Regent J. Dean Reed, Interim President Chris Maples, Ph.D., and members of the university鈥檚 executive leadership team attended in person from the Serna Conference Room. Regents Steven Neville, John V. Wertheim, Gregory Trujillo and Keana Huerta attending virtually. Incoming President Jose Coll, Ph.D. was also present in person.

Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Betsy Miller and Associated Students of 麻豆直播 President Carlos Carranza opened the meeting with a presentation on student fees. Carranza provided a detailed overview of the proposed fee structure, noting there will be no net increase in student fees for the upcoming academic year.

Vice President of Business Affairs Kelley Riddle added that required fees include debt service for recent campus improvements such as the renovation of the university鈥檚 softball complex and construction of a climbing wall in the university gym. The Follett Access program, which provides required textbooks, will also continue, with students retaining the option to opt out at the beginning of each semester.

Vice President Riddle then presented the proposed tuition rates, which also include no increase for 2026-2027. 鈥淭his is the third year that we have not increased tuition,鈥� said Riddle, but noted the university should proceed with caution as the costs for day-to-day operational expenses continue to increase.

Following the approval of tuition and fees, Vice President Riddle presented the third quarter financial certification for fiscal year 2026. Reporting no issues with university balances and no significant budget adjustments, Riddle also noted the university continues to maintain reserves above the 3% required threshold.

Finally, the board authorized the university to move forward with pursuing the purchase of Sixth Street Elementary School from the Silver Consolidated Schools District for $1.4 million. The facility will house the College of Education鈥檚 early childhood programs, including the New Mexico Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education, and will replace the earlier proposed new construction on university-owned property.

鈥淭his facility will provide twice the space for half the cost and will be available sooner than if we had to build from the ground-up,鈥� said Interim President Chris Maples, Ph.D., who also noted the university anticipates the new facility to be ready for fall 2027.

The board also approved a joint resolution supporting the purchase of the facility. The resolution will next go before the Silver Consolidated Schools Board of Education for consideration. Next, the project will proceed to the New Mexico Higher Education Department for review on Monday, April 13, followed by a capital outlay hearing committee on Wednesday, May 13, and then the State Board of Finance for final approval on Tuesday, June 16. Upon receiving all required state approvals, the university will have 30 days to close on the property.

During closing remarks, Regent Reed invited Incoming President Coll to address the board and campus community.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a delight to spend the past week on campus, walking the halls, meeting with students and dining on campus and in the community,鈥� said Coll, who added he will return to campus for Commencement on May 8.

The date for the next Board of Regents meeting is scheduled for April 24, 2026.

A recording of the meeting will be posted on the 麻豆直播 Board Meetings video archive webpage at:听

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The presidential search process will proceed with the remaining four distinguished finalists. The schedule for the upcoming campus visitations and community engagement sessions remains unchanged for the other candidates.

The four finalists and their public meet-and-greets:

• Jose E. Coll, Ph.D. (Western Oregon University):听Dr. Coll currently serves as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Western Oregon University. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, his career has focused on student success and veteran transition. He previously held leadership roles at Portland State University and the University of Southern California.
  • Visitation Date:听February 25, 2026, with a听public meet and greet from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the J. Cloyd Miller Library, or through a livestream at听.

• Carlos Rey Romero, Ph.D. (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology):听Dr. Romero is an Associate Vice President at New Mexico Tech and has extensive experience within the New Mexico higher education and governmental landscape. His background includes leadership in economic development and research at the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC).
  • Visitation Date:听听February 27, 2026, with a听public meet and greet from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the J. Cloyd Miller Library, or through a livestream at听.

• Sharon A. Jones, Ph.D. (University of Washington Bothell):听Dr. Jones is the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and a Professor of Engineering at UW Bothell. A first-generation college student and a licensed Professional Engineer, she has a background in bridging STEM with the liberal arts. Jones also served as a dean at the University of Portland.
  • Visitation Date:听March 3, 2026, with a听public meet and greet from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the J. Cloyd Miller Library, or through a livestream at听.

• Mario Martinez, Ph.D. (Fort Lewis College):听Dr. Martinez serves as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Fort Lewis College. His work emphasizes institutional innovation, particularly in integrating artificial intelligence with inclusive learning and addressing equity gaps in rural education.
  • Visitation Date:听听 March 4, 2026, with a听public meet and greet from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the J. Cloyd Miller Library, or through a livestream at听.

