About the Hooding Ceremony Speaker

Chancellor Glen D. Johnson

Dr. Glen D. Johnson is the chief executive officer for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. Johnson leads a state system comprised of 25 state colleges and universities, ten constituent agencies, one higher education center and independent colleges and universities coordinated with the state system.

Chancellor Johnson provides 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. He is responsible for an annual higher education budget in excess of $1.4 billion as well as the state endowment fund.

Before assuming the role of chancellor in January 2007, Johnson served for 10 years as the 16th president of Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant, and before that, as the Director of Public Policy and Professor of Law at The University of Oklahoma College of Law.

Prior to his work at OU, Johnson served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1982 to 1996 and was Speaker of the House from 1990 to 1996. At the time of his election as Speaker he was the youngest sitting Speaker in the United States.

Johnson has been recognized both statewide and nationally as a strong, untiring advocate for funding for education, both secondary and higher education, in Oklahoma. His powerful political career was a model of success in leadership, as evidenced by the variety of his many major accomplishments not only for his own district, but also in major initiatives, funding and improvements for the entire state of Oklahoma.

Johnson is an honors graduate of the University of Oklahoma, with an undergraduate degree in political science and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Oklahoma’s College of Law. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa at OU and received the Letzeiser Award as one of OU’s outstanding seniors.

Johnson holds memberships in numerous professional, state and national organizations and has been the recipient of many awards and honors during his career. He was a founding member of the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence in 1986. He is also chairman of the Oklahoma Heritage Association’s Board of Directors and was named to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in November of 2006.