by Kayla Anderson
Daily Lobo
Who can "swim like a fish, but doesn't need to because he can walk on water?"
William Davis, UNM's 11th president, said the answer is the future leader of the University.
Six former UNM presidents were welcomed back to campus yesterday at Zimmerman Library in an event to discuss UNM's history of leadership and the qualities that the University's future presidents should possess.
The event, "Crossroads in UNM History: Presidential Voices and Visions," was presented by Open Doors, a free lecture series organized by the University.
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The former presidents spoke of certain characteristics they feel would be important for UNM's future leaders, including its next president.
That list includes patience, integrity and compassion, as well as stamina, strength and a willingness to make a strong commitment to UNM.
Davis, who was University president from 1975-1982, said the next person to be appointed to the position should have a "heart of a lion" and an ambition to improve the institute. He said that he feels it was those qualities in UNM's former presidents which established the Presidential Scholarship, increased faculty salaries, increased student enrollment and increased female attendance among the student body.
The ex-presidents agreed that UNM has an advantage in terms of its Hispanic enrollment rate when compared to other universities in the Southwest.
Richard Peck, who was UNM's 15th president from 1990-1998, said that he feels the next president should "serve the people in this area and get rid of whatever barriers exist in the southwest."
Exactly what is ahead, however, remains a mystery until the efforts of UNM's future president are carried out.
"Despite those limitations on what we can do, we should seek to be an overachieving University," added Ferrel Heady, UNM's 10th president, who served from 1968-1975.
"Wherever the institution begins, it can be better," added Tom Farer, who was UNM's 13th president, serving from 1985-1986.
Chris Garcia, UNM's interim president said, "presidential leaderships at universities set a tone for the entire campus. The community has to have a sense of what lies ahead. UNM has changed tremendously since some of our presidents - we are growing all the time. We are now reaching out in ways we've never reached before."
The challenge remains in the hands of UNM's future president, whoever that person may be.
Also attending were Gerald May, the 14 president from 1986-1990 and John Perovich, who was UNM's 12th president from 1982-1985.
