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#1 Above ALL ELSE - He is a FUNDRAISER -- he is responsible for a record-breaking $537 million fundraising campaign at UNLV, the largest campaign in the history of Nevada’s higher education system. He knows what it takes to get the donors to empty out their pocketbooks. - He understands the importance of athletics from both sides of the fence. UNLV has a HUGE basketball program and tradition. He also spent 20 years at UTA around AFTER they dropped football and knows what a terrible impact that made on the morale of the campus and it's affect on student and community support. - He's been involved in leadership positions in the Mountain West conference so he will be prepared to take on similar roles in C-USA. We all know that Rawlins prior ties to C-USA through Memphis didn't hurt us when it came to C-USA expansion and nut cutting time. - Experienced. He's been a college president at a large research college. He's excelled in academia and research which will be respected by the UNT faculty as well as the State of Texas and our region. - He knows this area, this region having spent 20+ years in Arlington. He will not be a stranger to Texas politics and the landscape in which we operate. - He seems very personable and engaging in the videos I have watched. He is a good speaker and has a good sense of humor. He seems to be a consensus builder. - He's not young but he's not old -- he could potentially make a long consistent run in this position which would be very good. Would provide us with a better sense of direction and stability. These are just my initial thoughts. I am very pleased. I think this is a GREAT hire and I welcome him and his family to UNT! GO MEAN GREEN!

About Neal Smatresk Dr. Neal J. Smatresk was appointed president of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on Aug. 6, 2009. Under his direction, UNLV has hit a number of milestones and academic achievements, positioning the university as a leader in the dynamic Intermountain West. Smatresk helped wrap up a record-breaking $537 million fundraising campaign, the largest campaign in the history of Nevada’s higher education system. His efforts, in particular, led to a $12.6 million donation from the Engelstad Family Foundation to support what is now the largest active scholarship program in the university's 52-year history. He also secured a donation from the Lincy Foundation to establish The Lincy Institute, and he forged a partnership with the highly respected Brookings Institution to establish its first foray west of the Mississippi: UNLV’s Brookings Mountain West. Together, Brookings Mountain West and The Lincy Institute provide UNLV with a comprehensive platform for addressing education, health care, social systems, and public policy. Smatresk emphasizes UNLV’s role in improving educational access and success for diverse students, garnering the research and innovation needed to diversify Southern Nevada’s economic base, and supplying critically needed services for this dynamic region. UNLV’s Solar and Renewable Energy Initiative, which includes the state’s first academic minor in solar and renewable energy, serves as a testament to his vision. Smatresk’s career at UNLV began in 2007, when he was named executive vice president and provost after a national search. He was responsible for leadership and administration of all academic and research programs, spanning 15 colleges and two professional schools. A biology major, Smatresk graduated from Gettysburg College in 1973 and received a master’s degree in biology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He received his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1980. Following post-doctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, he joined the University of Texas, Arlington (UTA) department of biology in 1982. In his 22 years at UTA, he served as chair of biology and later dean of science, until his appointment as the chief academic officer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2004. Under his tenure there, Manoa entered the ranks of the top 25 federally funded institutions, gained three National Academy of Science members, and received recognition from the Chinese Ministry of Education as a Confucius Institute, an honor shared by only 11 other U.S. institutions. In addition to his teaching and administrative roles, Smatresk has devoted considerable effort to kindergarten to doctorate (K-20) science outreach programs and teacher professional development. He has participated in a number of consortia focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career development. Smatresk has received a number of teaching awards, and his research in cardiorespiratory physiology has resulted in more than 50 papers and book chapters, and grants from the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health. His undergraduate alma mater, Gettysburg College, awarded him a Distinguished Alumni of the Year Award in 2011. Read more: http://www.unlv.edu/president/about This post has been promoted to an article