Vice president for Student Affairs, Dr. Thomas D. Wallace, never intended to leave the University of Nebraska, Omaha (UNO) before coming to California State University, Bakersfield.
After retiring from the Mississippi system and accepting a job as the chief student affairs officer, Dr. Wallace believed that was where he would end his career.
“We liked Omaha with the exception of the brutal winters. The quality of life in Omaha was really nice,” said Dr. Wallace.
Then, one day, he received a phone call from Coach Barnes saying, ‘we have a position open for Vice president for Student Affairs, and we really need you here.’”
Dr. Wallace responded with, “‘Rod, thank you for thinking of me, but we’re where we want to be and need to be. And, so, I really have no desire to leave Omaha.’”
He had never heard of Bakersfield, other than that it was the home of Buck Owens.
He also didn’t know anyone in Bakersfield, except for two people, Coach Rod Barnes and his wife Bridgett. Dr. Wallace and Coach Barnes worked together previously at the University of Mississippi, but that was the extent of it.
“I guess Coach Barnes, being the coach and recruiter that he is, he didn’t accept that,” said Dr. Wallace of his initial response to that first call.
It wasn’t long after, he received a phone call from Mike Neal, who was the chair for the hiring committee, and indicated that he’d been nominated for the position.
Once again, he told Neal he was flattered but wasn’t interested in leaving Omaha. But, after enough convincing to send his application in, he did.
“We had been together at the University of Mississippi, and I know he was a huge part of the transformation of the student experience at the University of Mississippi,” said Barnes, men’s basketball coach.
Coach Barnes knew that Dr. Wallace loved and cared for the students. He talked with then-CSUB president, Dr. Horace Mitchell, about his goals and ideals for the candidate, as well as the university.
“Because of my experience with him, I knew the impact he could have, what he could bring to the university and to the community. More importantly, I felt like our students really needed someone who had his skillset. I just saw a great opportunity,” added Coach Barnes.
“I sent everything in, and I received a call from Mike Neal again, telling me that I was a finalist and that they wanted to do a phone interview,” said Dr. Wallace, and they did.