The University of Tulsa announced Monday that former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice Stacy Leeds would become the university's new president starting July 1.
In a statement, TU said Leeds "brings a strong commitment to accountability and excellence to the presidency."
Leeds is a TU law school alumna who was the first woman to serve as a justice on the Cherokee Nation's highest court from 2002 to 2006. She has also served as a judge or justice for other tribes, including the Muscogee Nation.
Leeds will head Tulsa's second-largest private university following her roles as dean of the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and a former vice chancellor at the University of Arkansas.
“Returning to The University of Tulsa is an honor and profound homecoming for me,” Leeds said in a statement.
TU has been led by interim President and former Athletic Director Rick Dickson following the abrupt resignation of former President Brad Carson in May.
In September, the university announced it was facing a $31 million budget deficit. Since then, as part of a major financial restructuring, TU has made plans to sell various properties in the metro area. They have also cut contracts, laid off 40 employees and implemented a three-year hiring freeze.
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