Texas Tech University - La Ventana Yearbook (Lubbock, TX)

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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

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student Life 8 Lawless 18 Homecoming 24 Moving On 30 Pizza students participate in the American Cancer Soci- ety ' s food fight against cancer at the Rec Center. The Sigma Nu-sponsored event stressed that people could help avoid cancer by eating the proper foods. (Photo by Rob Williams) student Life — 7

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J Lawless said he was disappointed to find that unallocated funds for Tech were practically non-existent compared with the University of Houston, Texas A M and the University of Texas, but he said that has become one of his top priorities. Unallocated funds are essential in mak- ing big differences in small areas, but they are just not available at Tech, he said. Although funding remains a problem for Tech to forge ahead. Lawless never loses sight of the positive. From 1983 to 1989, he said, Tech gained six presidential en- dowed scholarships totaling $25,000 each. In his five months as president, the number has more than doubled to 15. I feel pretty good about the fact that we ' ve achieved 1 V2 the amount of scholarships in five months as we did in six years, he said. Lawless said he hadn ' t had too many surprises since beginning his term, ex- cept that I underestimated the spirit and enthusiasm of Tech ' s student body, he said. I ' ve met some quite talented and irticulate people. From my exposure to ligher education, I believe these students President Robert Lawless talks to Development Vice President Colette Murray at a First Nation- al Bank reception, (Photo by Corby Roberts) are as good a group of young people as you ' ll find anywhere. As any good businessman would agree. Lawless said he feels students are the customers of a university and that the level of service to students should come first. I think being a student-oriented university to the maximum extent and delivering student services will bring Tech to be a better-quality university, he said. — The University Daily Dr. Robert Lawless gave up his position as vice president at Southwest Airlines to continue improvements at Texas Tech. (Photo by Rob Will- iams) President Robert Lawless — 9