Meet Gen. Welsh III

New interim president aims to improve communication

By Ana Renfroe @aeoenia

On July 30, Gen. Mark A. Welsh III was approved to be the interim president of Texas A&M by the System Board of Regents. Welsh was appointed as acting president on July 21 following the resignation of former President M. Katherine Banks.

Welsh served as dean of the Bush School of Government & Public Service from May 2016 until this July. With his new position, Welsh brings a wealth of military service and leadership experience. Prior to serving as dean, Welsh was a four-star general and the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff, serving on the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Welsh commanded the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and served as associate director of military affairs at the CIA.

Welsh graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1976. However, Welsh has deep roots within Aggieland, which started with his father, Mark A. Welsh II, Class of 1946. Since he was 6 years old, Welsh frequently visited campus to attend A&M events and traditions, becoming immersed in the campus culture.

“Texas A&M just always stood for something,” Welsh said. “When I was 6 years old,

I’m sure I didn’t quite comprehend the Core Values. [The Core Values] just stand for something that was strong, straightforward, patriotic [and] proud. Pride is a big thing.”

To him, A&M symbolizes patriotism, freedom, loyalty and honor.

“That’s what it meant to me when I was 6 years old,” Welsh said. “It still means those things to me now, and I’m way past 6.”

As a child, Welsh looked up to his father, an Air Force fighter pilot and an exceptional leader, who most importantly, was a proud Aggie who instilled his love of A&M into his children. Welsh has come to live his life by the Aggie Core Values, embracing the same pride of A&M. While in the military, Welsh interacted with many Aggies who all shared immense pride for the university.

“After a while, it’s hard to ignore that if there’s just this overarching feeling that something good is happening in College Station, Texas,” Welsh said. “That’s how I see A&M. It’s something really, really good.”

Welsh said part of the reason why A&M is distinguished from other universities is due to its student body, staff and faculty.

“[Students have] got the ability to come to a university that has a world-class faculty,” Welsh said. “They’ve got a staff that’s insanely loyal to the institution because they believe in it. They believe in you.”

Welsh said A&M’s faculty are hopeful and believe their students can make a change.

“You’re walking into a classroom with a world-class faculty who are going to give you an education that you’re not going to be anywhere else,” Welsh said. “You may have some places with a bigger name in a particular area, but you’re not going to get a better education than you’re going to get at [A&M].”

As president, Welsh wants to focus on creating meaningful communication across all levels of the institution. Welsh said his primary job right now is to listen.

Before the academic year begins, Welsh is completing a “listening tour,” meeting with dozens of student groups, staff organizations, professors and faculty to gather feedback.

“Leadership is a gift,” Welsh said. “It’s given by those who follow, and you have to work hard to be worthy of it.”

Welsh said the best thing about A&M is that the institution is always looking forward to improving and advancing. When problems in an institution occur, Welsh said the most important thing is to react properly.

“We made mistakes in the United States Air Force too,” Welsh said. “When we did, we acknowledged them, we figured out what to fix and we moved forward. That’s all you can do.”

Welsh said this approach to implementing problem-solving in large institutions like A&M heavily values communication.

“[Communication is] the key to a university being successful because we’ve got phenomenal-

WELSH ON PG. A5

“If we run across someone and that’s all they have in their possession, less than two ounces of marijuana, we’re going to confiscate it and then we’re gonna release them at that time,” Johnson said. “We’re going to present that to the county attorney. If they choose to accept charges and issue a warrant then we will come back, and we will make contact with that person and we will take them before the court.”

On Thursday, County Attorney Earl Gray said the new UPD policy would not change how his office prosecutes cases.

During the same meeting, Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives Greg Hartman requested a 15% budget increase for the 2024 fiscal year. Hartman said this money would be used to hire more officers, buy equipment and increase compensation “to help with recruitment and retention.”

Regent Micheal Plank said UPD officers should prioritize violent crimes. Regent Jay Graham said the College Station Police Department was targeting students.

“College Station PD has told me personally they kind of assume our students are guilty when they pull them over because they are students,” Graham said. “I was told by one of their sergeants that, ‘They’ve got drugs, they’ve got alcohol, they’re a student.’ And so they question and they push, and they try to get them to volunteer to let them look in their car.”

In a press release, College Station Police Chief Billy Couch said they will investigate the matter.

“We don’t see them as the university’s students but as community members,” the statement reads. “We are proud of our student body and enjoy the unique aspect they bring to the community. The men and women of the College Station Police Department work hard to build sustainable partnerships with all members of our community.”

The Battalion will return online on Sunday, Aug. 20, and in print on Wednesday, Aug. 30, following the first week of classes. Fall editions are published weekly, stands can be found at tx.ag/ battstands.