The Oklahoma Senate leader says that while a special session will be held to meet constitutional requirements, the confirmation of Gov. Kevin Stitt‘s run for council of regents won’t necessarily be a quick process.
Chairman Pro Tempore Greg treatsR-Oklahoma City said Tuesday that the Senate will begin its session at noon Wednesday. If a quorum — at least 25 senators on the 48-person body — is reached and the appropriate steps are taken, Treat said, former Oklahoma State University athletics director Mike Holder could become Stitt’s nominee for the OSU/A&M Board of Regents , will begin going through the Senate vetting process for confirmation.
Treat said no date has been set for Holder’s appointment to the Senate Education Committee or for a Senate vote.
On Monday, Stitt nominated the 75-year-old Holder for the post and called the Senate into special session to strictly consider his selection. Stitt said he “would look forward to immediate Senate confirmation.” Senate confirmation is required for Senate appointments to such a board.
Last month, in the final days of the regular legislative session, the Senate rejected Stitt’s previous nominee for the OSU/A&M regents post, Norman businesswoman Susan Bergen. She was rejected by a vote of 32 to 13, even after the Senate Education Committee voted 12 to 0 to confirm her nomination. Eight committee members who had endorsed Bergen voted against her nomination to the Senate.
If confirmed, Holder would serve an eight-year term on the nine-member OSU/A&M board. He would succeed Rick Davis of Guthrie, who had served on the board since May 2011, when he was appointed by then-Gov. Maria Fallin. Davis’ current term ended on April 4.
In addition to OSU, the OSU/A&M board oversees Langston University in Langston, Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami and Connors State College in Warner.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Treat says the Senate will begin a special session to consider the nomination
