Friday, Nov. 10 marked 100 days since Dr. Kayla Hale became the 13th president of USAO. Those 100 days have not been dull, as her and her administration have accomplished much for the institution.
Dr. Hale recently went before the Board of Regents and gave a summary of her first 100 days in office. Some of these things include a structural leadership reorganization, petitioning the State Board of Regents for the reintroduction of the computer science program at USAO, and professionalizing the Department of Human Resources.
“We have gone to donors, alumni, and friends, and have asked for $10.5 million in support for various projects such as student services and scholarship support,” Dr. Hale said. “We also established an office of grants and contracts so we can go after state and federal money that will help our students in various departments.”
On top of all of these things, Dr. Hale also said that campus beautification is something that the institution has also been up to, such as leveling sidewalks and trimming trees.
Along with internal affairs, Dr. Hale said she has also turned the attention of USAO to the greater community of Chickasha and Grady County. Dr. Hale has continued the relationship that USAO is building with the Chickasha Chamber of Commerce, with Dr. Hale saying that the Chickasha Chamber employs a number of USAO graduates.
With this being the first trimester that Dr. Hale has served as president, some have noted how the feeling around campus has changed along with the leadership.
“I get the sense that people are excited around campus,” JP Audas, senior vice president for external relations, said. “I think when people meet her and they see that she went here, and that she’s really good with people, I think that makes her very likable.”
Audas said he has only been at USAO for four and a half years, but he feels like the energy and enthusiasm levels are stronger than previous years. He continued to say that Dr. Hale is one of the contributing factors to why people around campus seem to be more enthusiastic this trimester, along with the influx of new freshman, and perhaps society coming out of the COVID years, according to Audas.
Along with business in the presidential office, Dr. Hale has also been out and about around campus, and can be seen walking around getting to know the students and faculty.
“What I love most is walking down the sidewalk and saying hi to students and having them say hi back’” Dr. Hale said. “Getting to know the names of students and hanging out in the cafe is something I also take great joy in doing.”
Dr. Hale has also attended many on-campus Drover athletic events, and if she is not in the stands of a sports game, she is a theater event or an alumni activity.
Though Hale’s first 100 days have come and gone, she certainly has plans for the next 100 days and beyond. One of these things on the to-do list is to focus more on concurrent enrollment, specifically to those who are outside of the traditional college-age range.
“An interesting statistic is that there are 587,000 adults in Oklahoma with some college but no degree,” Dr. Hale said. “I would like to find those adults in the community and have them engage with USAO whether online or in-person. They can complete their coursework and get their degree, and better be able to provide for their families and for their futures.”
Dr. Hale has done a lot of work in the 100 days that she has been here, aided by her morning plain black coffee and her new adopted calico cat, Patches. The campus will be on the lookout for that Dr. Hale has up her sleeve for the next 100 days of her tenure.
Paul Tointigh is a fourth-year communication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
