As the spring semester winds down, UNM President Chris Garcia enters the final months of his one-year term.
Garcia, who will give way to the next president July 31, said he had no intention of becoming president and initially refused the notion when approached.
"I was first approached by a group of faculty, Faculty Senate leaders who asked me to consider becoming a candidate," Garcia said. "To be nominated by your peers is the highest honor and although I initially refused, they wouldn't take no for an answer. So after being approached by students, community members and finally the regents, I decided indeed I would be a candidate. Shortly thereafter, I was offered the position."
Garcia said that the duties of the presidency have altered his life in ways he didn't think were possible.
"My life has changed tremendously," he said. "It is a life-changing experience. It changes your relationships with people, the rhythms of your daily activities and it just takes a total commitment."
Garcia said that that commitment entails a 24-hour day. He said he is usually up around 5:30 a.m., has a breakfast meeting, followed by appointments with individuals or organizations, a lunch meeting, more appointments and then depending on whether he has dinner meetings or banquets, he takes paperwork home with him at about 6:30 p.m.
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"If there is an evening activity, which is quite often, it's more like 9 or 10, plus the paperwork," Garcia said. "I also average about 100 e-mails per day."
He said that certain expectations have cut into his family time.
"My wife, Sandy, jokes that the only time we see each other is at University functions," Garcia said. "That's probably been the thing I miss most, spending time with family."
Garcia said that working as president has given him a greater perspective on what the University means to the community.
"It has made me appreciate more than ever just how important the University of New Mexico is to people in the state and in how many ways we contribute to the state and the advancement of society," he said. "After 33 years I thought I knew the University, but I have learned so many wonderful things about UNM in the past year - the wonderful faculty, the great staff and, of course, the students."
He said when his term ends he will head back to the classroom as a political science professor, something he is a little more accustomed to.
"I miss being a professor," Garcia said. "I'll just need to retool and get the rust off. All of my life I wanted to be a teacher. While my administrative service has been rewarding, being an educator has always been my life's ambition. I have always considered myself to be a faculty member serving in administration."
Garcia added that when he accepted the position of president, he set some specific goals, but he said that he cannot judge his own success.
"That is a something I can't answer," he said. "One of my primary goals was not to mark time, not just to fill the office. I wanted to be very active and maintain the momentum of all the good things happening in the UNM community. I wanted try to build a sense of community on campus so in this very large, complex organization we take pride in each other's accomplishments and take pride in each other. If I have been successful, that is for others to judge. I do know I have worked very hard to meet expectations and I hope I have done so."
Garcia expressed his gratitude for the support he has received in his term and said he was proud to be from the Albuquerque community, and to have been the first Hispanic president.
"Whoever is chosen as the next president is very fortunate to come to a University that is doing so many great things," Garcia said.
