OPINION: NMSU must have the right leader, not just any leader

The lengthy search for the next president of New Mexico State University has become a source of frustration for many — myself included.

As secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, part of my job is to ensure that students and faculty at our colleges and universities are being effectively served by the leadership of those schools.

NMSU occupies a unique position in our state’s constellation of higher education institutions: It is New Mexico’s lone land grant university, a powerhouse of STEM research and agricultural education, and a longstanding Hispanic-Serving Institution as well as Minority-Serving Institution, federal designations that underscore the university’s status as a source of empowerment for tens of thousands of students from traditionally underserved communities throughout our state.

It would follow that a successful president of such an institution would have either background or experience in these STEM, agricultural or ranching fields, or the background and life experience as a member of one of these traditionally underserved communities — and ideally both, and certainly some important experience in the day-to-day leadership of a higher education institution.

After all, a leader who understands and embodies the community they serve will be better able to advocate for its needs, accommodate its growth and provide for its future.

Unfortunately, the search as conducted by the Board of Regents has produced two separate slates of finalists without the background or experience befitting the unique character and history of NMSU.

Earlier this year, the regents submitted a list of five finalists that included only one candidate of color and zero women. Recognizing that none of these candidates were the right fit, the regents began the search anew. Now, this month, there are five new finalists — including only one female candidate, only one Hispanic candidate, and no candidates with substantial professional experience in STEM research or agricultural education.

I do not suggest these leadership roles are easy to fill. And I do not believe any one specific background is the first or most important qualification for a leader.

But NMSU is uniquely positioned as an institution: Three of every five students are Hispanic; it is regionally renowned for specific technical fields of education; and it is a source of power and opportunity for diverse communities in our state.

This newest group of candidates, qualified though they may be in other areas, is as unsuited for the role of president of New Mexico State University as the first group. The recent history of leadership, with frequent changes and interim placeholders as well as alleged instances of hazing and assault among student athletes, suggests the search process must be more rigorous.

This job is not a stepping stone, and leading a large public college is not a job you learn on the fly.

I have directly asked the regents to once again take up the work of generating candidates who can effectively chart a course for this proud higher education institution.

I am eager to see this protracted search completed. The Aggie students and faculty deserve nothing less than clarity and certainty moving forward — the “revolving door” in this administration is untenable.

However, I believe interim President Monica Torres has served admirably and is more than capable of maintaining stability in the short term while the search committee locates the right candidate for the long term — a leader who is capable of understanding and addressing the unique needs and aspirations of this diverse student body, whose experience will help them grasp the complexities and challenges of higher education in New Mexico, and is committed to fostering a campus culture that celebrates what makes NMSU so special.