Danney Goble, Professor of Classics and Letters, University of Oklahoma

Transcription

1 ASPECTS OF STATE GOVERNMENT 2002 SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY DISTINGUISHED GUEST LECTURERS Larkin Warner, Regent s Professor Emeritus, Economics, Oklahoma State University Gene Stipe, Oklahoma State Senator Jenk Jones, Former Editor, Tulsa Tribune Kenneth Corn, State Representative, District 3 Mary Fallin, Lieutenant Governor, State of Oklahoma Robert Butkin, Oklahoma State Treasurer Ralph Hodges, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice, District 2 Mick Hinton, Senior Staff Writer, The Daily Oklahoman Carter Bradley, Capitol News Bureau Kirk Humphreys, Mayor, Oklahoma City Danney Goble, Professor of Classics and Letters, University of Oklahoma FACULTY LECTURERS Dr. Glen D. Johnson Professor Bruce Johnson Dr. Richard Pearlstein Dr. Chunmei Yoe

2 Welcome to the campus of Southeastern Oklahoma State University as we offer another edition of our Aspects of State Government class. This class is designed to better acquaint students with the many facets of Oklahoma government and to increase their understanding of the state and its history. We are honored to have an impressive list of distinguished guest lecturers this fall, and look forward to their comments and observations in their fields of expertise. I am delighted to be assisting Professor Bruce Johnson, Dr. Richard Pearlstein, and Dr. Chunmei Yoe in teaching this class. We would also like to extend an invitation to the informal receptions that will be held in the east lobby of the Russell Building at 6:30 p.m. on each night of the public lectures. We invite you to join us for this series of informative presentations. Sincerely, Glen D. Johnson President Southeastern Oklahoma State University SCHEDULE OF LECTURES Russell Building, Room 100 September 9, 2002 Dr. Glen D. Johnson President Southeastern Oklahoma State University Oklahoma s Political History Before his appointment as the University s 16 th president by the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges in 1997, Dr. Glen D. Johnson served as Director of Public Policy and Professor of Law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1982 to 1996 and was Speaker of the House from 1990 to At the time of his election as Speaker, he was the youngest sitting Speaker in the United States. Johnson was instrumental in the passage of HB 1017, Oklahoma s landmark education reform legislation, and served as chair of the Appropriations and Budget Committee and the

3 Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. He authored Senate Bill 180 in 1988 that created the Endowed Chairs Program; and spearheaded the opportunity to use $14 million from the proceeds of the Higher Education Bond Issue for ONENET. In 1992 he was principal author of HB 2428, the $350 million Higher Education Bond Issue. September 9, 2002 Dr. Larkin Warner Regent s Professor Emeritus, Economics Oklahoma State University Oklahoma s Political System and Economy s Interactions Larkin Warner received his undergraduate education at Ohio Wesleyan University and was awarded a Ph.D. by Indiana University in He joined the faculty at Oklahoma State University in 1960, where he served until From , Dr. Warner was Director of the Economic Studies Division of the Kerr Foundation in Oklahoma City. He returned to the OSU faculty in 1979 and served as Interim Director of the Office of Business and Economic Research (1980,1982) and Director of the Center for Economic Education ( ). In 1988, OSU presented him the Outstanding University Extension Award and in 1990, he was appointed Regent s Professor. Dr. Warner retired in May Throughout his career, Dr. Warner s research and public service have emphasized issues in public finance, education, and transportation that are important to Oklahoma. September 23, 2002 President Glen D. Johnson Oklahoma s Legislative Branch September 23, 2002 The Honorable Gene Stipe Oklahoma State Senator Oklahoma s Constitutional Framework Gene Stipe was elected to the Senate in a special election in 1956 and has served

4 until the present time. He has been a member of the Oklahoma Legislature for over 53 years, which is more years of public service than any other official in the history of Oklahoma. Stipe was born in Blanco, OK. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma with an LL.B. in He served in the United States Navy in World War II. Stipe was a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from , where he was also Assistant Majority Floor Leader. An attorney at law, Stipe has handled some of the biggest lawsuits in state history. His Mullendore Case is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. September 30, 2002 Jenk Jones Former Editor Tulsa Tribune Oklahoma History from Jenk Jones Jr. is a former editor The Tulsa Tribune. He holds a B.A. degree in political science from the University of Colorado. Jones was born in Tulsa, but has lived in eight states and traveled throughout the world. He spent 38 years in journalism, mostly on The Tribune, but also at the Anchorage Times, Minneapolis Tribune, and Colorado Daily (the latter, a college paper). Jones has written stories from more than six dozen nations, the vast majority of the states and every corner of Oklahoma. Jones newspaper experience has included: reporter, copy desk, city desk, feature writer, sports, photography, managing editor, executive editor, and editor. Jones also taught journalism and political history at the college level, been an editor-in-residence for colleges in states ranging from Arizona to Wisconsin to Georgia and places in between. Since The Tribune closed in 1992, Jones has spent time volunteering. September 30, 2002 The Honorable Kenneth Corn State Representative District 3 Oklahoma s Legislative Branch Kenneth Corn, State Representative for District 3, was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives at age 22. His election made him one of the youngest

