ENMU Student Affairs vice president retiring

Friday was Judith Haislett’s last unofficial day at Eastern New Mexico University’s Student Affairs office, where she was vice president for seven years.

After leaving for Utah on Monday, she will return for a visit on Jan. 5 for her official last day.

Haislett started her ENMU career on Aug. 15, 2007, after holding the position of vice president for Student Affairs at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota.

Her duties at ENMU included supporting students in the areas of residential life, judicial affairs, financial aid, disability services, counseling and career planning, campus life, intramurals and recreation, dining, health services, multicultural affairs and the TRiO grants.

She also advised university President Steve Gamble on matters concerning the well-being of ENMU students.

“The students are my top-rated responsibility,” she said. “I have enjoyed them. They breathe life into the campus and into me. I remain surprised, delighted and challenged by them.

link Joshua Lucero: Staff photo

Super Save deli manager Lamario Miles removes a baked turkey from the store’s bakery oven Thursday afternoon. Grocery stores in Portales and Clovis have prepared Thanksgiving meals to ease the holiday stress for area residents.

link ENMU Communication Services photo

Judith Haislett was recently honored at the Panhellenic Scholarship Tea as a Woman of Distinction and Influence.

“My most difficult challenge has been keeping students safe in the increasingly complex campus community and legal environment. My biggest challenge has been reducing our loan default rate and being sure the departments have the budget to get their job done without charging more to the students.”

The soon-to-be retiree was recently honored at the Panhellenic Scholarship Tea as a Woman of Distinction and Influence.

“I was overwhelmed and couldn’t be more honored. I didn’t know I was being considered,” she said of the award. “It was one of the most pleasant surprises of my career.”

Many members of women’s fraternities were in attendance to receive academic awards. Haislett recalls seeing “the potential sitting in that room. “My granddaughter is in good hands with all of these role models.”

The vice president recalled going through the women’s movement during her collegiate career and seeing the “entire paradigm shift in looking at people’s skills. I was lucky to be there at the start of the movement so I could experience it all.

“It is wonderful to be a mother, but it is nice to see a woman having a family, a marriage and a career,” she said. “I want to give my daughter the opportunity to excel in her career by not being torn between being a mom and being a professional.”

Haislett is moving to Utah to be closer to her daughter, Robin, who is teaching mass communications in game studies at Weber State University.

“She has a rich and vital field of research identified,” she said of Robin, who is pursuing a doctorate degree.

“I want her to have it all. I also want my granddaughter to be secure in her family by knowing someone is always there for her and delights in her every move.”

Haislett was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and lived in a complex of four houses with her six female cousins. Her southern grandmother looked after the family.

“I loved horses and hung out in the workshop with my dad, who built cabinets in his spare time,” Haislett said.

“Our family showed love by teasing each other. I always felt secure and knew I had the family’s net under me.

“I had a flair for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and have only made minor improvements in that area,” she joked.