By Managing Editor Kiley Martinez
On Oct. 30, five finalists were announced for the position of Chancellor of the Eastern New Mexico University campuses, among them Dr. Jim Williams, former Vice President of Student Affairs at Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan.
Williams became aware of the position after being nominated by an anonymous source, whom he first told the Chase he would like to thank immensely.
“As a system, all 3 campuses, the institution understands there’s something for everyone and their academic needs,” Williams said in a one-on-one interview with the Chase. “That’s really powerful in an environment where we know higher education is important, we know higher education provides opportunities, but all programs don’t fit everyone.”
Williams mentioned that he is especially excited to get the opportunity to work with one of his passions: access and opportunity. As a first-generation college student himself, he said it took a lot of pushing to get him into college, and he knows the struggles.
ENMU’s sense of community is another big draw for Williams as a candidate as well.
“The institution is student centered… as I interview with the different components on the campus that was clear.” Williams said in an interview with the Chase. “That’s the message I want to continue to move forward, we’re there for the students, and we should be getting as much richness in our lives working with students as we are providing for [them] and their opportunities for the future.”
One thing that Williams believes he shares with the school is his wish for longevity in whatever position he may hold.
“I’ve not ever really looked for the next ride along, “Williams said, instead indicating that he prefers to follow work projects through to their completion.
Williams hails from a culturally diverse part of central Kansas and is confident in his ability to assimilate into the N.M. culture that is held so dearly to the hearts of many ENMU students. Above that, he also spent a majority of his career working with first generation college students, a demographic that is common on the campus.
Williams sang praises on the Eastern campus and community during his interview with the Chase, stating, “I really believe this institution could be the best kept secret, and my goal would be for it to not be a secret.”
The visibility of ENMU is something of importance that has been noted by the committee during the search for the new Chancellor. Williams thinks that his personality would be a great fit.
“I don’t believe a Chancellor or President sits in their office, I think they have to be out and about,” Williams said. “One of the things I would be looking forward to [if I were chosen for the position] is being out in the communities. Not necessarily just staying in Portales but going down to Hobbs and several of the other communities, spending some time meeting with folks and listening to what their needs are and how Eastern can meet their needs.”
Williams also emphasizes his desire to further build on the campus media and literature, stating, “There’s more than just a printed brochure… there’s got to be that creativity. I mean look at the alumni magazine. Don’t tell me that’s not an excellent institution. There’re people I was reading about, and I was like ‘wow, phenomenal, what a foundation’ and those are things to capitalize on in an institution.”
Williams has big ideas for the ENMU campuses, including expanding upon our current food assistance system for students in need. “In higher education you have got to evolve beyond what’s just happening in the classroom. We’ve got to be able to provide the comforts, if there’s food insecurity, housing concerns, those aspects.”
Beyond ideas, Williams says he is most concerned about ensuring that the students of ENMU would have everything they might need to succeed, but not because he knows what you might need himself.
“[Students] should have an active voice in the next strategic plan. They should be part of the conversations. [I] could sit here all day and say ‘the students need this, the students need that’ but well, I’m not a student! So talk to the students. Listen, make sure you’re approachable to them.”
If given an unlimited budget, Williams thinks he would like to expand a program like TRIO or our past Title V grant throughout the entire university system, including the Roswell and Ruidoso campuses.
“Those concepts like being a peer mentor and things like that, I look at that stuff as High Impact Learning,” Williams spoke on the idea. “Yes, you are helping a[nother] student, but look at the skillset you are learning. Look what you are able to capitalize on, and those skills that are now part of your repertoire.”
Emporia State University in Emporia, Kan., the university where Williams spent 18 years of his career at, is comparable to the ENMU campus in many ways. Both are similar sizes, with ESU being slightly smaller at just under 6 thousand students compared to just ENMU-Portales which according, to Fall 2022 enrollment statistics, is sitting at 5,106 enrolled students.
One of those ways is an issue with student retention, a longstanding issue with any college, including ENMU, and as Williams claims, did ESU.
“We had the same issues with our retention,” Williams said. “Through doing some strategic thinking, some heart to heart looking at what we do, and putting things together, in five years we were able to increase that number by 10 percent.”
“I have learned that there’s not much difference between the Kansas Humble and the New Mexico Humble.” Williams talked about the similarities between the areas.
Williams continued with an anecdote about an international student from ESU. “I’ll never forget the day I was working with an international student – and I honestly didn’t know – and he said I was sobbing, and you saw me sitting in the hallway, and you brought me to your office, and you found me seven hundred dollars so that I could stay.”
The student was, according to Williams, speaking to him after coming back to ESU post-graduation to bring a 40 thousand endowed scholarship to the small Kan. university as a gift of thanks.
“[That story] says to me for all of us in higher education, don’t walk past someone. If they look like they’re having a bad day, ask them what’s going on, and be sincere,” Williams said.
Williams is one of five candidates up for the position of Chancellor of Eastern New Mexico University, and all of it campuses. Should he be chosen for the job, he would bring his wife and pets.
(Dr. James Johnston has been announced as the new chancellor of ENMU, he will take over the position on January 3, 2023.)