New ENMU chancellor says he'll focus on growing campuses

PORTALES – James Johnston, Eastern New Mexico University's new chancellor/president, said growing the Portales, Roswell and Ruidoso campus' student population requires his immediate attention when he assumes the office Jan. 3.

"It's the same answer as anywhere in the country," Johnston said.

Johnston, 57, was announced Tuesday as the finalist chosen by ENMU's Board of Regents to be the university's 12th president and third chancellor.

Johnston is coming to ENMU after serving as interim president at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

At Midwestern State Johnston had a task force working on increasing enrollment.

"We had to respond to growing enrollment immediately," Johnston said. "It was campus wide, it was important to have everyone in the community involved."

Targeted recruiting was a tool that Johnston said was useful.

"We looked at how we were recruiting and where we were recruiting," Johnston said. "Some programs needed a more targeted audience; the right high school, the right area or subject within the high school. Recruiting at the right event.

Matching the subject or the program with the audience."

One tool Johnston said works really well is targeted recruiting videos; videos personalized directly to student applicants.

"I recorded about 400 recruiting videos in the past year, sending them to prospective students," Johnston said. "Students were greeting me on campus as if we had met before. I didn't recognize them but they recognized me from their recruiting video."

Johnston said he does not believe declining campus numbers in favor of on-line learning is a trend.

"I've seen research in both directions in terms of on-campus residency declining," Johnston said. "By far, there's a large number that still want in-person instruction. By far, students still want that in-person experience."

Johnston said the in-person instructional experience is desired even though today's students are highly tech-savvy.

"As much as a digital native today's students are they still need that in-person instruction," Johnston said. "We tailor that to meet their needs year after year."

Johnston said he knows there are those in the Portales business community who are watching the university's on-campus population and are concerned about it in relation to the economic health of the town.

"I hear and understand them and look forward to working with them, partnering with them to bring students back into the community," Johnston said.

According to John Houser of the university's marketing and communications department, this fall's enrollment was 5,106 students. Of those enrolled, 53.6% are taking online courses.

ENMU'S largest enrollment happened in 2017 with 6,027 students. Of those 36.2% were taking online courses, Houser said.

When Johnston was in Portales the first week of November with the other four finalists for Eastern's top job, he, along with the other candidates, took trips to ENMU-Roswell and ENMU-Ruidoso.

"I was really impressed with what they had, what they're doing, where they're going, and what we can do together," Johnston said. "I also really liked the support of the communities there. There was pride in the campus and pride in the Eastern system as a whole."

ENMU's chancellor oversees all three campuses while also acting as president of the Portales campus.

Johnston's new job in Portales marks a return to the region for him.

He was born in Slaton, Texas., southeast of Lubbock, where his family worked a cotton farm.

"I never minded the work at all," Johnston said. "I still drive a tractor."

Johnston's educational background is in radiologic sciences.

"There's a creative part of me and an analytical part," Johnston said. "It was really my history teacher who was also basketball coach who encouraged me to go to college."

Johnston and his wife Stephanie, from Las Cruces, have four grown children and 10 grandchildren who all live about three hours in any direction from Portales.

The Johnstons have a five-acre horse property where they have Arabian and half-Arabian horses.

"We love to ride and compete when we can; we show them," Johnston said. "They're very much like pets."

In a news release issued by the university after Johnston's appointment, Board of Regents President Lance Pyle gave insight concerning the choice of Johnston and said he is looking forward to "advances under his leadership."

"Dr. James Johnston ... has the experience, energy, and creativity to move ENMU forward and expand our programs and services to our students and future students," Pyle said in the news release.

Regent Phillip Bustos of Albuquerque led the search committee in determining the five finalists for the job out of 96 applicants.

Bustos said the board was in agreement Johnston was the choice.

"The regents took all the data we gathered, we discussed it and we came to a consensus on Dr. Johnston," Bustos said.

Outgoing ENMU Chancellor/President Patrice Caldwell said Johnston brings a wealth of energy and expertise to ENMU.

"He and his wife Stephanie will be great assets to Eastern and to our community. I look forward to all he will accomplish," Caldwell said.