The Board of Regents chose political science professor and administrative alumnus F. Chris Garcia in a unanimous vote to be UNM's president for a year while they search for Bill Gordon's replacement.
During their meeting Tuesday, the regents announced Garcia's appointment as a one-year president, ending suspense about who would run the University while the presidential search begins. Despite Garcia's reluctance to take on the position, he said that the pressure from all walks of UNM life, including faculty, staff and students was what pushed him into agreeing to accept the job.
"When so many people seem to think that you ought to do the job, you should at least give it serious consideration," Garcia said. "Still, it was tough because I very much enjoy being a faculty member."
He added it made sense that he take on the job to avoid shuffling people around in the administration, but stressed that he had no interest being UNM president for the long term.
Garcia, who was interim provost in 1993 and interim vice president for Academic Affairs from 1998-2000, will start his duties as president August 1 - overlapping with Gordon's term until he leaves for Wake Forest University in September to be provost. Garcia will earn a salary of $218,802, which is the same as Gordon's.
Gordon echoed the community's optimistic sentiment about Garcia, saying that he could think of no better candidate for the job.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"He's just so knowledgeable about the University," Gordon said.
The appointment came as little surprise to many, with Faculty Senate President Beverly Burris congratulating the regents on their choice before they even went into executive session.
Regent Larry Willard said despite Garcia's not seeking the position, he feels that with Garcia's leadership, the University will move in a positive direction.
"The Board of Regents believes that Chris is an ideal person to lead the University at this time," Willard said. "There is enormous faculty, administrative and community support for his appointment."
Garcia said it would take a while for him to gain perspective as the president and looks forward to working closely with Gordon in August. He added that he wants to carry forth with plans already in place to keep the University's momentum.
He said that one of his big goals is for UNM community members to listen and respect each other to achieve unity during the presidential search.
"We can't succeed if we're going in many different directions," Garcia said.
Garcia is an Albuquerque native who graduated from Valley High School in 1957, continued on to UNM and earned his bachelor's degree in government in 1961; his master's degree in government and education in 1964; and his doctorate in political science at the University of California, Davis in 1972.
He has taught political science at UNM since 1970 and was assistant and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 1975-80, and the college's dean from 1980-86.
The regents' meeting was Gordon's last as UNM president, but he said that the presidential search should wield healthy results.
"I think that the University right now is in a great position to get some terrific candidates," he said.
The regents also passed the 2002-03 operating budget, which will begin the process for the full "Operating and Capital Budget Plans" document to be reviewed at the next meeting in August.
The budget, which was delayed due to Gov. Gary Johnson's fight with the N.M. Legislature to agree on a compromise for issues such as Medicaid spending, was finally passed in late May. The Legislature reconvened for an extraordinary session to override Johnson's veto and passed the state budget, allowing UNM to finally work out its own financial plan.
Julie Weaks, vice president for Business and Finance, said Senate Bill 1, the first budget bill considered, is closest to what the Legislature allocated the University. SB1 originally had a $198,067,748 expenditure base.
She said the only changes were when the general fund tuition credit increased from 2.5 to 3 percent. A tuition credit is a funding percentage that the Legislature reduces from the University's operating budget, which happens when legislators think students should pay for certain expenses by a tuition increase.
She said Scenario C will end up with an expenditure base of $197, 901,048, which is a 2.3 percent change from last year's base - a $166, 700 reduction from the original SB1.
