WNMU president says he will fight litigation over $1.9M payout

As he prepares to step down amid ethics investigations, Western New Mexico University President Joe Shepard told the campus community on Friday that he’ll fight litigation the state attorney general is pursuing to claw back a severance contract that includes a $1.9 million payout.

Shepard, who has served in the top job since 2011 and will resign on Wednesday, said in remarks at the spring convocation in Silver City that it’s OK for campus members to discuss his contract, but he offered a “spoiler alert”: he will not comment on it.

“It’s now in litigation and we’ll pursue whatever that means,” Shepard said.

His remarks came at the end of his last full week as president. But the last week has not been without new challenges for Shepard, as New Mexico’s attorney general announced Thursday that he is seeking a court order on Monday to place what he described as Shepard’s “golden parachute,” approved last month by the university’s Board of Regents, into a trust fund. Torrez also wants to strip the departing president of his separation agreement, which includes a full professorship in the School of Business making $200,000 a year.

Shepard did not mention the AG on Friday.

He told constituents that the university’s budget has grown from $800,000 to $12 million since he took office.

“People have worried — about what? My contract settlement (and) all that’s going to mean,” Shepard said. “Our reserves are healthy.”

Shepard told constituents he holds “no issue” with the recent faculty and staff senate votes of no confidence in the five-member board, four out of five of which stepped down earlier this month after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham asked them to resign.

Shepard also addressed the search for a new president, which is in flux until a new Board of Regents is appointed. University officials recently backed off of appointing Provost Jack Crocker as interim president because there are not enough board members — only WNMU student Trent Jones remains to fulfill treasury duties until his successor is confirmed by the state Senate.

“The selection of the next leader at this institution is yours to influence, is yours to help, is yours to embrace,” Shepard said. “Don’t let it be somebody else’s choice.”

The departing president also rattled off numerous accomplishments, including solar panels and turf fields on campus, saving 1.5 million gallons of water.

“I’m proud of these things,” Shepard said. “They’re not going away because I’m going away.”

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to say four out of five members of the WNMU Board of Regents have resigned. WNMU student Trent Jones remains on the board to preserve treasurer duties until his replacement is confirmed by the senate.