Hickman said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Allison Garrett says she'll retire as state higher education chancellor in January 2025