OU vice president steps down ahead of Senate confirmation hearing

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) – The University of Oklahoma says its vice president for research is stepping down to prepare for a confirmation hearing after he was nominated to be director of the White House Office of Science and Technology.

The university said Monday that Kelvin Droegemeier will take a leave of absence without pay upon U.S. Senate confirmation for the job.

The university says a national search will be undertaken at a later date for a permanent vice president for research.

Droegemeier served as vice president for research and the regents’ professor of meteorology at the university. He also serves as Oklahoma Cabinet secretary of science and technology and spent 12 years on the National Science Board under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.