Even to the very casual observer of Texas politics, it is quite evident that the state is facing its biggest financial challenge in many decades. The debate rages on as to whether the state budget deficit will be $10 or $15 billion dollars or even more. Regardless of the final figures, one thing is certain-the financial crunch will hit virtually all government agencies, including institutions of higher education. That A&M-Commerce will see a significant cut in funding for the next two years seems to be a certainty.The only question is how much of a cut.At this writing, we are looking at a 12.5% cut or $2.7 million for each of the next two years. The timing is quite unfortunate because the dramatic enrollment growth of the past two years would, in normal times, have produced an additional $5 million per year.While reduced funding

	Dr. Keith   McFarland
President, Texas A&M University-Commerce

in a period of great growth will present major challenges to the University, I can assure you that we will not only emerge from this period of challenge, but we will do so stronger and more vibrant than ever. Difficult times can be viewed as either a period of unfortunate setbacks, or it can be seen as an opportunity to be creative and move forward. The University has chosen to follow the latter course. Old ET has experienced many difficult times in the past 114 years, and each time it has emerged better than before. This time it will be no different. 

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Irving campus from a 3,500- to a 16,000-square-foot facility where the focus is on job training and workforce development. It's like building a college from the ground up. I spend a good deal of time forging partnerships in the community to form a consortium of businesses to work with us for job training.

What do you look forward to accomplishing at North Lake South Irving Center?

I'm excited about being a bilingual business and technical training center, where Spanish-speaking instructors can train Spanish-speaking people in things like how to use computers. We also offer a practical Spanish course to business people who want to learn to communicate with their Spanish-speaking customers.
I'm also proud of our Second-Chance initiative that helps students get their GED. Everyone has been concerned about preventing dropouts, but I'm concerned about getting the ones who have already gone, to come back.Let's give high school dropouts a second chance. They're out there-let's go get them.

What's your most powerful ET memory?

Rene signs in at Homecoming.

The person most influential to me was [longtime journalism department head] Jack Bell. I had heard about him through one of his graduate students
who was working with me at the Dallas Morning News. I had told him I was thinking about going to graduate school, and he told me about ETSU and Jack Bell. So I went. Jack Bell encouraged me from the beginning. I was insecure as a writer and reporter, and he always had his door open for me. Even after I left here and went to work for Channel 13, I would call and talk to him. Today he still influences the way I talk to students, because I want to be like him. Even when my work needed attention, he had a gentle hand about it. He would find something good to say, and he made you want to do better.

You have several alma maters. Why did you choose A&M-Commerce to benefit from your time and energy, especially when you already have such an active professional and volunteer life?

Because this one touched me. This one personalized it. When I talk to students about Texas A&M-Commerce, I can sincerely say that

when faculty here say "Come see me," they mean it. They're truly mentors.

In your life as a volunteer, you seem to favor education. Why is that?

I think people who go into education want to do something for other people so much that their altruism sometimes overcomes their good economic sense. You have to be a people person, and you have to be willing to share yourself with people. Like [Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Special Education] Max Plata - he shows you what it means to be a teacher, so you want to do it.

As the new Alumni Association Board president, what's #1 on your to-do list?

I'd like for us to spend some time together after meetings, to build strong relationships with one another. When we bond, we can work harder on the mission we've set for ourselves. We'll be more free with what we think and feel, and we'll make better decisions for the Association and the University.

Why should anyone join the Alumni Association?

We shouldn't join it for what's in it for us. It's what we can give back to the school that gave us a head start, even though we may not have known that at the time. We should want to share that experience with someone else.

The Pride is an official publication of Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, Texas 75429, and is published four times per year in the months of January, April, July and October. Second Class postage paid at Commerce, Texas. The Pride is distributed without charge to former students, faculty, staff and friends of Texas A&M University-Commerce. It is published by the Division of Marketing in support of Alumni Relations. It is printed in the A&M-Commerce Instructional Printing Facility, Commerce, Texas 75429.

Administration

Keith D. McFarland, Ph.D., President
Jack Gray, Executive Director,
Marketing & External Communications

Editorial Staff

ck Gray, Executive Editor
Kayla Price, Ed.D., Alumni Director
Deborah Davies, Managing Editor
David Walvoord, Photographer
Darron Moore, Art Director
Jaime Harper, Pride Online
Mary Lou Hazal, News Service Writer
Ashley Tubbs, News Service Writer
Bill Powers, Staff Writer, Sports

Alumni Association

The Alumni Association was organized in 1890 to promote the University and to contribute to the general welfare of the University and its Alumni.

Executive Board

Rene Castilla, President
Rheba Icenhower, Vice President
Jandy Thompson,
Secretary /Treasurer
Kayla Price, Executive Director

Alumni Relations

Kayla Price, Director
Linda Bobbitt, Administrative Assistant
Alumni Relations is located on the first floor, west side, of the Sam Rayburn
Memorial Student Center,
903-886-5765.

Inquiries and Submissions

Inquiries and contributions of
information may be made at
903-886-5765 or
alumni_relations@tamu-commerce.edu

Mission

Texas A&M University-Commerce nurtures and educates for success through access to academic, research, and service programs of high quality.