Patti Neuhold has been named the 21st president of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond. The university enrolls nearly 14,300 undergraduate students and 1,600 graduate students. Women make up 59 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Dr. Neuhold currently serves as the university’s vice president for finance and chief financial officer. She has been an administrator at the university since 2007. Throughout her tenure, she has balanced the $187 million budget through years of the most significant declines in state support and declining enrollment. Additionally, she has facilitated business process reviews that resulted in savings, high retention of faculty, and new leadership development opportunities. Before joining the University of Central Oklahoma, Dr. Nehold served as general manager of operations at Ethan Allen Retail, Inc.
“Patti has been a key member of the university cabinet for several years, and has exercised significant leadership on a number of highly relevant issues to the university,” said current university president Don Betz. “I believe that Patti will serve the UCO community, the metro and the state with energy, insight and distinction. I will work closely with her throughout the transition. I am delighted, and I sincerely look forward to the successful future of the university under her leadership.”
Dr. Nehold holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and management from Oklahoma Christian University, a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology from the University of Tulsa, and a Ph.D. in organizational leadership from Concordia University Chicago.