ASPECTS OF STATE
GOVERNMENT 2002
SOUTHEASTERN
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
DISTINGUISHED GUEST LECTURERS
Larkin Warner, Regent’s Professor Emeritus, Economics, Oklahoma
State University
Gene Stipe, Oklahoma State Senator
Jenk Jones, Former Editor, Tulsa Tribune
Kenneth Corn, State Representative, District 3
Mary Fallin, Lieutenant Governor, State of Oklahoma
Robert Butkin, Oklahoma State Treasurer
Ralph Hodges, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice, District 2
Mick Hinton, Senior Staff Writer, The Daily Oklahoman
Carter Bradley, Capitol News Bureau
Kirk Humphreys, Mayor, Oklahoma City
Danney Goble, Professor of Classics and Letters,
University of Oklahoma
FACULTY LECTURERS
Dr. Glen D. Johnson
Professor Bruce Johnson
Dr. Richard Pearlstein
Dr. Chunmei Yoe
Welcome to the campus of Southeastern
Oklahoma State University as we offer
another edition of our Aspects of State
Government class. This class is designed
to better acquaint students with the many
facets of Oklahoma government and to
increase their understanding of the state
and its history.
We are honored to have an impressive
list of distinguished guest lecturers this
fall, and look forward to their comments
and observations in their fields of expertise.
I am delighted to be assisting Professor Bruce Johnson,
Dr. Richard Pearlstein, and Dr. Chunmei Yoe in teaching this
class.
We would also like to extend an invitation to the informal
receptions that will be held in the east lobby of the Russell
Building at 6:30 p.m. on each night of the public lectures.
We invite you to join us for this series of informative
presentations.
Sincerely,
Glen D. Johnson
President
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
SCHEDULE OF LECTURES
Russell Building, Room 100
September 9, 2002
5:30 p.m.
Dr. Glen D. Johnson
President
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
“Oklahoma’s Political History”
Before his appointment as the University’s 16th president by
the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges in 1997, Dr. Glen
D. Johnson served as Director of Public Policy and Professor
of Law at the University of Oklahoma College of Law. He
served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1982
to 1996 and was Speaker of the House from 1990 to 1996. At
the time of his election as Speaker, he was the youngest sitting
Speaker in the United States.
Johnson was instrumental in the passage of HB 1017,
Oklahoma’s landmark education reform legislation, and served
as chair of the Appropriations and Budget Committee and the
Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. He authored
Senate Bill 180 in 1988 that created the Endowed Chairs
Program; and spearheaded the opportunity to use $14 million
from the proceeds of the Higher Education Bond Issue for
ONENET. In 1992 he was principal author of HB 2428, the
$350 million Higher Education Bond Issue.
September 9, 2002
7:00 p.m.
Dr. Larkin Warner
Regent’s Professor Emeritus,
Economics
Oklahoma State University
“Oklahoma’s Political System and
Economy’s Interactions’’
Larkin Warner received his
undergraduate education at Ohio Wesleyan
University and was awarded a Ph.D. by
Indiana University in 1961. He joined the faculty at Oklahoma
State University in 1960, where he served until 1974.
From 1974-1979, Dr. Warner was Director of the
Economic Studies Division of the Kerr Foundation in
Oklahoma City. He returned to the OSU faculty in 1979
and served as Interim Director of the Office of Business and
Economic Research (1980,1982) and Director of the Center
for Economic Education (1982-85). In 1988, OSU presented
him the Outstanding University Extension Award and in 1990,
he was appointed Regent’s Professor. Dr. Warner retired in
May 1998.
Throughout his career, Dr. Warner’s research and public
service have emphasized issues in public finance, education,
and transportation that are important to Oklahoma.
September 23, 2002
5:30 p.m.
President Glen D. Johnson
“Oklahoma’s Legislative Branch”
September 23, 2002
7:00 p.m.
The Honorable Gene Stipe
Oklahoma State Senator
“Oklahoma’s Constitutional
Framework’’
Gene Stipe was elected to the Senate in
a special election in 1956 and has served
until the present time. He has been a member of the Oklahoma
Legislature for over 53 years, which is more years of public
service than any other official in the history of Oklahoma.
