Dr. Mónica Torres named NMSU interim president. Search begins for new president.

Jason Groves, Las Cruces Sun-News
·4 min read

New Mexico State University hopes to have its next president in place by January 2025.

The NMSU Board of Regents on March 28 selected a search committee to launch a second search for a new permanent leader after former Chancellor Dan Arvizu stepped down in April 2023.

The Board also named Dr. Mónica Torres interim president, replacing Jay Gogue who stepped into that role in April 2023. Gogue's last day in the role is May 10.

Board Chair Ammu Devasthali said the search for a new president would start in April with campus visits to begin in August.

"I am appreciative of you willing to step into this role at this time," Devasthali told Torres.

More: 'Finding the right leader is paramount.' NMSU Regents to start another president search

Torres to replace Gogue in May

The Board went into closed session for nearly an hour before returning to open session to unanimously approve the selection of Torres.

Torres is currently the Chancellor of NMSU System of Community Colleges. She has been the president of Doña Ana Community College since 2019. Her role was expanded in July 2023 to include oversight of all of NMSU’s community colleges. Torres has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in English from NMSU. She earned a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico in American studies with an emphasis in cultural studies.

Mónica Torres
Mónica Torres

A contract for Torres was not immediately available, but her initial agreement will be for six months or until a permanent president is in place.

"I appreciate the opportunity," Torres said during the meeting. "I have a long history with the New Mexico State University system. I have a deep commitment to the land grant mission.

"I love that we cover the state of New Mexico and offer services and instruction across the state to New Mexicans. I can't tell you how happy I am to enter into this position. We have work to do."

Gogue took over as interim president in April 2023 after Arvizu stepped down amid Regents not renewing his five-year contract. According to the original agreement, Gogue was expected to serve a six-month commitment at a monthly base salary of $25,000 paid out semi-monthly.

Gogue's contract was amended September 2023 to be approved monthly until a permanent president was chosen this spring.

Selection committee to begin new search in April

Regents voted on March 11 to to start another search for president after determining not to select one of the five finalists the previous eight month search identified.

"Our goal, as before, is to find the right leader for New Mexico State University at this critical time," Devasthali said. "We plan to move quickly considering a lot of the groundwork has already been completed."

Devasthali named the members of the 12-person search committee, including herself as the committee chair.

The members of the search committee are:

  • Citlalli Benitez - ASNMSU President

  • Jon Boren - Associate Dean/Director Cooperative Extension Service

  • Vimal Chaitanya - Faculty Senate Chair elect

  • Marlene Chavez-Toivanen - Vice President for Academic Affairs at NMSU Grants

  • Margaret Hardin - NMSU Foundation board of directors (Community Member)

  • Scott Hutchinson - Senior Manager, Electrical Sciences, Sandia Campus Executive for New Mexico State University (Community Member)

  • Donna Johnson - Employee Council ChairEnrico Pontelli - Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

  • Suzanne Quillen - Vice President of HealthCare Innovation at Ernest Health (Community Member)

  • Rex Wilson - Southern Region Director Presbyterian Medical Services (Community Member)

  • Terra Winter - President and Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (Community Member)

NMSU appoints interim provost

Gogue announced this week that the university's College of Engineering Dean Lakshmi Reddi, will serve as interim provost and chief academic officer until a new president is selected.

The university provost oversees deans and academic operations.

Reddi will replace Alan Shoho, who announced his retirement in a University communication earlier this week. Shoho came to NMSU after a national search in 2023 from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where he was the dean and professor emeritus of the School of Education.

His last day at NMSU was March 22.

"I was looking forward to welcoming a new President on board," Shoho wrote in an email to campus announcing his retirement. "Alas, this was not meant to be, at least not just yet. When the new President is selected, they will be able to hire their own Provost. And while it has been a tremendous honor to serve as your Provost and Chief Academic Officer, I felt this was the right time for me to begin the next chapter in my life."

Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X @jpgroves.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Torres named interim NMSU president. Regents launch new search.