New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has requested the immediate resignation of regents at Western New Mexico State University following revelations of wasteful spending and financial oversight failures. In a letter to the five-member board of regents, Lujan Grisham emphasized the need for new leadership to ensure the university can refocus on serving its students effectively.
The call for resignations comes in the wake of an investigation that led to the resignation of university president Joseph Shepard. The state auditor's office found that top university officials and regents had not fulfilled their fiduciary responsibilities, prompting concerns from state lawmakers.
Issues surrounding Shepard's spending on international travel and high-end furniture, as well as his wife Valerie Plame's use of a university credit card, raised red flags. Plame, a former CIA operations officer, had previously run for political office in New Mexico.
Regents had approved a resignation agreement for Shepard that included a new faculty position and a substantial one-time payment. However, the package is now facing scrutiny from the State Ethics Commission and an inquiry by the state Attorney General to determine if fiduciary duties were met.
Faculty senate president Phillip Schoenberg expressed appreciation for the governor's decision to replace the board of regents, highlighting the need for responsive and decisive leadership. Faculty members were reportedly outraged by the terms of Shepard's severance agreement, which includes a teaching contract at the university's business school.
Western New Mexico State University, with a history dating back to the 1890s, has seen changes in leadership over the years. Shepard, who had been president since 2011, previously held administrative roles at Florida Gulf State University.
