The University of Oklahoma declined to make any administrators available for comment for this article. It referred The Chronicle to a recent op-ed by Anil Gollahalli, its general counsel, that appeared in The Oklahoma. In it, Gollahalli faulted Provident for going into “battle mode” by hiring public-relations firms and lobbyists, “all with the intent to pressure the university and the state.”
Mike Simons for The Chronicle
Not long after, at the end of the academic year, Boren took his previously announced retirement. His exit was messy. The final years of his presidency had been rocked by controversy after a 2015 video showed Oklahoma students performing a racist song. He later cut all ties with the university after he was accused of sexually harassing aides. Boren could not be reached for comment.
The first sign of trouble came early. Colleges typically start promoting new residence halls the year before the new beds will be ready. But not until just weeks before students were supposed to make their deposits did the Oklahoma housing department approve marketing materials for Cross Village: "We lost, in essence, an entire year of marketing." Not long after, at the end of the academic year, Boren took his previously announced retirement. His exit was messy. The final years of his presidency had been rocked by controversy after a 2015 video show of Oklahoma students performing a racist song. He later cut all ties with the university after he was accused of sexually harassing aides. Boren could not be reached for comment.
On June 26, 2018, less than a week before Boren left office, Hicks says university officials reiterated their
continued support for the Cross Village project to investors during a conference call.
Days later, James L. Gallogly, a former oil-company executive, took over from Boren. He had his own priorities.
In his first meeting with the Board of Regents, in June, Gallogly criticized Boren and despaired over the university's finances, saying, "We cannot continue to build new building after new building." Gallogly, who has since resigned, could not be reached for comment.
As construction wrapped up on Cross Village in the summer of 2018, Hicks and his team requested a meeting with the new president to gauge his stance on the project. They were granted a meeting in January 2019, at