Albuquerque Journal Editorial

Heard the One About the Aggie Job Search?

Would you keep your name in the running for the top job at New Mexico State University if you suspected a hometown favorite had the inside track? It appears none of the finalists for NMSU presidency did, and regents were forced to terminate a $90,000 nationwide search last week.
       After NMSU President Michael Martin resigned, the Board of Regents launched a national search for his replacement and named Provost Waded Cruzado interim president. But before top finalists could visit campus, regent Laura Conniff and other members of the presidential search committee threw a champagne brunch for Cruzado, with invitations saying it was to honor the “First Female President of NMSU.” Cruzado could have remained provost and thrown her hat in the ring with other candidates for the top job. Instead, she accepted the interim appointment. And although that technically makes her the first female NMSU president, it also was supposed to bar her from consideration for the permanent job.
       Regents can parse it any way they want — they call her president out of respect, it was the law requiring the top candidates be made public that made them to drop out. But hearing about the celebratory brunch and the faculty-staff rally with “Dr. Cruzado for President” signs would be enough to give any outside candidate serious doubts about the selection process.
       At least three of the five finalists knew about the brunch and rally, according to outgoing regents chairman Bob Gallagher, who blamed the reporting requirement for the flight of candidates until last week, when his term as regent was not renewed.
       Gallagher says he raised objections before the brunch but Conniff dismissed them as a personal attack. Going ahead with the brunch, however was an insult to professional propriety, common sense and — if it was a factor in derailing a $90,000 search in its final phase — an insult to taxpayers.
       Regents and search committee members should not have shown any trace of bias for an ineligible candidate. Cruzado should not have commended those at the rally for coming together for a single goal when she was ineligible to fulfill it.
       And finally, NMSU should not be left with a leader who has never had to measure up in an open competition against group of finalists qualified to fill that job.