# List of presidents of the University of Tulsa

This is a list of the presidents of the University of Tulsa.

## Presidents

University of Tulsa Presidents :
| # | Name | Years served | Comments |
| -- | William Addison Caldwell | 1894–1896 | First President of Henry Kendall College (Muskogee). |
| -- | William Robert King | 26 June 1896 – 28 February 1899 | Founder, and second President of Henry Kendall College (Muskogee). Rev. King had previously served the area as an official of the synod. |
| 1 | A. Grant Evans | 1 March 1899 – 31 May 1908 | Last President of Henry Kendall College (Muskogee), first President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa) after the move from Muskogee to Tulsa in 1907. Became the second president of the University of Oklahoma. |
| 2 | Levi Harrison Beeler | 2 June 1908–December 1909 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa). |
| 3 | Seth Reed Gordon | December 1909–June 1911 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa), First President Emeritus. |
| 4 | Frederick William Hawley | June 1911–5 October 1915 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa). |
| 5 | Ralph J. Lamb | 23 November 1915 – 1916 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa). |
| 6 | Charles Evans | 1 August 1916 – 3 June 1917 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa). |
| 7 | James Gilmer McMurtry | 1917–1918 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa). |
| 8 | Arthur Lee Odell | 1 April 1918 – 3 June 1920 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa). |
| 9 | James Marcus Gordon | June 1920–1 June 1924 | President of Henry Kendall College (Tulsa). First president after formation of the University of Tulsa from Henry Kendall College in 1921. |
| 10 | Franklin Geselbracht Dill | 1924–1927 | Dean and Acting president (1924-1926), President (1926-1927) |
| -- | John Duncan Finlayson | 1 July 1927 – 15 March 1934 | Title was Chancellor. |
| -- | Ralph L. Langenheim | 1934–1935 (Acting President) | Vice President 1934 - 1936. |
| 11 | C. I. Pontius | 28 June 1935 – 30 June 1959 | Longest serving president (24 years). |
| 12 | Ben Graf Henneke | 1 July 1959 – 31 January 1967 | Only University of Tulsa alumnus to serve as president. |
| 13 | Eugene Laurrel Swearingen | 1 February 1967 – 15 June 1968 | Previously was vice president of Oklahoma State University. Resigned from University of Tulsa presidency to become president of Bank of Oklahoma. In 1982, he joined Oral Roberts University, where he remained until his death in 2002. |
| 14 | Joseph Paschal Twyman | 15 June 1968 – 21 May 1989 | Second longest serving president (22 years); New funding by donors led to major building campaign 1968-72. No major projects begun 1972-1989. Twyman died in office. |
| -- | Michael W. Davis | 1990 (Interim) | Died in office |
| -- | E. Joe Middlebrooks | 1990 (Interim) | |
| 15 | Robert Donaldson | 1990–1996 | |
| 16 | Robert W. Lawless | 1996–2004 | |
| 17 | Steadman Upham | 2004–2012 | Held concurrent positions as President and professor of archaeology. Raised $698 million. Strengthened quality of faculty and students and expanded facilities during his first term. Led outreach partnerships, including Gilcrease Museum, Helmerich Center, and Bob Dylan Archive management. Retirement effective in 2012 was announced during 2011. |
| 18 | Geoffrey Orsak | July 2012 – September 2012 | Former dean of the Lyle School of Engineering at SMU, appointment effective July 1, 2012; his termination was announced on September 12, 2012 Abruptly terminated by Board of Trustees, without public explanation, after 77 days. No significant accomplishments reported. |
| 19 | Steadman Upham | October 2012 – November 2016 | Recalled by Board of Trustees as president in 2012 after departure of President Orsak, thus becoming only two-term president. Retired again in 2016. Planned to return as professor emeritus, but instead died in 2017 from complications of surgery. |
| 20 | Gerard Clancy | November 2016 - January 2020 | Clancy joined TU as the Dean of College of Health Sciences in 2014 after six years as provost and eight years as president of University of Oklahoma-Tulsa (OU-T}. |
| - | Janet K. Levit | Interim president January 2020 - June 2021 | Dr. Levit was appointed as Interim President shortly after Dr. Clancy told the Board that he could no longer serve as president, because of unspecified health issues. She had served as vice president for two years during the Clancy administration. Her husband, Ken Levit, is president of Oklahoma University - Tulsa. |
| 21 | Brad Carson | July 2021 - Present | After a lengthy search, former Congressman Carson was announced as the 21st President on April 5, 2021, effective July 1, 2021. |