Editor's Note: The original headline in the print version of this article read "David Harris resigns after 14 years at UNM." That is incorrect, as he retired from the University. The Daily Lobo apologizes for any confusion.
The University of New Mexico will be receiving a new Executive Vice President of Administration by Dec. 31, as current EVP David Harris is retiring after spending 14 years at UNM.
Harris held multiple government positions before joining the University in 2004 and said his experience has helped him throughout his time at UNM.
“My role was to help with structural issues to try and create a stronger administrative...function here, at the University,” Harris said.
Former UNM President Louis Caldera left the University in 2006, and Harris was asked to act as interim president until a replacement was found in May of 2007.
“I tried to simplify the president’s role,” Harris said. “Most presidents come in here, and they review the strategic plan, they tweak the strategic plan, they overlay their own strategic vision. It takes a lot of resources and time to reimagine things on a grand scale.”
Harris said accepting the interim president role led to six-day work weeks, and he still had to fulfill his role as EVP of Administration.
He called his work “goal-driven” and compared his term to driving on the freeway and preventing road rage.
“One of the things a president has to do is maintain the flow of things...in a sensible way, so people can work together,” he said.
Harris returned to his EVP position in 2007 when former UNM President David J. Schmidly began his term. He said Shmidley strengthened his role by “providing an operational component, as well as the finance.”
In 2009, the UNM general faculty held a vote of no confidence on Harris and other regents. Harris said it was a “lowlight and a highlight.”
“It opened up my eyes,” he said. “I was not aware the faculty was dissatisfied in that way.”
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During his time at UNM, Harris was responsible for overseeing the overseeing the University’s budget and was involved with providing new technology to all campuses. He was also responsible for allocating funds for new programs that he said are “able to change the face of the University.”
He said during his term as EVP of Administration, a new pavillion was added to the UNM Hospital, the UNM Cancer Center was created and other health science projects were completed.
“We’ve done things that mattered in health sciences,” Harris said.
He created the $60 million financial package for the 2009 renovations made to the Pit, now Dreamstyle Arena, during his time as EVP of Administration.
Harris also said the 40 luxury skybox suites were unnecessary.
“Based on the expense of (the skybox suites), probably, we didn’t need to be so lavish. We could have updated a lot of the arena at a lower cost,” he said. “A lot of the features were external cosmetic.”
A decline in student enrollment has troubled him for the past two years, but the greatest strength of the University is student diversity, he said.
“Being a minority-majority institution brings great flavor and diversity into the conversation,” Harris said.
With President Garnett S. Stokes beginning her term, Harris is bringing his to an end. After 14 years, he said he wants to see a change.
He said he thinks “it’s time for some fresh leadership faces,” including Stokes, who is the first female to hold the position, and others.
Provost Chaouki Abdallah, in a statement, said Harris’ contributions helped keep the University “on stable financial footing.”
“He is a gifted leader with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside for a number of years,” Abdallah said in his statement. “His vision and contributions have helped to shape the University and campus that students experience today.”
Anthony Jackson is a freelance reporter with the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @TonyAnjackson.
