Boren taps former Okla. senator as VP of governmental relations to fight education budget cuts

NORMAN, Okla. — If the upcoming state budget battles over education are a chess board, the University of Oklahoma appears to be making the first move.

On Thursday, the OU Board of Regents approved the appointment of former Oklahoma State Sen. Jonathan Nichols as vice president of governmental relations. Nichols was in a list of appointments to be made in one item on the agenda for Thursday’s regents meeting, and Boren took time to single it out as important.

“I’m recommending the approval of Jonathan Nichols, an advocate for education and a champion for safe communities in our state,” Boren said.

Nichols, who served as a Republican state senator from 2000 to 2012, said he is eager to get to work and particularly to try and prevent any further budget cuts to higher education.

Read more: http://www.duncanbanner.com/oklahoma/news/boren-taps-former-okla-senator-as-vp-of-governmental-relations/article_bf432a3e-6cf2-525b-ab9d-7c1c22cae26d.html