WNMU regents resign amid $1.9M buyout for president
SILVER CITY, N.M. — The Western New Mexico University Board of Regents is out amid a controversial $1.9 million payout they approved for the university’s outgoing president.
Only one regent – student regent and board treasurer Trent Jones – attended for the Board of Regents meeting Tuesday. A secretary for Joseph Shepard, WNMU’s outgoing president, said the other regents – President Mary Hotvedt, Lyndon Haviland, Dal Moellenberg and Daniel Lopez – resigned. The meeting lasted only three minutes, as a result.
Last week, Hotvedt told the WNMU Faculty Senate President about the board’s intentions to resign, complying with a letter that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sent to them.
The governor stated Tuesday she accepted the regents’ resignations. The governor’s office noted Haviland, Moellenberg and Lopez resigned while Hotvedt and Jones saw their terms expire Dec. 31 and weren’t going to be reappointed by the governor.
The governor will appoint their successors. Three of the five successors can take office immediately to fill the vacancies Haviland, Moellenberg and Lopez left behind. The others will need to be confirmed by the New Mexico Senate.
“My office is already reviewing candidates to replace the former WNMU board and usher in a new era of accountability at the university. All public universities in New Mexico must uphold their fundamental fiscal responsibility to the people of this state and the students they serve,” the governor stated.
The governor applauded Attorney General Raul Torrez’s actions on this case. She also expressed her eagerness to work with the New Mexico Legislature on reforming the structure of severance packages at public institutions in the state, as well as compensation at these institutions.
“While I acknowledge the competitive nature of recruiting top talent in higher education, this must be balanced against our obligation to New Mexico’s taxpayers and students,” the governor stated. “We must ensure that generous payouts no longer reward poor performance while maintaining our ability to attract qualified leaders.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham also stated the following Tuesday:
“The WNMU Board’s tone-deaf decision to approve a $1.9 million severance package for Dr. Shepard demonstrated an appalling disconnect from the needs of our state, where the median income of a family of four is just $61,000. The amount of money contained in Dr. Shepard’s separation agreement could have addressed food insecurity across the entire WNMU student body for a full year.
The Board’s assertion that they operate outside the purview of both the Governor’s office and the Department of Higher Education is incorrect and reflects a broader issue of accountability.”
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