The faculty, staff and students of Estrella Mountain welcomed a new, interim president in March, Augustine Gallego, with an extensive career in the field of education, including serving as the Chancellor of the San Diego Community College District for 14 years. Originally a native of Tucson, Mr. Gallego returns to Arizona to lead the college through the crucial months ahead, bringing significant experience, leadership and wisdom as the campus begins its next phase of growth. Mr. Gallego now answers a few more questions about his time here at the college, and also a little bit more about himself.

What was your first impression of the campus? When I first stepped on to campus, I was attracted by the grounds and impressed at how well the campus was planned and laid out. The buildings are so well maintained. It is obvious that the physical plant staff takes great pride in their work, and the campus community takes great pride in their campus and takes good care of it as well. But what equally impressed me was the moment I arrived, a campus safety officer immediately wanted to help me, give me directions, and was so courteous. As I walked around, I observed that everyone with whom I spoke or ran into was very helpful and courteous; it was a very positive first impression and a great campus experience.
What interested you in the interim presidency, considering you were enjoying your retirement? Yes, I was retired, but not from life, or from the professional interests I have. I still serve on several foundation boards, am a trustee at the University of San Diego, I am working on the national community college initiative Achieving the Dream based at UT Austin and I chair the College Board’s Commission on Community Colleges. I still stay engaged in the interests that I have. When first approached to take this role, I was reluctant at first only because of the schedule and my commitments, but the Chancellor and I agreed to work around those prior commitments. I chose to accept the role because I was asked by a colleague I know and respect, and it was a chance to come to a district with a good reputation for education and innovation, and that responds well to the communities it serves. I’ve had opportunities over the years to interact with many members of this district, from chancellor, to presidents and faculty.
What challenges does this position present to you that make it unique from any other of your career? Every institution with which I’ve been involved has always presented unique challenges. Some of those throughout my career have included dealing with resources, or inabilities to implement programs due to declining funding, or a teaching staff that does not reflect the diverse community it serves, or a lack of effective institutional research. From my short time here, I see that EMCC is in a great position in terms of those types of challenges. The challenges I foresee relate to the need for some comprehensive, strategic planning in relation to the campus build out, enrollment projections, and continuing assessments to gauge the effectiveness of the college and to ensure that students have the skills they need not only to transfer on, but to perform in their jobs—a responsibility we have to the community we serve. As an interim, it is always a challenge to identify areas where improvement needs to occur, and to decide how aggressively to pursue or not to pursue changes, especially if those areas are of a special interest. An interim president has a responsibility to promote change and look for ways to improve, as well as to provide recommendations to the successor. Serving as an interim is not a maintenance of effort, but a role that requires support and planning to ensure the success of the institution.
What do you want your legacy to be when your time here is complete? I don’t want to leave a legacy or an imprint. I just want to do the best I can to pave the way for the new president. My role is to ensure that we sustain progressive movement, and help to put in place an aggressive plan for EMCC bond measure projects, to address some questions raised regarding enrollment management, Proposition 300, and to address any others that occur under my watch. My own personal work ethic is to continually move forward and not be comfortable with just maintenance of effort.
What is your favorite book? There are so many I enjoy, but I’d have to say The Perfect Storm and House of Sand and Fog, The Greatest Generation, Undaunted Courage among others. The Perfect Storm, not just the content and story, but the significance and symbolism, of creating and identifying analogies between what we are doing, what can go wrong, the anticipation of major problems through thoughtful planning—and yet nothing is guaranteed.
What is your favorite film? That’s an easy one. My favorite film is The Man With A Golden Arm, and not because I like Frank Sinatra; I do not like him that well, but the story was very real to me. And I enjoyed the music.
What movie, CD, or television show are you secretly embarrassed that you love? It would be a television show—namely, Antiques Roadshow! I can be a cynic, and those people do it for me! The drama! The build-up! And then the owner fakes surprise—or expects a hell of a lot more. I usually find myself talking to the TV a lot during that show.
What is something most people wouldn’t know about you? Well I started out my career as a firefighter for the City of Tucson. That beginning is an important part of the way I see things the way I do. It supported me as an undergrad, and I loved my job, both as a firefighter and an EMT. It was a really important part of my life. But also—I love to cook. I proclaim myself an excellent chef. I even had the chance to cook with internationally known chef, Ricardo Munoz, of Mexico City. I’m always cooking something, and usually asking my unique mother for the secret ingredients of meals I loved as a child, but she certainly hasn’t been all that forthcoming with me.