Mark Welsh picked to lead Texas A&M University as president. How we got here.

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has named Mark A. Welsh III the flagship university's 27th president.

The regents unanimously voted Tuesday to approve Welsh, a retired U.S. Air Force general, as Texas A&M's president. Welsh had been serving as the interim president since July, after President M. Katherine Banks resigned amid backlash from the controversial botched hiring of University of Texas professor Kathleen McElroy.

Texas A&M initially offered McElroy a position with the possibility of tenure to revive the university's journalism program but backtracked the offer to a one-year post with no tenure after the announcement sparked backlash from conservatives and complaints from university regents. McElroy, who is Black and has published research on newsrooms' diversity, equity and inclusion, told The Texas Tribune that she was told she was caught up in the "DEI hysteria."

During the regular legislative session, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 17, which bans DEI offices in public universities. Texas A&M and McElroy reached a $1 million settlement in August over the botched hiring.

Before taking his interim position as the school's top administrator, Welsh had served as dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service. He also spent 40 years in the U.S. Air Force, including as the 20th chief of staff. Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp named Welsh a finalist Nov. 17, praising him as "an experienced leader in our midst who supports our Aggie core values."

Welsh is coming into the position at a time when colleges in Texas are working to meet the state's workforce needs and research aspirations. Texas A&M is also navigating recruitment challenges stemming from the McElroy hiring scandal and implementing new rules to meet the state's deadline for Senate Bill 17, a state law set to go into effect Jan. 1 that outlaws diversity, equity and inclusion offices.

Welsh said Wednesday that he will start his term by continuing to focus on Texas A&M's research identity, academic direction and students, including launching a student experience survey.

"The heart of A&M has always been the experience the students have while they're here across the entire spectrum of activities in Aggieland, and we don't want them leaving here with frustrations instead of great memories," he said. "Before that starts to be a problem we're going to try and get ahead of it."

Welsh also confirmed that some departments have expressed concern about being unable to attract the same number of job candidates as they did before McElroy's hiring was botched, but it isn't universal across all departments. He said he believes Texas A&M is a wonderful place and would tell anyone that.

"If we have a job that's open at the university where I'm involved in the search, what I'm going to tell people is A&M is the same great place it was before last summer," he said. "I would also tell anybody who really wants to learn about A&M, come here and take a look for yourself and don't believe what you might hear from somebody who's telling you about the place. Come make up your own mind."

Welsh also said they will study the effects of the "pretty rapid growth" in the student population. U.S. News reported that Texas A&M's fall 2022 enrollment was more than 74,000 students. He expects the study will last from January to May or June and will aim to stabilize the student population through then.

"After we've done that, we'll then go about right-sizing A&M for about an 80,000-student university," he said. "Make sure we have the right kind of facilities, make sure we have the right numbers of faculty and the right size staff, we're providing the right kind of services so that our students have a wonderful experience. And then at that point, we can take a look at 'OK, can we get bigger?’ ”

When it comes to being a college leader at a time when college presidents are under scrutiny for how they handle the Israel-Hamas war's effect on campuses, and Gov. Greg Abbott's call for college leaders to denounce antisemitism at their institutions, Welsh said he feels "privileged" to guide his campus through these challenges.

"I feel a responsibility to do everything in my power to not just take care of but to promote, develop and benefit everybody here — faculty, staff or students," Welsh said, adding that he is "very, very proud" of the way both Jewish and Palestinian students on campus have reacted, peacefully demonstrated and respected different opinions on campus.

He also said Texas A&M will fully comply with SB 17, and that he agrees with and respects the anti-DEI law. He said he does not believe it will affect inclusion on campus.

"When you step on our campus as a member of the faculty, the staff or the student body, you become a member of this family," Welsh said. "And you should always be treated with respect."

Welsh also served as commander of the United States Air Force Academy and the associate director of military affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency, according to Texas A&M. He joined the university in 2016 as the Bush government school's dean.

His starting salary as president will be $1.1 million, according to media reports.

Welsh said his whole family is made up of Aggies and that Texas A&M is a "remarkable place."

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Higher education: Mark Welsh tapped as Texas A&M's president