New Mexico

NMSU Board of Regents select five finalists for next university president

Published

2 years ago

February 3, 2024

NMSU Board of Regents select five finalists for next university president

New Mexico State University is a step closer to selecting its next president who will serve as head of the university system.

In a virtual meeting held on Feb. 2, the Board of Regents selected five finalists for the position who all come from prior academic and university leadership backgrounds. The board commissioned a campus search committee along with a search firm to identify potential candidates in July 2023. None of the candidates are local or were picked from New Mexico.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the search committee for their efforts over the past few months. To bring us this slate of candidates for consideration,” Chair of the Regents Amu Devasthali said during the meeting.

“I would like to thank the search committee chair, Mr. Ben Woods, for his efforts to lead this large and diverse committee through one of the most important processes that our institution undertakes. The committee has shown through Aggie spirit by so selflessly committing themselves to serving the board through a careful review of the candidate pool and advising the board through this process,” Devasthali continued.

The board unanimously voted to approve the five candidates for consideration. Campus visits and public forums are expected in the coming weeks.

Here’s who made the list, a recap of why the university is searching for a new leader and when we could expect to see a final selection.

Who are the finalists for NMSU president?

Regents approved five candidates from Texas, New Hampshire, Illinois, Maine and Utah. They are listed, in particular order, as follows:

Michael Galyean, Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professor in the Department of Veterinary Sciences and former Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Texas Tech University
Wayne Jones, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of New Hampshire
Austin Lane, Chancellor of Southern Illinois University
John Volin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost of the University of Maine
Richard Williams, Former Presidentof Utah Tech University

More: New Mexico State University could have a new president by early 2024

Why is NMSU looking for a new president?

In the 2022-2023 academic year, the university’s leadership structure changed when Dan Arvizu, former system chancellor, and John Floros, former Las Cruces campus president, left amid their own professional and personal scandals.

Faculty senate and the student government passed resolutions of no confidence which prompted widespread calls for leadership change and accountability. Some of the claims stated in those resolutions were aimed at Floros and former Provost Carol Parker. The claims alleged both leaders had misappropriated funds, had dismissed faculty concerns over the merger of colleges and had condoned questionable hiring and promotion practices.

More: NMSU Regents search for new president

An internal audit found those claims to be unsubstantiated. However, Parker, in an on-going lawsuit against the university, is suing for damages to her reputation where she states in the complaint that Floros andArvizu instructed her to carry out duties that led to the no confidence votes and public outcry as a result.

Floros resigned in January 2022 going on sabbatical which left Arvizu as the sole university leader, but not for long.

Arvizu would also step down a year later during his own public leadership challenges. That year students from NMSU and the University of New Mexico were involved in a shooting incident in Albuquerque, a basketball hazing incident and continuous opposition from graduate student workers resulting in the creation of a union. Arvizu’s spouse was arrested in May 2022 for battery against him.

In a July 2023 meeting, Regents parted way with previous president/chancellor structure and commissioned its own search committee to hire one system-wide president. In the meantime, an interim president, Jay Gogue, who was previously NMSU’s president from 2000-2003, heads the university.

Regents also delegated some leadership duties to a new chancellor position responsible for leading NMSU’s community colleges. Doña Ana Community College President Monica Torres was chosen for that role.

When will NMSU’s next president be chosen?

A finalist will be chosen in the coming weeks after future public forums and campus visits are completed. A full timeline is provided on the president search website.

“We look forward to getting to know each of the candidates and learning how they fit our vision for the next leader of the NMSU system. I hope that you will join us for those candidate forums, whether in person or online, and share your thoughts as we make this incredibly important decision,” Devasthali said.

Ernesto Cisneros is a reporting fellow with the UNM/NM Local News Fund program. He covers education for the Sun-News and can be reached at ECisneros@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter at @_ernestcisneros.

