On top of wrestling with the budgetary deficit during the legislative session, New Mexico policymakers need to find time to confirm Regent Jamie Koch for another six-year term.
Staff Council President Elisha Allen said Koch’s reappointment is probable.
“I have had some conversations with Linda Lopez, who chairs that committee, and it seems that will likely be the outcome,” Allen said.
However, Faculty Senate President Doug Fields said he is still waiting for Koch to address the concerns the faculty outlined in their February general meeting, where they voted no confidence in Koch, UNM President David Schmidly and Executive Vice President of Finance Administration David Harris.
“There have been some overtures made, but the substance of the issue remains the same,” Fields said.
Koch said he didn’t expect to be asked about the February vote during his hearing, but that doesn’t mean they’ll make it easy for him.
“I look forward to going before the Senate. I know most of them individually, and I’ll get a fair hearing,” he said. “They’ll ask me a lot of questions and I’ll be glad to answer them.”
In an interview, Koch would not say what progress he’s made on the Faculty’s concerns or how he has addressed them almost a year after the no-confidence vote.
“I’m not upset with the faculty in any way whatsoever,” he said. “I’m not upset with their no-confidence vote. I’m not that kind of person, and I will just answer (the Rules Committee’s) questions fitfully and honestly.”
Koch stepped down as president of the Board of Regents in March 2009, which is around the same time he was scheduled to be reappointed. Soon after, State Senator Linda Lopez, chairwoman of the Senate Rules Committee, postponed his reappointment.
This session, the Rules Committee will either report the nomination for a full Senate vote or the nomination will die in committee.
GPSA President Lissa Knudsen said Koch’s reappointment is cause for concern, because his past decision-making warranted the votes of no confidence that he received.
“One of my concerns about Regent Koch is that it appears he doesn’t have the core mission of the University — which is education — at the forefront of his priorities,” she said.
Knudsen said the concerns of the GPSA are not necessarily only about the reappointment of Koch but the entire governance structure of the University.
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“I do not think that any one person is fully responsible for the situation that we are in,” she said. “I would like to see more receptivity from all of the Regents, including Regent Koch, in regard to our concerns.”
Allen said regardless of the reappointment of Koch, UNM staff expects greater collaboration and communication from the administration.
“To me the ultimate outcome is not about who serves in that position, but how they interact with the University,” he said. “I think that faculty and staff expectations are that we do have a shared governance that is respectful of the University community.”
Knudsen said she has seen efforts from the Regents to mend the relationship with faculty and staff.
“I think the language has definitely changed,” she said. “But I am still not convinced that the actual decision-making process has been transformed.”
Allen said Koch’s statements in the December meeting of the Finance and Facilities committee of the Board of Regents showed that he was making an effort to address the ongoing controversies.
“It’s too early to tell what action Koch will take, but he has made public statements that he plans to take action,” he said.
Knudsen said she sees the communication between the administration and the UNM community moving in the right direction and is hopeful for a resolution.
“I am absolutely confident that the situation is going to get better,” she said. “I think that there may be some bumps in the road before we get there, but I think it is going to happen.”
The Faculty Committee on Governance plans to attend Koch’s confirmation hearing with the intention of communicating their continued concerns to legislators.
