Dr. Bruce Garrison announced this week he will be stepping down as Dean of the Rogers State University School of Business and Technology after a successful 15-year run in which he helped lead the development of the university’s first baccalaureate and graduate degree programs.
Garrison will step down as dean and return to the faculty on July 1. He will serve as a tenured professor in the Department of Business.
He was named RSU’s first dean of the School of Business and Technology in June 2000 as RSU was transitioning from a two-year community college to a four-year university.
Under his leadership, Garrison led the school with distinction, recruited top faculty to campus, developed new bachelor degree programs and ushered in a new era this fall when RSU introduced its first graduate degree program, a Master of Business Administration.
RSU President Dr. Larry Rice praised Garrison’s contributions to the university.
“Dr. Garrison has provided steady leadership within the School of Business and Technology, and on many occasions brought his business insights to bear on university issues,” Rice said. “While we will miss his leadership as dean, we look forward to him continuing to benefit our students by sharing his expertise in the classroom.”
Garrison said leaving the dean’s position was bittersweet, but he looks forward to returning to teaching.
“I am deeply appreciative of my colleagues within the School of Business and Technology and across campus. I am fortunate to work with a great group of administrators, faculty and staff who are highly professional, committed to helping our students earn a degree and dedicated to making an impact in northeastern Oklahoma and beyond,” he said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to return to the classroom and begin working directly with students.”
Garrison has more than four decades of experience as a college dean and educator. Before joining RSU, he held the endowed Brown Chair as Professor of Management and Dean of the College of Business and Economics at Houston Baptist University. He also served as Associate Dean of the School of Business and coordinator of a graduate business program at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colo.
He served as Director of Admissions at the University of Central Oklahoma and as a social studies teacher in the Edmond Public Schools in Edmond, Okla. He earned a doctoral degree in business teaching from the University of Northern Colorado and a master’s degree in business education and a bachelor’s degree in business administration, both from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Garrison has presented professional papers at business conferences and meetings across the nation. He also has served on several Boards of Directors, including those for Southern National Bank and the Fort Bend YMCA, both in Sugar Land, Texas. He has served as a consultant for companies including Amoco, Gulf Oil, Texas AAA, and Western Atlas.