Alumnus tapped for presidency
Texas A&M University Kingsville (TAMUK) announced a sole finalist for the next President of the university, and faculty members say he can be an asset for faculty, students and staff.
Javelina Alumnus Dr. Robert Vela Jr. was selected by the Board of Regents after Chancellor John Sharp made the recommendation.
Vela was one of three candidates the Presidential Search Advisory Committee (PSAC) at TAMUK presented to the Chancellor and Board. The 16-person committee, appointed by the university, included several faculty and staff members, TAMUK’s Student Body President and several community members.
“We actually had a large pool of very talented candidates for the position,” Faculty Senate President and PSAC member Dr. Jieming Chen said. “My personal impression of Dr. Vela during the interview is that he is articulate, energetic and very passionate about making significant contributions to our university and the South Texas region. At the same time, Dr. Vela is very thoughtful and well organized in answering questions from the members of the committee.”
Chen also said Vela’s strong administrative background shows he can lead our university to growth and academic excellence.
The Presidential Search Advisory Committee was announced in early January and took effect immediately, with the goal of recommending candidates to the Chancellor by April.
Dr. Vela currently serves as the 12th president of San Antonio College and helped the college receive the 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.
“It’s one thing that we have a [president] that understands our student body, our community, and it’s another thing to have somebody who is from the community and who was actually part of the community and Dr. Vela hits both marks,” PSAC member Dr. Alberto Rodriguez said.
Vela received his bachelor’s and graduate degrees from TAMUK and was named a Distinguished Alumni of the university in 2015.
“He understood our students, our location, our community, our demographics probably better than any other person because he was from the area. He was an alumnus; all the candidates were great don’t get me wrong, but Dr. Vela was able to bring something different to us,” Rodriguez said.
Vela is set to visit TAMUK Tuesday, May 3, to meet faculty and staff. Vela does not officially start his position until early June.
“Dr. Vela has extensive leadership experience at various colleges, and as President of San Antonio College, he was able to lead that institution into a nationally recognized college of excellence. Our university has enormous potential, and having someone like Dr. Vela will allow us to continue to provide an excellent university experience for all our students,” PSAC member Dr. Elda Sanchez said.