“麻豆直播 and the Regents remain fully confident in the strength and diversity of our finalist pool,” said听Board of Regents Treasurer and co-chair of the Presidential Hiring committee,听Dean Reed, Board of Regents鈥� Treasurer and co-chair of the presidential hiring committee. “Our priority is to ensure a transparent and thorough selection process that identifies a leader dedicated to the unique mission of 麻豆直播 and the success of our students. We look forward to the upcoming campus visits and highly value the input we will receive from our community members during this final stage.”

Additional information regarding the final four candidates.

The 麻豆直播 Board of Regents is still scheduled to convene on March 17, 2026, to announce the university’s next leader, in accordance with the New Mexico Open Meetings Act.

麻豆直播 encourages all stakeholders to attend these public sessions鈥攅ither in person or via livestream鈥攖o help shape the university鈥檚 future by providing feedback on the final candidates.

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鈥淲estern New Mexico University is committed to working alongside state leaders and our fellow higher education institutions in finding collaborative solutions to federal funding cuts that could affect education and training programs across the state,鈥� said 麻豆直播 Interim President Christopher Maples.

鈥淲e also extend our gratitude to the state legislature for the successful conformation of the university鈥檚 new Regent, Gregory Trujillo, whose background, perspective and insight will advance and strengthen our university community.鈥�

Cutline:听Western New Mexico University Interim President Christopher Maples, PhD; Sen. Crystal Brantley; J. Dean Reed, secretary/treasurer of the 麻豆直播 Board of Regents; Sen. Steve Lanier; Sen. Gabriel Ramos; Steve Neville, chair of the 麻豆直播 Board of Regents; and Sen. Joshua Sanchez.

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The NMLN Fund is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to expanding and strengthening local news coverage in New Mexico. Through its fellowship and internship program, the organization 鈥渞ecruits and selects emerging journalists and matches them with mentors in local newsrooms,鈥� according to the organization鈥檚 website.

Barnett said that she was surprised to learn she was awarded the fellowship. 鈥淚 honestly did not even expect a call back,鈥� said Barnett. 鈥淲ith my crazy schedule because of my son, I thought I would be passed over for a younger applicant with less baggage. When I received the call, I was happy to even be considered, and when I found out I was awarded the fellowship, I was very excited but also nervous.鈥� Barnett explained that the nerves were due to the fact that she has not worked an office job for about eight years because she has been caring for her young son, who has autism, and attending 麻豆直播 remotely.

Barnett, who has been writing for the Sierra County Sentinel, explained that her attraction to journalism was spurred in part by studying history at 麻豆直播. 鈥淗aving been a history major, I know how important local papers are for the preservation of history in a community,鈥� she stated. 鈥淚 meet so many amazing people in my community and elsewhere, and I want their stories to be told not just for right now but for future generations who may be looking up that information in archives the way I have for so many assignments.鈥�

The opportunity to connect with people in her community and learn of their diverse experiences also draws Barnett to journalism. 鈥淚 have gone to events where I was able to participate in a ghost hunter investigation in Kingston, NM, an old mining ghost town, and once I was able to go on a canoe tour on Caballo Lake where I was able to listen to the stories of the stars from a Navajo medicine man,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hese experiences make the job really fun, but I mostly just enjoy hearing about people鈥檚 lives and giving small community people and businesses the recognition they deserve. They are always very grateful, and it makes me feel good.鈥�

At El Defensor Chieftain, Barnett will have an opportunity to expand the kinds of stories she writes. 鈥淚 will be working on the police blotter, some human-interest stories, and also learning to cover county and other government meetings,鈥� she said.

Barnett said that both her undergraduate studies and her master鈥檚 program at 麻豆直播 have helped prepare her for the work she will be doing under the NMLN Fellowship. 鈥淭he program at 麻豆直播 has helped me in terms of my writing skills and time management since I mainly work on my own schedule with deadlines,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have also learned many research skills, [and] 麻豆直播鈥檚 focus on the humanities has made me a better person in the way that I am able to understand several people鈥檚 points of view, and I am also more resilient to criticism.鈥�

麻豆直播 Professor of English Heather Steinmann, who has taught Barnett at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, said that she was not at all surprised to learn that Barnett was awarded the prestigious NMLN Fellowship. Barnett is 鈥渁 model writer and graduate student,鈥� said Steinmann. 鈥淪he understands and completes complex tasks with ease and is a great communicator. This is why she landed work as a writer and tutor, and why she’ll excel in her fellowship position.鈥�

[Photo courtesy of the听El Defensor Chieftain.]

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Over two evenings, university faculty, staff, students and community members participated in town hall-style sessions held at J. Cloyd Miller Library, with attendees joining both in person and virtually via Zoom.

