Comments on: NMSU prez must fit with institutional identity

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:08:27 +0000

Thank you Doctor for clarifying your position, now I understand what you meant. Sorry I took it wrongly. Coming from a dirt poor family with many “characters” in it, I am somewhat sensitive about people being judged by their family and not their own merits. I really think your family is irrelevant to your abilities and value, and should not be used for judgements, though I know that a bit naive in general these days. I think the larger NMSU familys’ judgements and views of these candidates is very relevant, as you will have to live with the choice in the end and you should have your say. I would just reinterate my position that a strong leader is needed, not just one with the “right” degrees. I think Dr. Ortiz looks like an outstanding candidate, in spite of a Ph.D. in special education, early childhood development. He is and has been a leader, he has accomplished many things, he has a stellar career going. Intangibles will always be just that, judgement calls made by those who actually have the decision to make, the Regents. Cheers Doc, and I always enjoy your columns and comments, whether or not I always agree, they are always well reasoned and thought out.

By: Michael Swickard, Ph.D.

Michael Swickard, Ph.D. — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:35:45 +0000

Dr. J – As Heath will attest, I very rarely comment even once on one of my columns and never twice. Despite this being my third post I still feel the need to clarify: I am not recommending Dr. Ortiz for NMSU President. All I have said is that I will not be troubled if he is selected. That is a heck of a lot different than pushing him for NMSU president.
I always want an Agriculture or Engineering professional to lead NMSU because that is NMSU’s core identity. Period. End of story. However, having personal knowledge of the Ortiz family allows me to accept his choice without dismay, if that is how it is going to be given the NMSU Presidential Search Committee’s final five, now four. I was not on the search committee and I have no say in the choice of the next NMSU president. I have no snap with any of the NMSU regents or in the New Mexico Governor’s Office. I was given the honorary title, Colonel, Aide-de-camp to a Democrat governor’s office years ago which carries absolutely no influence whatsoever even with my dog, Conrad.
NMSU is a one-in-a-kind institution of higher learning in New Mexico which was the point of the column. I appreciate your (Dr. J’s) concern and enjoy reading your comments regularly.

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:45:11 +0000

“ I put a lot of stock in family”. Indeed Dr. Swickard, and so do the Chicago politicos machine, and our own beloved La Politica. There is much more than family and personal knowledge of same in a President for NMSU. It is nice to hear your personal stories of Dr. Ortiz’s family, I am sure they are wonderful, but that is not how people are (or should be) selected for jobs, unless you live in Chicago or Santa Fe that is.

By: Michael Swickard, Ph.D.

Michael Swickard, Ph.D. — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:43:51 +0000

Golly Dr. J, what else is better? Former NMSU President J. Michael Orendorf was very highly touted but had personal flaws inconsistent with the institution. He was gone in seven months. I liked him in his interview and he wrote an email to me following up on a question about distnace learning that I used in my 1998 NMSU dissertation. Mike Martin was initially very well liked. So I have liked the two recent Michaels though many at NMSU did not. I was not ultimately sorry to see each go.Having a knowledge of the family character is important to me. Again, I do no know him and did not attend his public sessions while at NMSU. My point is that regardless of not having a specific ag background which it appears the search committee made sure by their choice there would not be, I would not be unhappy with Dr. Ortiz, having known his family in Carrizozo. I put a lot of stock in family.Dr. J wrote: November 11, 2009 • 4:13 pm (Edit) Not biased by personal experiences are ya Doc?

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:13:39 +0000

Not biased by personal experiences are ya Doc?

By: Michael Swickard, Ph.D.

Michael Swickard, Ph.D. — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:26:13 +0000

My friends on this blog – while I looked over the professional biography of each NMSU presidential candidate, it was not until he was here in Las Cruces that I realized Dr. Michael Ortiz was from Carrizozo, New Mexico and I have been close friends with some of his relatives, though not him.

My grandmother was an school teacher in White Oaks, Three Rivers and Cloudcroft from 1908 until she started a family in 1923. My grandfather worked for the Southern Pacific in a number of roles including being an engineer on steam locomotives. My family still has their “ranch” south of Carrizozo and I have lived and worked in Carrizozo. I owned and operated the weekly newspaper, the Lincoln County News which is headquartered in Carrizozo from 1977 through 1980.

In the little ranching towns someone’s degrees from college is far less important than his standing in the community. The Ortiz family is a pillar of the area with member who have served honorably and with distinction in the roles of Judges, Sheriff and business leaders. I do not know Michael Ortiz but I know and think very highly of his family.

Pulling in my horns a bit and having known all previous NMSU presidents back to Hugh Milton (though not while he was president) I will not be dismayed in the least if Dr. Ortiz becomes the next NMSU President. He seems to be the best candidate.

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:40:35 +0000

Well, we only have 4 left now to deal with.

By: Thinker

Thinker — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:10:22 +0000

As the world moves forward in time, NMSU must find a way to keep it’s identity but also embrace the needs and demands of the 21st century. Look nationwide at other land-grant institutions and you will see that agriculture has become only one of several scientific disciplines those schools take ownership of. We can and should still be a leader in cutting edge agricultural education, but we need to be seen more broadly as a SCIENCE school, whether it’s the hard sciences, applied sciences or the social/educational sciences. The future of agriculture is changing, and will demand professionals who know how to incorporate the results of other disciplines into their work. There is no reason that anyone from any background cannot believe in and provide leadership for NMSU, as long as they are committed to educational excellence, community involvement, and inclusive decision making.

By: Dr. J

Dr. J — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:09:34 +0000

I totally agree with the previos comments and disagree with Dr. Swickard. NMSU needs the strongest, most inspiring, and most competent leader. Ag is not the be all and end all for NMSU, nor is engineering. Leaders come with all sorts of backgrounds. As a college Prez, what you got your Bach., Masters, or Ph.D. in matters little. What you have done as an administrator and what you will do and how you will do it are much more important.

By: Mr64

Mr64 — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:08:05 +0000

It is time to sop being a cow college, period. Agriculture is a near dead industry in New Mexico, and would be if it were not for the daries and supporting feed suppliers. Just for the record my family was ranching here before there was a college to write history about.

As an employee of NMSU with a very small veiw of the big picture, I can see enough waste and lack of accountability to keep then next two Presidents busy for their entire tenures. Hire a Presdent who can make use of the resources rather than wasting it all on cronism.

Agriculture should not be a major priority of NMSU anymore than their football team should be playing in Division I.