Date:
4/22/2004
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 505.562.2253
Reporter: Noelle Bartl
PORTALES—The annual Faculty Emeritus Luncheon is set for noon on Monday, May 3, in the Zia Room of the Campus Union Building at Eastern New Mexico University. The cost is $8 per person. Reservations should be made by Wednesday, April 28, by calling the Office of Development at 505.562.2412.
Emeritus faculty being honored are two former ENMU presidents, Dr. Robert Matheny and Dr. Everett Frost, former religion professor Dr. Glenn McCoy, and former theatre professor Dr. Pat Rucker.
Dr. Robert L. Matheny joined the ENMU faculty in 1972 as an Associate Professor of History. From there he went on to wear numerous hats at ENMU, including Associate
Professor of History, Dean and later Vice President for ENMU-Clovis, Vice President for Academic Affairs, ENMU President for six years, Professor of History, Director of Development, Retired Professor Emeritus of History in
1995, and Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Dr. Matheny is currently a Resource Faculty member for the Department of History.
Dr. Matheny received both his bachelor's in history/religion and master's in history from ENMU and later his Ph.D. in history from the University of Arizona-Tucson. He has been published numerous times as well as editing and reviewing others published works.
In recent years Dr. Matheny has served on the following boards: Roosevelt County Community Development Board, Norwest Bank, Friends of Eastern Foundation, United New Mexico Bank, Boy Scouts of America, Portales Rotary Club and the New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranch. His national-level service, state-level service and university service are exemplary and too numerous to list here.
Dr. Everett L. Frost joined the ENMU anthropology faculty in 1970. He received his bachelor's degree in anthropology from the University of Utah and a doctorate in anthropology from the University of Oregon.
Dr. Frost published a joint-authored textbook in cultural anthropology and papers in Pacific research. He served as Chair of the New Mexico Humanities Council, President of the San Juan County Museum Association, Executive Board Member and Research Chair of New Mexico First, New Mexico Commissioner to the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, Chair of WICHE, and Chair of the North Central Association Accrediting Commission Committee on Restructuring Accreditation Expectations for Institutional Diversity Programs.
Dr. Frost was appointed ENMU President in 1991 until his retirement in 2001.
He is most proud of ENMU's recognition by the Pew Charitable Trust as one of twelve universities nationwide with great excellence in undergraduate education.
Dr. Glenn McCoy was a professor of religion at ENMU for 27 years. He came to Eastern from New Mexico Highlands University.
From 1971-1998 Dr. McCoy also served as Director of the Baptist Student Center and was Chair of the Department of Religion from 1983-1997. He has written dozens of articles for religious publications as well as several book-length studies.
While at ENMU, he served on the Graduate Studies Committee, Admissions and Standards Committee, the Athletic Committee, the Discipline Committee and the Library Committee. Dr. McCoy was also on the Council of Library Arts and Sciences for 15 years. He served as Faculty Advisor for the Student Senate and Alpha Phi Omega.
Since retiring from the Department of Religion in 1998, Dr. McCoy continued to teach Philosophy for five years, served as President of COPE for four years, and is a member of Meals on Wheels Board of Directors.
Dr. Patrick Rucker taught for 25 years at ENMU until his retirement in 2001. In all his years at ENMU, he was a tenured professor, served as Acting Dean for two terms, and served as Chairman of Theatre and Dance for nineteen years.
Dr. Rucker's teaching specialty was Theory and Performance. He received his BFA in Drama Education from UT-Austin, his MFA in Acting/Directing from the University of Oklahoma and then earned his Ph.D. from Texas Tech in 1982.
He acted in or directed a career total of between 150-200 productions on the educational and professional level. His honors include an ENMU Presidential Award for Excellence in Public Service, a Senate Award, Advisor of the Year, a University Spirit of Eastern Award, and New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts.
Dr. Rucker has also been very involved in community organizations including serving as Past-President of Theatre New Mexico, Roosevelt Chamber of Commerce, Portales Noonday Kiwanis Club, American Heart
Association-Roosevelt County Affiliate and High Plains Arts Council.