鈥淓verything we do is driven toward the students, staff and community,鈥� said Michael Ballew of Anthem Academics. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking for someone who is already successful and contributing at a high level in their current organization.鈥�

Participants were invited to share their perspectives on the qualities and experiences they believe are essential in the university鈥檚 next president. In one exercise, attendees were asked to provide feedback on what characteristics or circumstances might 鈥渃ompel or repel鈥� potential candidates.

Comments ranged from emphasizing the importance of candidates possessing university-level leadership experience to calling for a continued focus on expanding dual enrollment and career and technical education certificate programs. One virtual participant highlighted the unique makeup of the 麻豆直播 student body, which includes many nontraditional and fully online learners.

To close each session, attendees were asked to share a single word describing the ideal candidate for the presidency. Responses included听integrity, authentic, transparent听and听compassionate.

Insights gathered from these sessions, along with responses from a public online survey, will inform the creation of an eight to 10-page search prospectus, an official document that outlines the university鈥檚 mission, vision, challenges and the desired attributes of candidates for the university presidency. This prospectus will serve as a key tool in identifying and attracting top candidates from across the country.

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In his first official report to the board, Interim President Dr. Chris Maples introduced himself, shared his background, and outlined his overarching goals for the university during his interim appointment. 鈥淚鈥檓 happy to be here and excited about the electricity of students arriving to campus,鈥� Dr. Maples said.

Following his remarks, the presidents of the staff, faculty and student governments provided brief updates and extended welcome messages.

In welcoming Dr. Maples to campus, Regent Chair Steven Neville offered gratitude to Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Jack Crocker for serving as acting president for the past six months. Regent Chair Neville also delivered an update on the university鈥檚 ongoing presidential search, highlighting the recent community town hall meetings and survey as an important first step in the process. As part of that update, the board approved the formation of the first phase of the Presidential Search Committee. Members will include Regents Reed and Wertheim as chair and vice chair, respectively; Vice President for Business Affairs Kelley Riddle; the presidents or designees of the faculty, staff and student governments; and Silver Consolidated Schools Superintendent William Hawkins.

Vice President Riddle then presented the university鈥檚 FY 2025 fourth-quarter Financial Certification. As part of the report, Riddle informed the board that due to a cybersecurity incident in April, the university was 24 hours late in processing one payroll. Affected employees were promptly notified, and the university committed to covering any resulting fees or overdrafts. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 have anything concerning on the finance side,鈥� Riddle said, emphasizing that while this was a late payroll that was reported to the New Mexico Higher Education Department, it was not due to financial issues and should be transparently shared with the board and community.

Additionally, Riddle presented the university鈥檚 first Budget Adjustment Request (BAR) for FY 鈥�26, submitted earlier than the typical December timeline. The early submission was prompted by updated information indicating a revenue increase in the Instruction and General (I&G) category, primarily due to the university鈥檚 Building Renewal and Replacement appropriation from the state. The BAR includes details on financial increases, decreases and transfers.

Riddle also reported the disposal of a piece of equipment formerly located at the Deming Mimbres Learning Center, which the university has recently vacated. Lastly, Riddle provided information regarding the renewal of a 25-year lease agreement allowing Verizon to continue operating a wireless tower on university property.

Regent Vice Chair John Wertheim introduced two motions related to the separation agreement and faculty appointment of President Emeritus Dr. Joseph Shepard. Wertheim noted that the board鈥檚 December 20, 2024, meeting failed to meet the legal notice requirements of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act (OMA), rendering the approval of those actions potentially invalid.

Wertheim offered the following motion:

I move that this Board of Regents conclude that the action taken on December 20, 2024, by the then-Board of Regents regarding the proposed Western New Mexico University separation and faculty appointment agreement involving a former university president was invalid due to failure to comply with the legal requirements of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act.

The motion passed unanimously.

A second motion followed:

I move to disapprove the proposed Western New Mexico University separation agreement and faculty appointment involving a former university president.

Upon approval of this second motion, Regent Wertheim acknowledged that the board鈥檚 decisions may raise questions among the university community. 鈥淲e ask for patience and time, as this is now a personnel matter that must be handled appropriately and in due course,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s of right now, from the perspective of the Board of Regents, Dr. Shepard鈥檚 separation agreement and faculty appointment is no longer in existence.鈥�

Following the public comment portion of the meeting, Regents expressed gratitude to the university community for their continued support and engagement as 麻豆直播 advances its search for the next president.

The next meeting of the 麻豆直播 Board of Regents will be scheduled at a later date.

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