In retirement, he served as the interim president of his alma mater, New Mexico Highlands University (2006-2007),[1] and two terms as the interim president of New Mexico State University (2009, 2012-2013[2]).
[3] Before becoming president at Laredo State University, he was associate dean of the College of Education at The University of Texas at El Paso from 1982 to 1986 and executive director of the Bilingual Education Center at Texas A&I University, now known as Texas A&M University–Kingsville.
Pacheco stated his desire to only include categories protected by law (at the time, sexual orientation was not).
[5] In October 2003, after Pacheco's retirement, the system added sexual orientation to the clause, making it one of the last in the former "Big 12" to do so.
[6] In 1991, Pacheco was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.