Politics has no role in selecting NMSU’s next leader

During my tenure as governor, it was my practice to consult with the presidents of our universities regarding the talent and expertise needed in a regent to assist their institution in reaching its goals.  We would then seek and appoint the most qualified individual to assist them in their mission. With respect to the governance of universities, that was my principal role.

I was taken aback after reading a recent op-ed by New Mexico’s Secretary of Higher Education that suggested the NMSU Board of Regents should scrap their current presidential search and begin their process anew. It appeared to me it was an attempt to direct, intimidate, and/or embarrass the regents of NMSU into changing their ongoing process in selecting the next president.

Picking university presidents is not the role of the governor, nor is it the role of the chosen secretary of higher education. The state’s constitution clearly spells out that universities in New Mexico are to be governed by boards of regents. Having a governor, or a secretary of higher education, try to influence the search process for a university’s next leader opens a dangerous door and allows state politics to guide how institutions of higher education are run.

In our state, numerous safeguards are in place to help shield regents from the influence of Santa Fe and the whims of elected officials. While the governor appoints regents, those individuals must be confirmed by the state senate. Nearly all boards in the state have five members, and no more than three of those members can be of the same political party. The board at the University of New Mexico has seven members, and no more than four members there can be of the same party. After their confirmation, regents should be allowed to go about their business of helping to guide our state’s universities.

In her letter, the secretary indicated the finalists for NMSU’s next president aren’t representative enough of the university or the student body. I beg to differ. A presidential search committee representing university stakeholders was engaged from the beginning of this process. Each of the finalists has a doctorate degree and have dedicated their lives to serving students through education. Two of the finalists are Hispanic, one is African American, one is female, and each have submitted statements of diversity, equity and inclusion, expressing their commitment to serving communities which have historically been underserved.

To continue the best practices in governing universities, it is critical the regents conduct their constitutional duty of selecting a president without interference or political pressure in the process.

Garrey Carruthers served as governor of New Mexico from 1987 to 1991, as NMSU’s chancellor and president from 2013 to 2018 and a member of the New Mexico State Ethics Commission from 2019 to 2023.