Garcia named president
Regents unanimously vote for one-year appointment

The UNM Board of Regents unanimously voted to name UNM Political Science Professor F. Chris Garcia as the University’s 17th president effective Aug. 1, 2002 for approximately a one-year period while a national search is conducted for a permanent president.

Garcia’s appointment will coincide with the departure of President William C. Gordon, who has accepted an appointment as provost of Wake Forest University. Gordon has served as UNM’s president since March 1999.

In announcing the Regents’ decision to name Garcia, UNM Board of Regents President Larry Willard said the long-time UNM faculty member “has a breadth and depth of knowledge about UNM that few others have. There is enormous faculty, administrative and community support for his appointment. He did not seek out this position. In fact, he was reluctant to take on this role. The fact that he decided to do so is a tribute to his devotion and commitment to UNM.”

Garcia said he feels “very honored to be asked by the Board of Regents to serve as President of our University over the next year.”

He said the “persuasive efforts” of various people, including faculty, staff, students and community members, helped him decide to accept the position. “If the University and the community feel that my service in an administrative capacity once again is needed, then I am honored to answer that call and offer my service in the manner in which I can most be of help,” he added.

“This coming year will mark my 40th anniversary as a student, faculty member and administrator at UNM. Given the tremendous progress that has been made by our faculty, staff and students, with the guidance and assistance of our Regents, our former Presidents and the rest of our administration, and with the support of our external communities, my hopes and objectives will be to help make this coming year another step upward and onward for UNM.”

Garcia, 62, has been a UNM professor of political science since 1970. He has also taught at the University of California at Los Angeles, Indiana University, the University of California at Davis, California State University at Fullerton, Fullerton Community College and the University of Northern Colorado.

At UNM, Garcia was interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs in 1993 and again in 1998-2000. He has held other administrative positions at UNM including vice president for Academic Affairs, 1987-90; dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, 1980-86; assistant and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, 1975-80; and, assistant director of the Division of Government Research, 1970-72.

His areas of research and teaching include American politics, New Mexico government and politics, political culture and ethnic and Hispanic politics.

He is the recipient of several research grants totaling more than $2 million. Garcia is the author or editor of 10 books and more than 50 monographs, articles, chapters and reviews.

Garcia earned his bachelor’s degree in Government in 1961 and his master’s in Political Science in Education in 1964, both from UNM. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California at Davis in 1972.H