The graduating seniors have witnessed a heap of main events over their years at A&M such as the addition of new students after a devastating hurricane, an alteration in the football coaching staff and most importantly, the role-change in the president of Texas A&M University.
After Dr. Robert Gates left office on Aug. 16, 2006, to become the Secretary of Defense under President George Bush, Jr., the role of the university president was vacated for over a year during the long process of choosing his successor.
Finally, on Jan. 3, 2008, Dr. Elsa A. Murano officially stepped into the role as the 23rd president of A&M. Since she has been in office, she has set Vision 2020 as a goal that will unite all Aggies in their studies.
“I definitely think that President Murano has done an outstanding job with her position here at Texas A&M University. I feel that many of the new rules that she has implemented to the school have all benefited our school proactively,” said senior English major Albert Gonzalez. “Her laws have allowed for more students to participate in education to create a future for themselves.”
After being elected, Murano set a record in history as the first woman and first Hispanic-American to lead the oldest public institution of higher learning in Texas.
So far, Murano has dealt with several events that have challenged her lead role as a president. When Hurricane Ike hit in August 2008, Murano had to be prepared for the unexpected.
Sea Aggies from Texas A&M Galveston came in to finish out the semester after their campus was closed because of the storm. During the short period of time allotted, Murano and her staff were able to find students places to live, add them to classes they were enrolled in at Galveston and set up new locations for classes to be taught, such as Sbisa Dining Hall.
“She’s had some tough issues to deal with, such as Ike, VP of Student Affairs, first woman president, and she has dealt with these issues well… but I wish she would get back to the basics of what our University’s goal of Vision 2020 is instead of creating programs that our university has evolved past,” Justin Harsany said.
Though the issues Murano has been involved in, including the alleged “scandal” surrounding the hiring of Lt. Gen. Weber, have been challenging, they have all been in the first year of her presidency. Students say they have respect for her progression in office, and know that she will improve as the years continue.
“She’s done an amazing job dealing with being our first female minority president and continuing to move our University forward without forgetting where we’ve come from and the values we hold so dear,” said Casey Schaefer, junior marketing major and junior yell leader.