5 individuals ever elected to the State Legislature. Corn was the first freshman in 30 years to be appointed vice chair of a major committee in his first term. He was appointed chairman of a standing committee in his second term, overseeing Tourism and Recreation and was the Majority Caucus Secretary. He currently serves on the following committees: Revenue and Taxation, Appropriations and Budget, Transportation, Agriculture and Rural Development, and State and Congressional Redistricting. Before being elected to the House, Corn served as an intern to the Chairman of the Appropriations and Budget Committee, James Hamilton. October 7, 2002 The Honorable Mary Fallin Lieutenant Governor State of Oklahoma Oklahoma s Executive Branch -- Lieutenant Governor Mary Fallin was elected Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma in 1994 and reelected in She is the first woman, as well as the first Republican, to be elected Lieutenant Governor in Oklahoma s history. Since 1995, she has worked to promote economic growth and increase economic opportunities for Oklahomans. Appointed by Gov. Frank Keating to be Oklahoma s Small Business Advocate, Fallin has been a champion of issues of concern to this vital part of Oklahoma s economy. She leads a commission of 300 small business owners to help develop solutions to problems facing the state s small business community. Fallin has been at the forefront of efforts to reform state government. In 1997, Gov. Keating tapped Fallin to lead an effort to address the skyrocketing costs plaguing Oklahoma s workers compensation system. The Fallin Commission on Workers Compensation Reform recommended sweeping legal changes to the workers compensation system that were adopted by the Oklahoma Legislature. As Lt. Governor, Fallin serves as the President of the Senate a position she used in 2000 to bring the issue of Right to Work to vote for the first time in 25 years. In addition, as provided by law, Lt. Governor Fallin sits on or presides over 13 boards and commissions, including the State Board of Equalization, Bond Oversight Commission, Tourism and Recreation Commission, and the School Land Commission.

6 October 14, 2002 The Honorable Robert Butkin Oklahoma State Treasurer Oklahoma s Executive Branch -- Office of Treasurer A third generation Oklahoman, Robert Butkin has brought common sense values and sound business practices to the operations of the State Treasurer s Office. Butkin s reforms have generated millions of dollars in savings and additional revenues for Oklahoma taxpayers. He brought together political and business leaders to establish a way to utilize the $2.4 billion tobacco settlement in Oklahoma. Voters approved a constitutional fund in November Butkin led development of the Oklahoma College Savings Plan, a tax-free and flexible program that helps Oklahoma families save for a child or grandchild s college education. Butkin was elected in 1994 in his first race for political office. In 1998, he became the first State Treasurer in Oklahoma history to be re-elected without opposition. October 21, 2002 The Honorable Ralph Hodges Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice, District 2 Oklahoma s Judicial Branch Justice Hodges was born in Anadarko, OK, and graduated from high school there in He graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University in 1952, and received his law degree in 1954 from the University of Oklahoma. He was in private practice in Durant, OK, from April 1954 to January He was elected Bryan County Attorney and served two years. Hodges was elected District Judge in 1958 and re-elected in 1962, where he served six and one half years in the office before his appointment to the Supreme Court on April 19, At the age of 34, Hodges became the youngest person to serve on the Court since statehood. Elected to fill an unexpired term in 1966, he was re-elected in 1968, 1974, 1980, 1986, and He served as Chief Justice in 1977 and 1978 and again in 1993 and In 1977, Justice Hodges was named the Nation s Outstanding State Appellate Jurist by the Association of Trial Lawyers of America.

7 November 18, 2002 Mick Hinton Senior Staff Writer The Daily Oklahoman Oklahoma s Electoral Behavior -- Past, Present and Future Mick Hinton has been a part of Oklahoma journalism since 1968, working for four state newspapers. He is currently a higher education reporter, but also covers mental health, environmental issues, and career tech education. Hinton was a political reporter at the State Capitol for 10 years. In addition to his work at The Daily Oklahoman, he has worked for the Oklahoma City Times, serving as the last city editor for that newspaper, which closed in Hinton previously worked as city editor for the Norman Transcript and as wire editor for the Lawton Morning Press. A graduate of South Dakota State University and the University of Oklahoma, Hinton has received numerous professional journalism awards. He has also taught journalism at the university level. November 18, 2002 Carter Bradley Capitol News Bureau Oklahoma s Electoral Behavior -- Past, Present, and Future Carter Bradley was born in Ada, OK and attended public schools there and in Norman. Journalism and his experience as a teacher have shaped his opinions for the last 60 years. Bradley was a reporter for the Oklahoma City Times, where he covered the inauguration of Gov. Robert S. Kerr. Bradley spent 17 years ( ) with United Press International, 14 as the state bureau manager in Oklahoma City. He also served 14 years on the Higher Education Alumni Council.

8 December 2, 2002 The Honorable Kirk Humphreys Mayor Oklahoma City Oklahoma s Municipal Government Kirk Humphreys, Oklahoma City s 34 th Mayor, was born and raised in Oklahoma City. He is serving his second, four-year term in office after a successful re-election this spring. He graduated from Northwest Classen High School and the University of Oklahoma, where he received a B.B.A. in Finance. Humphreys came to the Mayor s office from the business world, where his interests included building a national distribution company and commercial real estate developments. Humphreys priorities for Oklahoma City are to finish the MAPS projects, improve public education, convenient and improved air service, and community beautification. December 2, 2002 Dr. Danney Goble Professor of Classics and Letters University of Oklahoma Oklahoma s Political System and Culture: Past, Present and Future Professor Danney Goble is Professor of Classics and Letters at the University of Oklahoma. He has also taught at the University of Missouri-Columbia, Tulsa Junior College, University of Tulsa, and Rogers State University. Goble earned degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma, and the University of Missouri-Columbia. He has authored numerous award-winning books and articles throughout his career.