Stipe was born in Blanco, OK. He graduated from the
University of Oklahoma with an LL.B. in 1949. He served in
the United States Navy in World War II. Stipe was a member
of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1949-1954,
where he was also Assistant Majority Floor Leader.
An attorney at law, Stipe has handled some of the biggest
lawsuits in state history. His Mullendore Case is listed in the
Guinness Book of World Records.
September 30, 2002
5:30 p.m.
Jenk Jones
Former Editor
Tulsa Tribune
“Oklahoma History from 1956-68’’
Jenk Jones Jr. is a former editor The
Tulsa Tribune. He holds a B.A. degree in
political science from the University of
Colorado.
Jones was born in Tulsa, but has lived in eight states and
traveled throughout the world.
He spent 38 years in journalism, mostly on The Tribune,
but also at the Anchorage Times, Minneapolis Tribune, and
Colorado Daily (the latter, a college paper). Jones has written
stories from more than six dozen nations, the vast majority of
the states and every corner of Oklahoma. Jones’ newspaper
experience has included: reporter, copy desk, city desk, feature
writer, sports, photography, managing editor, executive editor,
and editor.
Jones also taught journalism and political history at the
college level, been an editor-in-residence for colleges in states
ranging from Arizona to Wisconsin to Georgia and places in
between. Since The Tribune closed in 1992, Jones has spent
time volunteering.
September 30, 2002
7:00 p.m.
The Honorable Kenneth Corn
State Representative
District 3
“Oklahoma’s Legislative Branch’’
Kenneth Corn, State Representative for
District 3, was elected to the Oklahoma
House of Representatives at age 22. His
election made him one of the youngest
individuals ever elected to the State Legislature. Corn was the
first freshman in 30 years to be appointed vice chair of a major
committee in his first term. He was appointed chairman of a
standing committee in his second term, overseeing Tourism
and Recreation and was the Majority Caucus Secretary. He
currently serves on the following committees: Revenue
and Taxation, Appropriations and Budget, Transportation,
Agriculture and Rural Development, and State and
Congressional Redistricting.
Before being elected to the House, Corn served as an intern
to the Chairman of the Appropriations and Budget Committee,
James Hamilton.
October 7, 2002
7:00 p.m.
The Honorable Mary Fallin
Lieutenant Governor
State of Oklahoma
“Oklahoma’s Executive Branch -Lieutenant Governor’’
Mary Fallin was elected Lieutenant
Governor of Oklahoma in 1994 and reelected in 1998. She is the first woman, as
well as the first Republican, to be elected Lieutenant Governor
in Oklahoma’s history.
Since 1995, she has worked to promote economic growth
and increase economic opportunities for Oklahomans.
Appointed by Gov. Frank Keating to be Oklahoma’s Small
Business Advocate, Fallin has been a champion of issues
of concern to this vital part of Oklahoma’s economy. She
leads a commission of 300 small business owners to help
develop solutions to problems facing the state’s small business
community.
Fallin has been at the forefront of efforts to reform state
government. In 1997, Gov. Keating tapped Fallin to lead an
effort to address the skyrocketing costs plaguing Oklahoma’s
workers’ compensation system. The “Fallin Commission on
Workers’ Compensation Reform” recommended sweeping
legal changes to the workers’ compensation system that were
adopted by the Oklahoma Legislature.
As Lt. Governor, Fallin serves as the President of the
Senate—a position she used in 2000 to bring the issue of
“Right to Work” to vote for the first time in 25 years. In
addition, as provided by law, Lt. Governor Fallin sits on
or presides over 13 boards and commissions, including the
State Board of Equalization, Bond Oversight Commission,
Tourism and Recreation Commission, and the School Land
Commission.
October 14, 2002
5:30 p.m.
The Honorable Robert Butkin
Oklahoma State Treasurer
“Oklahoma’s Executive Branch -Office of Treasurer’’
A third generation Oklahoman, Robert
Butkin has brought common sense values
and sound business practices to the
operations of the State Treasurer’s Office.
Butkin’s reforms have generated millions of dollars in
savings and additional revenues for Oklahoma taxpayers.
