Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook

“LAWLESS MAKES MOST OF FIRST YEAR As he begins his first year at Tech, President finds enthusiastic students. By LeAnna Efird Since he began his job in July, Texas Tech President Robert Lawless said, his time at Tech has been " exciting, rewarding, exhilarating and . . exhaust- ing. " Considering that by the end of October he had given more than 100 speeches and attended an event almost every night since he began, Tech ' s new president certainly hit the ground running. " At my old job at Southwest Airlines, we used to attend about eight functions a year, " Lawless said. " Since I ' ve been at Tech, I would think something was wrong if I didn ' t attend eight functions a week. But they ' ve all certainly been worthwhile and valuable. " Although all the hustle and bustle does tend to take its toll on the president, he remained positive. " On good days, I think, ' This is really great, ' " he said. " But on bad days I just say, ' Someday I ' ll look back and this will all be worth it. ' " Although Lawless has worked in higher education before, he made a big career Dr. Robert Lawless, with his wife Marcy sitting behind him, speaks at the opening of the Tech Substance Abuse Center at the beginning of the fall semester, (Photo by Allen Rose) change from his second-in-command po- sition at Southwest Airlines to accept Tech ' s presidential position. With his wife Marcy, he moved to the rolling plains of Lubbock and took a 50 percent cut in pay to become president of Texas Tech. " I didn ' t come here to get rich or fa- mous or to use Tech as a stepping stone to move to a more prestigious university, " Lawless said. " I came to Tech because I wanted to provide leadership for a campus that had really moved forward and in five or 10 years was different in all aspects of quali- ty and achievement. " 8 — President Robert Lawless Designed by Melissa King ”