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This story has been updated: Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 3:24 p.m.
Schmidly's Son Turns Down Job
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Schmidly's Son Gets $94,000 UNM Job
By Martin Salazar
Journal Staff Writer
The University of New Mexico has hired President David Schmidly's son to fill a newly created position that pays nearly $94,000 a year.
UNM's physical plant director hired Brian Schmidly as associate director of sustainability on Monday. The new position was mandated by a sustainability policy approved by President Schmidly in June.
Brian Schmidly, who has served as marketing director for Centex Homes New Mexico for the last 18 months, will spearhead development and implementation of UNM's plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He is slated to begin his new job Oct. 29.
Exactly what Brian Schmidly's duties will be are still being worked out.
President Schmidly said he had nothing to do with his son getting the job. He said regents were informed Tuesday. Schmidly said the hire doesn't violate UNM's nepotism policy because his son will report to managers several levels below him.
"My son's a citizen of this state," President Schmidly said. "He has a right to apply for a job at the university. He has a right to be considered for that position."
Brian Schmidly declined comment.
Mary Vosevich, UNM's physical plant director, said that at least initially, he won't supervise any employees. He will chair the UNM Sustainability Task Force and will work with a company hired last year for $2 million a year to help UNM conserve energy.
"Sustainability on this campus is a full-time job," she said. "It's a big place, a lot of people, a lot of sustainability initiatives going on on all corners of the campus, and we need to get our arms all around this and set the tone, set the framework for what we're trying to do here so that we're really all singing from the same sheet of music on sustainability."
A key component of the job is marketing sustainability to the university community and beyond, though the job announcement didn't list marketing skills as a qualification.
The position was advertised nationally and locally, and 33 people met the minimum qualifications, Vosevich said. Of those, nine were selected for interviews, though one later dropped out.
UNM says reducing greenhouse gas emissions is required by the American College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment, which Schmidly signed, and by Gov. Bill Richardson's 2006 executive order mandating energy-efficient standards for state buildings.
Vosevich said Brian Schmidly's relationship to the president didn't influence her decision to hire him. She called him the most qualified.
"My responsibility here at the university is to hire what I believe to be the best person for the position and the best fit within my organization as well as the university, and I think I have a proven track record," she said. "I'm not willing to compromise the success of this sustainability initiative at the university because of someone's last name."
Vosevich's decision to hire Brian Schmidly comes six months after a whistle-blower complained about cronyism in the hiring and promotions of 21 employees. The UNM attorney assigned to review the allegations found no evidence to support them, though his probe focused largely on whether hiring, promotions and raises were properly documented in personnel files.
Brian Schmidly is at least the second person with ties to the president hired at UNM this year. President Schmidly in May selected longtime family friend John Stropp for the newly created position of UNM Foundation president. Stropp's compensation package is worth $325,000.
Brian Schmidly graduated with a bachelor's in Latin American studies from the University of Texas and earned his master's degree in international management from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Ariz.
A statement issued by UNM confirming the hire noted that he is on the city of Albuquerque's Climate Task Force and the Urban Land Institute and that he holds certification by the U.S. Green Buildings Council as a Leader in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED.
In his application, Brian Schmidly said he was asked to take part in the city's Climate Action Task Force in September. Membership in the Urban Land Institute is open to anyone who pays a fee.
The statement also notes that he was a panelist at the Latin American Network in Government and Public Policy conference where he gave a presentation on "Sustainability in Higher Education: Trends and Opportunities." His application notes that the conference was hosted by UNM in September.
Vosevich confirmed that Brian Schmidly wasn't LEED certified when he applied for the position on Sept. 4, though she said he and another finalist obtained the certification before she interviewed them. He's held six jobs in the last eight years ranging in length from four months to three years and four months.
The listed qualifications didn't include marketing skills, but the first question each candidate was asked was "Explain how you would brand, promote and market UNM's sustainability program to the UNM community, and what experience you bring to such an initiative."
Vosevich chose Brian Schmidly and another finalist for a round of interviews with a three-person committee. Schmidly was the top choice of both Vosevich and the committee, she said.
She said Brian Schmidly's cross-cultural marketing experience will be a big asset, as will his advertising and business experience.