NMSU regents decline to select new president from pool of finalists

Margaret O'Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican
·2 min read

Mar. 11—The New Mexico State University Board of Regents has made a decision on the final candidates in its months-long presidential search: None of the above.

The school convened a committee in July to conduct a search for a new leader and announced five finalists for the role in February — the latest step in a process that has stretched on for more than a year — but regents voted unanimously Monday to begin the search anew.

The board also will seek an interim president to serve until someone is hired for the permanent position.

"After careful consideration, I do not believe that any of the current finalists fully meet the needs of New Mexico State University at this critical juncture," board Chairwoman Ammu Devasthali said at Monday's meeting.

NMSU's next president will take over the role — which includes overseeing all four campuses as well as research and science centers across the state — from former Chancellor Dan Arvizu, whose contract was not renewed in 2023.

The university's search for its next president has been ongoing ever since, with former NMSU President Jay Gogue serving as interim president since April 2023.

The inability to hire Arvizu's longterm successor is the latest in a series of controversies at New Mexico State, including a hazing scandal within its men's basketball program last year that prompted an $8 million settlement with two former players and months of bad national press.

Throughout the search process, the university surveyed stakeholders and developed a presidential leadership profile describing the ideal candidate. NMSU's next president should be a "visible and engaged leader," the profile states, who can maintain the university's student-focused culture while fostering relationships with state and tribal governments, business executives, donors and community leaders.

The next president should also have a strong track record of building inclusive campuses, the profile adds, since NMSU is classified by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving and Minority Serving Institution.

"The president should have the skills — and, preferably, experience — to manage a culturally diverse, and complex academic and research institution," the profile states.

In a Feb. 2 meeting, the board announced five finalists for university's next president, a list that included top university officials from Utah, Texas, New Hampshire, Illinois and Maine — two of whom were former Aggies

The finalists visited NMSU's Las Cruces campus for candidate forums between Feb. 26 and March 1.

However, it seems the regents did not find the attributes they were looking for among the finalists.

"Finding the right leader is paramount," Devasthali said during the board of regents meeting Monday. "While the presented candidates possess impressive qualifications and are assets to their respective institutions, we have yet to see the next leader for our university."