Bob Strawser knows
something special when he sees it. |
 |
When the new interim president of Texas A&M University-Kingsville met his
wife, Carol, when the two were in high school, the connection was immediate and
has lasted 48 years.
His feelings about the university he has been charged with overseeing
aren't too different.
"I fell in love with that girl right away," he said. "I feel the
same way about Kingsville."
On the job less than a week, Strawser already is working overtime.
He didn't leave the office until late in the evening Tuesday, his first
day, and spent nearly 10 hours Wednesday meeting with students, faculty and
staff.
In May, Texas A&M University regents named Strawser, 68, as the temporary
replacement for outgoing A&M-Kingsville President Rumaldo Juarez, who
resigned from the office this week.
Strawser, a longtime accounting professor at Texas A&M University in
College Station, has taught at state universities with large student
populations, including the University of Maryland and Pennsylvania State
University.
His heart and his family, however, are steeped in Aggie tradition. Strawser has
worked at the College Station campus for more than 35 years, serving as a
professor, administrator and as speaker of the faculty senate twice, once under
the leadership of former president and current Secretary of Defense Robert
Gates.
Strawser's wife and children have attended the university, and his son,
Jerry, is serving as interim executive vice president and provost of the
university.
With a career in academia that spans more than four decades, Strawser said
there is something striking about A&M-Kingsville.
"Kingsville is light-years ahead of many state schools in Texas because
here the focus is on the students," Strawser said.
"A&M-Kingsville has a rich legacy."
Keeping the focus on the students is Strawser's motto and something he
plans to continue during his temporary time at the university's helm.
"That is what this university is for," he said this week from his new
office in Kingsville.
Strawser was last on the campus nearly three years ago, as part of an external
review committee that examined the relationship between administrators and
faculty.
"Back then, I thought this was a heck of a place," he said. He
eagerly accepted the offer to return to the campus, provided he was able to
bring his wife and dogs -- all 11 of them.
Though Strawser knows his time at A&M-Kingsville will be short, he
doesn't plan to act as an interim leader. He plans to continue focusing on
students, making sure all decisions that he makes until a permanent leader can
be found are made with academics and students first in mind.
He also intends to promote Javelina athletics to create camaraderie and
support, recognize outstanding work done by students, faculty and staff
monthly, and work to forge a stronger relationship between the Kingsville
community and the university. And he'll stay connected to the classroom,
teaching one class in the fall.
When the time comes to hand over the reins to the university's new
president, Strawser said he hopes he will have served the university well and
made the new leader's transition easy.
But the transition will be a bittersweet.
"I'm going to be jealous of them," he said.
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