Introducing UHCL Presidential Candidate Frank Lamas

The UHCL Presidential Search Committee has decided on four candidates who will each receive an open forum on campus to present themselves to faculty and students.

Richard Walker, vice president of student affairs and enrollment services and chair of the UHCL Presidential Search Committee, discussed the process that the committee went through to choose the four candidates.

“UHCL received applications and CVs of distinguished leaders in education from throughout the country,” Walker said. “The search committee will assess the strengths and weaknesses of each interviewee before sharing our feedback and that of the campus community with UH System Chancellor Renu Khator. It is important that students, faculty and staff participate in these candidate presentations and share their comments on the feedback survey forms found on the presidential search webpage.”

Frank Lamas was the first of the four candidates to speak on campus at his open forum March 28. Lamas spoke about his background and qualifications before taking questions from the audience.

Lamas, who has more than 30 years of administrative experience in higher education, is currently the vice president for student affairs and enrollment management at California State University, Fresno, where he has worked since 2014. His responsibilities there include administering a budget of approximately $22 million, distributing financial aid and supervising 50 departments and programs.

Lamas was elected board chairman of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators, an organization of professionals in student affairs that he has been a member of since 1983.

Lamas was also the vice president for student affairs at the University of Texas at Arlington from 2005-2014.

“I loved my time in Texas and I think having experience in Texas would be a good thing for [students and faculty] in your new president when you look at state politics and other local things,” Lamas said.

Lamas states that his interpersonal skills and approachability are some of his best qualities, and they ultimately make him a good fit for the job.

“I’ve always tried to be a very student-centered and caring vice president and educator,” Lamas said. “I want people to feel that they can talk to me about anything. I always talk about listening and learning before acting.”

Lamas lauded the university for their renovations and propensity to continue to expand, citing future buildings such as the recreation center and STEM building as elements that impress him about UHCL. Lamas also credits the university’s variety of colleges and programs as major factors that attract him to UHCL, saying that he saw long ago that the university was a school moving in the right direction.

Lamas referred to his history of making the best out of whatever he has to work with as a reason why he would be successful at a school with as tight a budget as UHCL.

“I thrive on challenges,” Lamas said. “Throughout my career, we never have enough money, and we always have to try to figure out what is the best bang for our buck. We have to look at what it is we need to change or do differently as a team. I welcome the opportunity, with all of you, to be a transformational leader on this campus.”

You can share your feedback on Frank Lamas with the search committee by completing a feedback survey form.

The next presidential candidate to hold an open forum will be Cheryl Lovell April 4.

Also published on Medium.