Editor,
Over the next few months, the process of selecting the next president of the University of New Mexico will begin. I hope it is safe to say the University community desires the process to be conducted with the utmost of integrity, and that its outcome will result in the identification of the best possible individual for the position.
Recently, much has been said regarding this process. Jamie Koch, president of the UNM Board of Regents, was quoted in the Albuquerque Journal as stating his ideal candidate for UNM's next president is a person who understands our culture, the state culture.
One of the candidates for the position of provost at UNM remarked during an open forum that the faculty have an important role in shaping the context in which the president is chosen. Richard Berthold, in a column in the Daily Lobo, stated, "Faculty are partly to blame for the situation, in as much as they, for the most part, refuse to do anything serious to improve their lot." Personally, I am comfortable with at least one of these statements, but certainly not all of them, and I suspect most faculty members share my opinion.
The issue of what qualifications and criteria are important - if not mandatory - for UNM's next president is an important one. During the search for UNM's last president, recall one of the qualifications included meeting the criteria for a federal security clearance. Faculty members, as well as other components of the UNM community, must present their opinion on this matter to the regents.
The Committee on Governance has organized a special meeting of the entire UNM faculty to present and discuss qualifications and criteria for the next president of UNM. Also on the agenda will be discussion of the resolution passed on Feb. 28 by the Faculty Senate calling for the faculty to directly select their representatives to the presidential search committee.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The meeting will be held Tuesday in Lobo A of the Student Union Building. The regents will be informed, in a timely manner, of the results of this meeting. Bring a colleague, and bring your ideas.
John Geissman
UNM faculty
