WITH SHEILA ORTEGO
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SFR: The last time I was in this office I was interviewing ousted Santa Fe Community College president Frank Vivelo. Is it weird for you sitting in here now?
SO:
This office is cavernous. I just think it's way too big. It's kind of embarrassing. And I've only been in it for a month. I suppose I'll get used to it. We do have a lot of meetings in here, so it's almost like a conference room. The whole scope of my employment at the college is overwhelming. I went to Human Resources the other day and pulled out my file, and it was pretty big. But it feels like home to me.
What was your first position at the school?
Twenty-three years ago-it was actually part-time English instructor. Some people report it as secretary because they think that's funnier, but I did start as a secretary shortly after that.
After being at this school for so long and serving in so many different capacities-instructor, secretary, administrator-why did you decide to go for the presidency now?
I've served for three different presidents in a row as assistant to the president and most recently as executive vice president, and I've worked closely with them. I learned from the good practices and the bad practices. And I've been consulting for other institutions, and I'm an evaluator for the accrediting body for other institutions. And I want to see this school be the best it can be. And I feel I have that expertise now. I wouldn't have wanted to be president anyplace else.
You were in the middle of the madness that characterized former president Frank Vivelo's tenure. What was it like from the inside?
It was very traumatic. We had good days and dark days and that was a very difficult time for us. The things you wrote about the school at the time were true. Morale was low and the finances weren't particularly good. And people were really desperate for a change.
What were the major differences between Vivelo and his successor, James McLaughlin?
Jim brought in a lot of financial expertise that some of the other presidents didn't have and really got us on stable footing in terms of finances. He was also personable, ethical, easy to work with. He is a hard driver, a very hard worker. He had a lot of energy and put in long hours. And he had very high expectations of people, but he was also humane in the way he dealt with people.
Now that the finances are back on track, what policies and programs do you see yourself focusing on?
One program we're really going to start focusing on is Allied Health. That's why we're seeking funding for a new building and also trying to expand the nursing program. It's a great need both locally and nationally. We're in a crisis with nursing shortages so we need to move forward with that. Occupational therapy, physical therapy, certified nursing assistants are all programs we're exploring the possibility of moving forward with too. Another new program involves [training for] EMTs and paramedics, and that also has been a pressing need. From the day we opened the doors, that particular class has been full, and we have a waiting list. And we need space to house that program, too, because the folks are being housed in a portable building right now. Also we'd like to expand on what we're so good at already. We're so good at the arts. We'd like to just really build on that success and continue to expand those programs.
Along the same lines, now that the school's finances are back on track, what do you see as the main challenges or potential problems SFCC faces?
Well, one of the things we're looking at is working with the group Quality New Mexico to establish some quality systems because our systems haven't kept up with our growth. So everything from refining our technology to paperless systems to functionality of systems-we're a complex organization now and, in some cases, we still have our very basic operating principles.
Obviously, SFCC is different than New Mexico Highlands University, but certainly that school has had its fair share of problems of late, especially coming from the president's office. Do you have any thoughts on that situation, specifically on former president Manny Aragon's attempts to increase the Hispanic profile of that institution?
I think it's really important that institutions in New Mexico reflect the diversity of the community, and that's something we're paying attention to also. You know, we live and work in a community and we need good role models for students. And we need to reflect and embrace that diversity. I don't know a lot about that particular issue, but I would just say that it is also of high value to me to have shared governance. It's an ongoing journey to try and make that work well. The buck stops with the president, but you also need to hear about people's concerns and be in touch with what their concerns are and how your decisions are coming across and whether or not your values are shared. The more you can involve people in that process and have them participate and have a shared vision, then the better the school works.
My boss and I and are always arguing over the pronunciation of your last name. Can you give me the history of your last name so she and I can stop fighting over this once and for all?
I'd be happy to tell you that! Joaquin Ortega came over from Spain in the 1700s and married a French woman and they had nine sons and they all married French woman. And the women weren't dominant in any other way except for the language. So linguistically, it's easier to say 'Ortego' in French than 'Ortega,' so the spelling was changed and the pronunciation was changed. And that was Cajun culture and that's my heritage. But it's also partly Spanish. And the name just doesn't fly well in Santa Fe. It's funny to people.
Do you ever have people try to correct your pronunciation of your own last name?
Always.
