Back in February, OCU announced that former Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner and Lost Ogle Show guest Jim Roth would be stepping down as the Dean of the Law School after five years in charge.
From what I’ve gathered, the change is being welcomed by many of the school’s alums.
The biggest mark Roth seems to have made on the school during his tenure was the unceremonious firing of a beloved, long-time OCU law administrative employee for pretty much no reason at all. Additionally, OCU law bar pass rates are low, admissions are struggling, and OU is delivering better students to local law firms.
In the announcement, the school announced they would begin a nationwide search for a new Dean immediately…
OCU School of Law Dean Jim Roth has announced his eventual departure from his position, beginning a nationwide search for the next dean.
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“When I agreed to serve as dean in 2018, it was a five-year contract,” Jim Roth said. “My contract ends at the end of June in 2023, and I will be returning to the practice of law full-time.”
Well, I guess we know the results of that “nationwide” search!
Earlier today, the law school issued an email announcing the four male finalists for the job.
In a nod to the Oklahoma good ole boy network, two of them are white male conservative politicians from the Oklahoma ruling class with limited experience actually teaching or practicing law – Oklahoma City Mayor David “McSelfie” Holt and Oklahoma Lt. Governor Todd “Mary’s Little” Lamb.
Check this out:
I took a look at the resumes of the two “nationwide” candidates – Reynaldo Anaya Valencia and Geoffrey Rapp – and although they haven’t successfully rubbed elbows with the local ruling elite at the OKC Golf and Country Club, from a strictly legal experience and education perspective, their resumes appear to blow Mayor McSelfie and Todd Lamb out of the water.
It makes you wonder. Outside of their personal and professional connections with wealthy Oklahomans, fundraising skills, and ability to brown-nose with the best of them, how are David Holt and Todd Lamb even candidates?
Wait. I think I just answered my own question.
In all honesty, it will be interesting to see which direction the school goes.
Do they go with a local figurehead Dean who will spend a lot of time, energy, and effort trying to raise money for the law school – and in the case of David Holt, run around campus assaulting students and faculty with a selfie stick – and improve their standing with the ruling class before running for public office again, or do they go with an outsider who will actually try to improve the school’s standing?
I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.