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New Mexico

New Mexico Wants Almost $1B From ‘Public Nuisance’ Meta

Published

9 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

New Mexico Wants Almost B From ‘Public Nuisance’ Meta

New Mexico isn’t done with Meta yet. After the second phase of a landmark trial, the state is asking a judge to make the company pay almost $1 billion to address harm done to young people in New Mexico, SourceNM reports. In a court filing, attorneys with the New Mexico Department of Justice argue that Meta’s addictive design features and recommendation algorithms “substantially contributed to the increase and severity” of problems including depression and eating disorders. The state wants a judge to order Meta to pay $953 million into a fund for public education and behavioral health programs, reports Fox News.

After the first phase of the trial in March, a jury found the company endangered children and misled the public about its platforms’ safety. Meta was ordered to pay $375 million in damages, $5,000 for each violation.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has argued Meta executives prioritized profit over minors’ safety, ignored internal warnings, and misrepresented what they knew about harms to young users. In the second phase, First Judicial District Court Chief Judge Bryan Biedscheid heard arguments on whether the company’s actions created a public nuisance, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. Final filings in that phase of the trial were submitted Friday. Beyond potential financial penalties, Biedscheid will also rule on the state’s request for Meta to make changes including stricter age controls and “safer algorithms” that “do not prioritize engagement over well being.”

Meta says New Mexico is overreaching, warning that the proposed mandates are “impractical and ill-considered” and “would risk leaving teens less safe, infringe on parental rights, and stifle free expression.” Meta argues that New Mexico hasn’t proven that its platforms affect mental health outcomes. In court filings, Meta has claimed that the state is seeking $3.7 billion, not $953 million, but Chief Deputy Attorney General James Grayson says the higher figure is an expert’s estimate of the cost to fund all child mental health interventions in the state. “We’re not trying to hold Meta responsible for mental health harms in general in New Mexico, only for what social media has cost,” Grayson tells the New Mexican.

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New Mexico

Rio Fire grows to 128 acres

Published

20 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

June 17, 2026 by SFNFPAO

Northern New Mexico Type 3 Team ordered

Santa Fe, NM, June 17, 2026 —The Rio Fire located in the Espanola Ranger District on Mesa De La Gallina three miles northeast of Chicoma Mountain has grown to 128 acres. Red flag conditions, heavy dead-and-down fuels and limited safe access to the fire contributed to the fire’s growth. Today, crews focused on building safe access to suppress the fire. Additional personnel have been ordered including a Type 1 Interagency Handcrew (hotshot crew), Rapid Extraction Module, and a short haul capable helicopter. Aerial resources such as the Type 1 helicopter and air tankers have been working all day on the fire dropping water and retardant to reduce fire growth. Two large air tankers have been ordered to the fire in addition to scooper planes. Values at risk include private property inholdings north of the fire. Smoke from the Rio Fire may be visible from Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Espanola and the surrounding communities.

Due to the complexity of the fire the Northern New Mexico Type 3 Incident Management Team has been ordered to take command of the fire. The team will in brief with the Santa Fe National Forest at 10:00 am tomorrow.

Fire information is available on the Santa Fe National Forest website, Inciweb, NM Fire Information, and social media pages (Facebook and X).

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation for more than 100 years. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and recreation opportunities. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, supports the nation’s forest industry and energy needs, and operates the largest and most respected wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. By providing assistance to state and private landowners and working with tribes and other partners, the Forest Service also helps steward an additional 900 million forested acres within the U.S.

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New Mexico

New Mexico has received 18,000 reports of elder abuse this year

Published

1 day ago

June 17, 2026

Press Room

New Mexico has received 18,000 reports of elder abuse this year

The state is warning about signs of abuse, such as unexplained injuries and sudden changes in behavior, like withdrawing from social activities.

SANTA FE, N.M. — So far in 2026, New Mexico has received 18,000 reports of elder abuse and Adult Protective Services warns there could be many more unreported cases.

The abuse can include neglect, exploitation or even scamming. If you suspect someone may be a victim of abuse, call Adult Protective Services at 1-866-654-3219.

The signs to look for include unexplained injuries, sudden changes in behavior or unusual banking activity. You could also notice them withdrawing from social activities or communication and being fearful around caregivers.

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