He brought together political and business leaders to
establish a way to utilize the $2.4 billion tobacco settlement in
Oklahoma. Voters approved a constitutional fund in November
2000.
Butkin led development of the Oklahoma College Savings
Plan, a tax-free and flexible program that helps Oklahoma
families save for a child or grandchild’s college education.
Butkin was elected in 1994 in his first race for political
office. In 1998, he became the first State Treasurer in
Oklahoma history to be re-elected without opposition.
October 21, 2002
5:30 p.m.
The Honorable Ralph Hodges
Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice,
District 2
“Oklahoma’s Judicial Branch’’
Justice Hodges was born in Anadarko,
OK, and graduated from high school there
in 1948. He graduated from Oklahoma
Baptist University in 1952, and received
his law degree in 1954 from the University of Oklahoma.
He was in private practice in Durant, OK, from April 1954
to January 1957. He was elected Bryan County Attorney and
served two years. Hodges was elected District Judge in 1958
and re-elected in 1962, where he served six and one half years
in the office before his appointment to the Supreme Court on
April 19, 1965.
At the age of 34, Hodges became the youngest person
to serve on the Court since statehood. Elected to fill an
unexpired term in 1966, he was re-elected in 1968, 1974,
1980, 1986, and 1992. He served as Chief Justice in 1977 and
1978 and again in 1993 and 1994.
In 1977, Justice Hodges was named the Nation’s
Outstanding State Appellate Jurist by the Association of Trial
Lawyers of America.
November 18, 2002
5:30 p.m.
Mick Hinton
Senior Staff Writer
The Daily Oklahoman
“Oklahoma’s Electoral Behavior -Past, Present and Future’’
Mick Hinton has been a part of
Oklahoma journalism since 1968, working
for four state newspapers. He is currently
a higher education reporter, but also
covers mental health, environmental issues, and career tech
education. Hinton was a political reporter at the State Capitol
for 10 years.
In addition to his work at The Daily Oklahoman, he has
worked for the Oklahoma City Times, serving as the last
city editor for that newspaper, which closed in 1984. Hinton
previously worked as city editor for the Norman Transcript
and as wire editor for the Lawton Morning Press.
A graduate of South Dakota State University and the
University of Oklahoma, Hinton has received numerous
professional journalism awards. He has also taught journalism
at the university level.
November 18, 2002
7:00 p.m.
Carter Bradley
Capitol News Bureau
“Oklahoma’s Electoral Behavior -Past, Present, and Future’’
Carter Bradley was born in Ada, OK
and attended public schools there and in
Norman.
Journalism and his experience as a
teacher have shaped his opinions for the last 60 years. Bradley
was a reporter for the Oklahoma City Times, where he covered
the inauguration of Gov. Robert S. Kerr.
Bradley spent 17 years (1947-60) with United Press
International, 14 as the state bureau manager in Oklahoma
City. He also served 14 years on the Higher Education Alumni
Council.
December 2, 2002
5:30 p.m.
The Honorable Kirk Humphreys
Mayor
Oklahoma City
“Oklahoma’s Municipal Government’’
Kirk Humphreys, Oklahoma City’s 34th
Mayor, was born and raised in Oklahoma
City. He is serving his second, four-year
term in office after a successful re-election
this spring. He graduated from Northwest
Classen High School and the University of Oklahoma, where
he received a B.B.A. in Finance.
Humphreys came to the Mayor’s office from the
business world, where his interests included building a
national distribution company and commercial real estate
developments.
Humphreys’ priorities for Oklahoma City are to finish the
MAPS projects, improve public education, convenient and
improved air service, and community beautification.
December 2, 2002
7:00 p.m.
Dr. Danney Goble
Professor of Classics and Letters
University of Oklahoma
“Oklahoma’s Political System and
Culture: Past, Present and Future
Professor Danney Goble is Professor
of Classics and Letters at the University
of Oklahoma. He has also taught at
the University of Missouri-Columbia,
Tulsa Junior College, University of Tulsa, and Rogers State
University.
Goble earned degrees from the University of Central
Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma, and the University of
Missouri-Columbia.
He has authored numerous award-winning books and
articles throughout his career.