President John H. Feaver sent shockwaves across USAO’s campus when he announced his retirement December 1st. Feaver has been a part of this campus for 42 years, and has diligently served as USAO’s president for 22 years of those years. Feaver stated that he will officially retire in December of 2023.

Feaver began his career at USAO in the summer of 1980, when he was hired as a professor. The president of the time, Roy Troutt, encouraged Feaver to consider the administration side of the university. Feaver quickly moved through the ranks, and by 1988 he stood as a vice president. In the summer of 2000, the Board of Regents chose Feaver as USAO’s 12th president.

The process for finding USAO’s 13th president has not been set in stone. Feaver said he and the board will conduct a special meeting in early January to discuss the transition, timeline, and process more in depth. There has been a conversation about utilizing a consulting firm to carry out a national search for the new president. Feaver said that a search committee will be formed, with representatives including state regents, a student, and a member of the faculty and staff.

When talking about qualities that the future president should possess, Feaver asked the question: “What kind of person would they (the staff) follow?” Feaver said that his successor should be someone who appeals to, fits in, and can lead USAO’s faculty and staff. He said he also believes the future president should be sensitive to fundraising and understand the political and financial environment of the school.

Feaver chuckled when saying that once he was gone he will be gone, and that he feels like he has been at USAO long enough to try the ideas he has had. He said he feels like it is time for someone new to come in and put their ideas into effect. Feaver said that his intent is to leave the university on an upwards trajectory.

“I have been so preoccupied with my professional life, what I do as a college president, that I really haven’t prepared an advocation for my afterlife, but I’m sure I’ll find something to do,” said Feaver in respect to his retirement plans.

He mentioned that he and his wife, Marilyn, want to spend more time with their children. While he said that he does not have a clear idea of his retirement plans, he emphasized that his retirement was not a health decision. Feaver also said that he will not be leaving until the end of next year so he can see various projects reach completion, such as the Redlands Community College (RCC) collaboration. He said he believes his recent announcement will aid and reinforce these initiatives.

A lengthy career such as Feaver’s is bound to boast a few major accomplishments. The president mentioned a few aspects that he feels proud to be a part of and that he feels made USAO’s campus better as a whole.

“I think that the rehabilitation and protection of the historic campus is one thing that I am quite proud of,” said Feaver.

Another point of accomplishment is the increase to USAO’s visibility to the public, as well as a greater understanding of the university’s mission and purpose. Feaver said he thinks the university has significantly addressed the public’s confusion about what USAO is all about. The president said he credits this to raising admission standards which increased student retention and visibility rates. Another point of success for the president is that recruitment and maintenance of a dedicated, hardworking, and intelligent faculty and staff. Feaver said that 90% of USAO’s staff holds a terminal degree in their field, meaning they hold a doctorate or MFA degree.

Feaver said a final point of success for him is USAO developing a statewide image as an academic and athletic powerhouse. The president said he believes that USAO is beginning to emerge as a distinctive college in that regard.

“If you have a school in the state that is viewed as having extraordinary emphasis on academic quality, but at the same time performs effectively on the playing field,” said Feaver. “You’ve got a hell of a combination.”

In his last year in office, Feaver says he has a few things he wants to finalize before the transition to a new president begins. The president first mentioned that he wants to ensure the completion of USAO’s collaborative initiatives. Feaver explained that he thinks this is the future of higher education, because colleges can either spend their money on expanding their services or they can import services that supplement what they already offer. USAO has taken the first step into something that has never existed before with its partnership with RCC and the University of Oklahoma (OU). The second item of the president’s final agenda was to ensure that USAO’s mission and purpose would not be called into question. He said he was concerned that it might be modified during the transition to the university’s 13th president.

Another point on the president’s agenda was to complete another building or two on campus. The president would like to restore buildings on USAO’s historic campus, including Addams, Willard, and the original gym. Both Addams and Willard can be used as additional housing options on campus. Feaver said that in a recent meeting he cautioned the board that if student numbers continue to pan out then the university could run into a housing issue on campus.

Feaver also commented that USAO’s involvement with the community was at an all-time high. The university has included itself in many re-development projects in downtown Chickasha, including Art Wrecker. Other projects include the art plaza in Chickasha’s new park, forming an art gallery or museum in the old JC Penny’s building, and possibly making apartments in the building above MidFirst bank. By continuing to better Chickasha’s image, USAO can increase student enrollment and retention, as well as community involvement.

“I’m thankful that with the remaining time I have is remaining time that I can go out with excitement and enthusiasm and things to be accomplished rather than just sitting in a chair biding my time until the date comes where I can walk out of the office and not come back,” said Feaver.

The president said he has favored his time at USAO, and one memory that he will always take with him is the time where he and his father taught a class together at USAO. His father taught philosophy and religion at OU for many years, and he spent his last seven years teaching at USAO alongside his son.

Emily Loughridge is a second-year Communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.