Pacific's new president is meeting community, learning area

Pam Eibeck has been in the top position at the University of the Pacific for just over a month now.

She was named the new president earlier this year and replaces former President Donald V. DeRosa, who retired June 30 after 14 years in the position. Eibeck is the first woman to serve as the president of the university.

She came to the private Stockton university from Texas Tech University, where she was the dean of the College of Engineering and a professor of mechanical engineering.

Eibeck, who has a wide variety of education experience, has already visited Lodi's Wine and Roses and sampled Woodbridge wine. While reading "The History of the Sierra Nevada" in her spare time, she is learning about her new campus at Pacific, where her office's floor-to-ceiling windows overlook perfectly manicured grounds full of oak trees and brick buildings reminiscent of an East Coast college setting.

While sitting in her comfortable office atop a golden-colored swivel chair, Eibeck recently discussed her first month on the job with education reporter Jennifer Bonnett.

Q: How's the job going?

A: Wonderfully. I'm enjoying it immensely. I've started out my presidency with a listening campaign that will probably go through the entire academic year. I'm working with a transition team to get to know the administrators, the community.

My first priority is getting to know the regents. I've been meeting with them one-on-one.

Q: What has been the biggest challenge in the last month?

A: As a new person in an organization, (it's) learning the key people to get to know. I have a wonderful team who has helped in my transition.

Q: Did you accomplish what you set out to do in those first weeks in the position?

Pamela Eibeck at a glance

Age: 52.
Family: Her husband was a law professor in Texas and is a California native whose family roots run deep in Salinas. They have four children, including two sons who live in the Bay Area, a daughter who is attending the University of Southern California and a son who will be attending Santa Clara University as a freshman in the fall.
Education: Bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.
Hometown: Born in Connecticut, but lived in New Jersey and New York before moving to California to attend college.

A: Absolutely. I've had many, many wonderful invitations to present to groups ... I had to prioritize which came first.

I've also met with the deans of the colleges and schools, and am planning half-day visits with each when we're back in school. Q: You are the first female to hold the position of president. Do you feel you have anything to live up to carrying that prestigious title?

A: I feel I'm a president who happens to be a woman. I have a leadership style that is probably more reflective of my generation than my gender. Now that I'm joining a group (of college and university presidents) who are 25 percent females, it feels very comfortable.

Q: Do you believe in the glass ceiling theory?

A: I don't know if I have been part lucky or blessed in my career, but I've (personally) been unaware of a glass ceiling. I see challenges facing everybody in a job, moving forward.

There are certainly professions where there aren't a lot of women. That's a fact. I truly haven't sorted out whether it's (because of) a bias against women, or career paths that aren't attractive to women.

Q: I understand your last job was in Texas. What is the biggest difference between here and the Lone Star state?

A: We're closer to the ocean. (Laughs.)

For me, it's wonderful to be back in California because it feels like home. I lived here for 20 years, and my husband's family is here.

Both states have a spirit of opportunity where people feel their dreams can be achieved, no matter what they are.

Q: How are you enjoying Northern California?

A: We have a weekend planned in Murphys, and got to Napa. I've also gotten to San Francisco and Sacramento, but we have campuses in both places.

Q: You have a lot of experience at a variety of universities. Which job do you feel best prepared you for Pacific? Why?

A: Two jobs, actually.

My job for provost for undergraduate studies (at Northern Arizona University) gave me an understanding of the value of a liberal arts degree. They provide a breadth of knowledge for a student to grow.

My position as dean of engineering (at Texas Tech) prepared me for the leadership role. As the dean of 4,000 students, we did a tremendous amount of fundraising and working with the community.

Q: What do you bring to Pacific?

A: A deep respect and affection for the people of Pacific, and optimism and energy for its future. Also, a strong track record of accomplishments that will take Pacific to the next level.

Q: What skill set do you believe a president will need over the next five years?

A: Being a strong communicator (and) listening carefully. We will inevitably have decisions that need to be made and I will need to hear from others. I don't have all the answers.

Q: I read somewhere that you plan to increase application rates. How will you do this, given the current state of the economy?

A: We are primarily a tuition-driven university. We need to approach that in two ways: make sure we are attracting students to offer attractive majors, and, secondly, we need to build our endowment (so) that money is there in perpetuity.

Pacific was very successful with the applicant rate this year; we tripled it, so we should have strong enrollments this fall. A lot of that increase came from getting word out about the University of Pacific.

We recognize that right now it's an economically challenging time. We believe there will come a time when people want to once again support the groups they believe in.

Q: What characteristic would you like to see a freshman have developed when he or she graduates as a senior from any campus?

A: We want students to develop the knowledge and skills essential to their success as adults. For many people, that's career preparations. For some, that's however they want to spend the rest of their life.

We want to develop them as people ... develop a set of ethics that are their own and leadership skills they will need. Volunteering and giving back to the community (is also important) to better the people around them.

These are really behind Pacific's goals to educate the whole person, so that's approached both through the classroom and extracurricular activities.

Q: What book have you read that most shaped your life?

A: I'm hesitant to say this, but "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand.

The part I found very profound in the book was the hard work in making a difference. There are some premises in the book I don't agree with ... but, politics aside, it reflects my view of higher education. It gives that chance in creating a well-rounded person.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

Reader Feedback

sooziesdad wrote on Aug 11, 2009 2:17 PM:

" Looks like Pacific made a great choice! "

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wtf wrote on Aug 10, 2009 8:29 AM:

" Pam shouldn't have hesitated a bit. It seems that "Atlas Shrugged" has influenced a lot of people.

"According to a 1991 survey by the Library of Congress and the Book of the Month Club, Atlas Shrugged was second to the Bible as the book that made most difference in American readers' lives. The book sold over 200,000 copies in 2008 and is selling at an even faster rate in 2009." "

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