TREMENDOUS SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY

the university, said working been a challenge. of - or it’s been hectic in have my already built-out affairs. And then having added before and then layering all that will, over the next out,” Lamb said. of finding other people to preexisting duties is important and able to focus on the presi- afford is to have a presiwho is just partly focused Lamb said, finishing the critical.” heavier one than he’s undertakes very seriously. of responsibility to make until a permanent presimake sure that the university momentum in a lot of differsaid, adding that he apprecithe university had led to his position. some degree to know that the would allow for people to have this. Gratifying and humthat tremendous sense of responsibility.”

Lamb outlined the main facets of his new job in an open Q&A session held in the Bridwell Activities Center. He said his main priorities right now include representing MSU at the Texas legislative session which is currently underway, increasing university undergraduate enrollment and ensuring MSU’s reaccreditation process goes smoothly.

MSU’s accreditation status is determined by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Lamb said MSU is positioned extremely well for reaccreditation.

Lamb also answered questions at the session, which was open to all students. The Student Government Association hosted the event.

Gabriella Pettijohn, economics senior and Student Government Association president, said she felt it was important that students got a chance to interact with the new interim president.

“More than anything, student government wanted to give students a chance to ask their questions, because we recognize what a weird and odd situation it can look for everyone involved. So we wanted to make sure they had a chance to ask their questions and also for the interim president to answer some misconceptions and really get his voice out there,” Pettijohn said.

She later added that, while Lamb is well-known on campus, the session was held to address any new concerns that students might have.

Keith Lamb Settles In To Interim Presi Dency

“We know that Dr. Lamb has been a fixture at MSU for many years, and that many students know him. We just wanted to make sure that, no matter what, we all had an opportunity to ask questions, get answers,” Pettijohn said.

Pettijohn also said she’s confident that Lamb is the right person for the position.

“I think I’m really interested to see if there’s going to be any changes during the spring semester, but I ultimately don’t think that there will be any significant ones for students. I think he’s going to lead the way he typically does, which has been successful at MSU for the past,” Pettijohn said.

Lamb has experience at the university but is new to his current position, a common theme among the university’s leadership right now. MSU has an interim president, interim provost and interim deans leading three of the seven colleges on campus.

Eric Queller, management senior and SGA’s vice president of internal affairs, said he believes the turnover in leadership is indicative of a larger trend in workplaces everywhere.

“As a student myself, I would be concerned seeing just kind of the high turnover. But I think we’re also just seeing it everywhere in the world. Just kind of, you look at other places and seeing that they’re moving around and you have a lot of just vacancies just in general in the world,” Queller said, adding, “But I’m confident in leadership, I’m confident in the people that help us.”

Citing a “tremendous sense of responsibility,” Lamb plans to make the most of that confidence. Lamb said after 22 years at MSU, he hopes to be viewed as someone willing to step up and deal with situations as they arise - the presidency being the biggest situation he’s dealt with so far. He recounted his time at MSU, and his hopes for the future.

“When my wife and I came here in 1999, the plan was never to be here 20-something years later. Knowing that higher education administration is kind of a nomadic lifestyle as I said earlier, we figured we’d be here three to five years and it’d be time to move on. We figured we were entering a life of moving every so often. But we fell in love with the people here, Wichita Falls, Midwestern. And I think you see that a lot here, there’s a lot of stability on this campus. A lot of people have been here for a number of years. So what do I want to be my legacy to be here after all that?” Lamb said.

He answered his own question after a moment’s reflection.

“I don’t know. No, I do. I want to be someone who can be looked at as reliable, but you know, even beyond reliable. Someone who answered the bell every time it was rung. Whether it’s the interim president, whether it was vice president for student affairs, whether it was vice president for enrollment management and student affairs and chief strategy officer, I think I want my legacy to be someone who could rise to the occasion each time,” Lamb said.