Issue date: 9/8/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Philip Crowson Lt. Gen. Joseph Weber was selected Aug. 15 by the A&M System Board of Regents as the vice president of Student Affairs. [Click to enlarge]

Thirty-six years and three stars later, Lt. Gen. Joseph Weber has returned to Texas A&M to serve as the vice-president of Student Affairs.

While students moved into dorms, the General, as he likes to be called, settled into his office.

"I feel wonderful, magnificent," Weber said. "This is a tremendous opportunity and I just about dropped the phone and fell off my barstool when [Elsa A. Murano] offered me the job."

The General met his wife at Aggieland and their two children have graduated from A&M.

"I don't know who was more excited, me or them," Weber said.

A&M holds a special place in Weber's life.

"My priorities are my God, my family, my country and my school," Weber said. "There's something special here - it's called the spirit of Aggieland. If you haven't been here, you can't understand."

Weber said that while he served in the Marine Corps, he could always tell who was an Aggie because they were the ones who stood up and took the tough jobs.

"It's the training they received [in Aggieland] that prepared them so well," Weber said.

Weber has three essential pillars to development during a student's time: the mental or academic aspect, the physical, social aspect and the spiritual or inner-self peace.

Weber said he plans to improve the academic pillar by fusing students and faculty together. "We need to create not only professional relationships between them, but personal relationships as well."

The social pillar is centered around more than 800 student organizations at A&M.

"I want to be with the students and their programs. I am so interested and want to get involved with all of them," Weber said.

The final pillar may seem like it represents religion, but that is not the case. Weber called it the inner-self peace because it is different for every person. For some it may be religion, for others it could be anything.

"We need to fill and satisfy that inner void inside of the students here," Weber said. "We have enough organizations here for that to be accomplished for every Aggie."

Weber intends to take a very direct role in accomplishing these pillars, as he does not plan to be in his office very much.

"I am going to be where the students are," Weber said. "I want to ensure that we are doing the very best .

Joseph Weber
Born in Weimar, Texas
A&M class of 1972
36 years in Marine Corps
Master's from the University of Texas
Taught leadership and speech in the Navy

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