Sean Burrage has had an eclectic career as a lawyer, state senator and university president, and now he adds a new gig to the list: chancellor of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
The regents voted unanimously to appoint Burrage Wednesday morning. Currently employed as the chief of staff and vice president for executive affairs at the University of Oklahoma, Burrage will officially begin his new role Dec. 2. He succeeds Allison Garrett, who spent three years on the job.
“It’s an honor to be selected to serve in this incredibly important position,” Burrage said during the meeting. “I was not looking for a job. When this job came open, I was not in the job market. Had no plans to go to the job market anytime soon, but it was this position, and most importantly, the composition of this board, and the clear focus on progress and excellence is reflected in your own strategic plan, the Blueprint 2030, that drew me to this role.”
The search for the new state chancellor began earlier this year when the regents opened the application process and invited public nominations. The state website for the Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education included a position profile stating that the board was searching for a chancellor who can “provide visionary leadership and execute strategic initiatives to enhance the standing of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.” The regents reviewed applicants from across the nation to fill that role. An Oklahoma appellate judge and military leader were among other rumored local candidates.
The application process closed Aug. 31 and the board conducted interviews across multiple September meetings. The regents announced Burrage’s appointment after today’s quick executive session, which lasted less than half an hour.
“We have a great deal of work to do together, and I promise that I’ll continue to be a tireless advocate for all of our public colleges and universities and the students, mostly importantly, that we serve,” Burrage said.
As chancellor, Burrage will act as the chief executive officer for the state system of higher education, which comprises 25 institutions with nearly four dozen campuses around the state. He inherits an education system still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic, even as freshman enrollment numbers begin to improve at the state’s three largest public universities. However, the state’s smaller universities have faced enrollment challenges for a decade.
“Selecting the next chancellor is a serious responsibility, and I thank the board for their thoughtful deliberation during the national search process,” state regents Chairman Dennis Casey said in a press release. “We are confident Chancellor-Elect Burrage is the right leader to advance Oklahoma’s state system of higher education as we work to execute the bold strategies in our Blueprint 2030 strategic plan, including aligning programs and services to meet Oklahoma’s changing workforce needs.”
Background on Sean Burrage
Originally from Antlers, Oklahoma, Burrage is the son of former U.S. district judge Mike Burrage. He earned a bachelor of business administration from the University of Oklahoma in 1990 before attending the University of Oklahoma College of Law from 1990 through 1993.
Shortly after graduating, Burrage spent nearly two years working as the director of state and federal relations at OU. In 1996, Burrage left his position at his alma mater and began working as an attorney at Taylor, Burrage, Foster, Mallett, Downs and Ramsey law firm, a prominent and politically-connected Claremore-based firm.
In November 2006, Burrage was elected to serve Senate District 2, which covers Rogers and Mayes counties, and secured reelection in 2010. A Democrat, he served as minority leader from 2012 to 2014.
Burrage decided not to run for reelection in 2014, opting to return to higher education. He was named president and chief executive officer of Southeastern Oklahoma State University in May 2014. He resigned after five years, electing to return to his alma mater to take his current position.
“I have known Sean Burrage for 30 years,” said regent and former House speaker Jeff Hickman. “He is an experienced leader. Has a proven track record in higher education and public service in the private sector. His experience as president of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, his service in the state Senate — although I wish it had been in the state House when I was there, instead of the Senate — but nonetheless, his service in the state Senate and his leadership as vice president for executive affairs and chief of staff at the University of Oklahoma make him uniquely qualified for this role.”
Now, Burrage lives in Norman with his wife Julie and has two adult sons, Truman and Carter, from a prior marriage. He is also a citizen of the Choctaw Nation, where his father serves as general counsel.
Allison Garrett departs after three years
Appointed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in November 2021, Garrett served as chancellor of the state system for higher education for three years. In July 2024, Garrett announced her plans to resign from the position, thus starting the state’s search for her replacement.
Garrett was the first woman to be appointed to the top position of higher education. At the announcement of her departure, several regents and legislators lauded her work.
“We thank Chancellor Garrett for her tireless service and advocacy on behalf of Oklahoma’s higher education system,” Casey said in the press release announcing Garrett’s retirement. “Under her leadership, we developed Blueprint 2030, our comprehensive strategic plan to advance public higher education; increased the number of college graduates, including in key fields such as engineering and nursing; updated policies, empowering our institutions to respond faster to business needs; created the first statewide committee focused on AI impacts in higher education in the nation; and developed interactive data dashboards, among many other key accomplishments.”
Garrett holds a degree in English from Oklahoma Christian University, a master’s of law from Georgetown University and a juris doctorate from the University of Tulsa College of Law. For over a decade, Garrett held multiple leadership positions in the legal and corporate divisions of Walmart before beginning her education career.
Between 2004 and 2007, Garrett was hired as an associate professor of law at Faulkner University, then moved on to be the senior vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma Christian University, then the executive vice president at Abilene Christian University. Before she was appointed chancellor, she was president at Emporia State University in Kansas.
Now after a long and successful career in higher education, Garrett welcomes Burrage’s succession to chancellor of higher education, as well as the prospect of spending more time with her family during retirement.
“I’d like to express my gratitude to Chancellor Garrett, providing exceptional leadership for the system of the last several years and her commitment to ensuring a smooth transition,” Burrage said. “Chancellor Garrett, you set a high bar, and I look forward to building on the strong foundation you and the state regents have established for our system. Thank you so much for the opportunity.”
(Correction: This article was updated at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9 to clarify Burrage’s start date as chancellor, correctly refer to the number of public institutions of higher education in the state and correct a misspelling.)
