I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
University of New Mexico President David Schmidly will not seek an extension to his contract that expires in 2012, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Schmidly says he will spend more time with his family.
“My contract will be fulfilled on June 1, 2012 and I’ve decided to leave the UNM presidency at that time,” Schmidly said in a statement Thursday morning. “Last Monday, I notified both the president and vice president of the UNM Board of Regents of my intentions in writing.”
According to the Journal:
The UNM president publicly announced his plans today at a breakfast meeting of the Economic Forum of Albuquerque.
Schmidly’s five-year contract is scheduled to expire in June 2012. Regents recently raised question of whether to allow an extension to a sixth year. If no regent action was taken within the next month, the extension would have been automatic, according to the employment contract.
In 2008, Schmidly was involved in some controversy when his son was given a $94,000 job at the university to promote energy conservation, then stepped down after public outcry. Schmidly’s son later went to work with a university contractor.
In February of 2009, university faculty voted no confidence in the leadership of Schmidly because of a “top-heavy” administration.
Schmidly underwent treatment for a slow growing tumor in August of 2010 and missed an entire semester at the university while recovering.
“I know people will speculate about the role my health played in my decision,” Schmidly said in his statement. “I can tell you that I’m feeling fine and that health is not an issue.”
UNM will now have a year to conduct a search for a new president.
