Q&A: ENMU President Gamble talks budget, stadium

Editor's note: Eastern New Mexico University President Steven Gamble discussed several topics as part of a periodic series interviewing public officials about local issues.

How dire do you believe the state budget situation is going to get for the university? How much has your budget been cut so far? Do you anticipate staff cuts becoming a reality?

It's hard to tell, but it will be bad no matter what. The governor and the state legislators, they've got a big task in front of them. We in higher ed know that we've got to be part of the solution any time the state hits hard times. I do believe it will be bad.

So far, we've been cut 7 1/2 percent. A 1 percent cut for us is $300,000, so you can do the math and see 2.3 million.

Our present plan calls for us reducing our workforce by approximately 30 people. That's 30 positions. I've assured our faculty and staff that we're not going to lay people off, we're not going to reduce their salary — the state might, but we're not — and that we're going to protect our staff all we can. That information has been given at general faculty meetings and back-to-school for staff. I've told them that we're going to protect our mission and we're going to protect the people that carry out the mission.

Has the university decided to take any action against the Theta Zeta chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity regarding a recent investigation of possible illegal activity by members?

They (Sigma Chi) still are in a period in which they can appeal what we have done, so we haven't got anything. We are, I would say, within a week of finalizing the decision.

What are the impacts you have seen from the new football stadium, both economically for the community and financially for the university?

I will say, it's really done a lot to regenerate pride in the university and pride in the university athletic programs. It (the first ENMU football game in the new stadium) was really something. We had standing room only. We won the game. It was a wonderful event. So, I think it's done a lot to improve school spirit, and to really re-emphasize the pride that we've long had at Eastern New Mexico University.

Economically, we also believe it has brought a whole lot more people to Portales. Now, I can't quantify that, but there was a whole lot of people coming back for games that spent money in Portales. Blackwater Draw (former ENMU football stadium) — we had a significant part and portion of the fans that never would come to Portales. They would probably stay in Clovis if they were from out of town, and then turn around and drive off. We believe that it is in the process of meeting the goals that we had for helping the economy of the community and revitalizing the school spirit at Eastern.

The expectation was never that it was going to do a lot for us financially. We don't draw in much money at all from ticket sales. We don't charge much for our tickets. We only have two or three sports that we charge people to see, and so we never had a financial goal. I would say, although attendance has been up at our football games and our basketball games, that still doesn't translate into a large amount of money.

Where is the university in its search for a new president?

I'm kind of on the outside looking in, but we have entered into a contract with a search firm, Witt Kiefer. They have advertised the position nationally, and they are receiving applications. I believe the first review of these applications will be in about a month. The goal is to have a new president on board at the school by the first of August, because I retire July 31.

— Compiled by Staff Writer Eamon Scarbrough