Oklahoma Governor's Tenure Ban is Costing Rural Universities Top Candidates

Governor Kevin Stitt's executive order ending faculty tenure for new hires at publicly funded regional universities and community colleges in Oklahoma is reportedly making it harder for these institutions, especially those in remote locations, to attract academic talent. Two of four vacated positions at East Central University, for instance, remain unfilled due to lower application rates and candidate withdrawals, with a second-choice candidate hired in computer science after the most qualified declined due to the lack of a tenure track.