Alumni Award Recipients

Randy Boeglin
Lobo Award, 2010

On a university campus where students focus on grades and credits and tests and assignments . . . on tuition and jobs and bills and sometimes childcare . . . Randy Boeglin focused on their well-being.

Thank goodness.

For four decades as assistant dean, associate dean and finally dean of students, Randy propounded the belief that a university is about more than classes and graduation rates. It is about the healthy development of students within a campus environment.

A university is “a mosaic with students at the center,” Randy says. “Our shared values are the cement that holds it together.”

Randy modeled his values of what makes a good life – honesty, trust, decency, respect, cooperation. Through the years he has helped countless students make their transition from student to adult.

All of the job titles Randy has had through the years – mainly at UNM but also at schools in Colorado and Maryland – have contained the word “students.” We think his actual title shouldn’t have been Dean of Students. It should have been Champion of Students.

Randy received his bachelor’s degree from UNM in 1966, and his master’s degree in 1968. For students, the times were ripe for changes on campus. The university was no longer charged with the role of parent to its students. Protests against the Viet Nam War took place. The voting age was lowered to 18.

In a two-year stint as assistant dean of students at UNM in the early 70s, Randy oversaw the transition of UNM residence halls to coed.

Randy oversaw other transitions as well. Years ago the role of students was carved out of life, he said. Today, the role of students is carved into life.

Randy served 22 years as associate dean of students at UNM before becoming dean in 1997. Over the years, he was responsible for the residence life office, the student activities office, student judicial affairs and codes of conduct, fraternities and sororities, new student orientation, and much more. Always, he applied and furthered the wisdom of student development theory.

In 2002, Randy led the adoption of the campus policy on freedom of expression and dissent. Its first lines read:

As an institution that exists for the express purposes of education, research, and public service, the University is dependent upon the unfettered flow of ideas, not only in the classroom and the laboratory, but also in all University activities . . .

It was a major policy challenge for the campus to reach consensus on, and was an accomplishment for the ages.

Randy’s example of earnest integrity makes all of his friends and colleagues stretch to be their best. His vocabulary, too, makes all of them stretch to understand. One colleague said: “Sometimes he uses words so big that we don’t know if he makes them up or not!”

Randy retired this spring, with countless UNM students the beneficiary of his efforts. We all thank you, Randy, from the bottom of our myogenic cardio muscles.