The Board of Regents began the process of searching for UNM’s next president last semester, preparing for a smooth transition as well as preparing to place previous UNM President Bob Frank in a new position in the Center for Innovation in Health and Education on North Campus.
The search — which is now being conducted by a group of individuals from various facets around the University — has since solicited community input via forums, the last being held on Nov. 11. The search committee has also held its first two meetings since the process began, according to UNM Regent President Robert Doughty.
“So far everything has gone very well. We’ve solicited input from the campus community, selected a presidential search advisory committee and retained a national search firm to assist us in this important process,” Doughty said.
Isaacson, Miller, the search firm UNM is working with, is actively recruiting candidates and accepting nominations. The search committee will begin the process of reviewing these candidates in the coming months, according to University officials.
Chaouki Abdallah, former UNM provost, is the acting University president for the spring semester following an alleged dispute between Frank and the Regents last semester that resulted in a settlement. The details of what led to that settlement remain sparse.
University officials are hoping that transition to the next president in June goes smoothly.
“We have excellent personnel in place to provide the necessary leadership and guidance to welcome a new president,” Doughty said.
In regards to the Center for Innovation in Health and Education position created for Frank, whose employment contract provided for a faculty appointment upon the completion of his term, this particular appointment capitalizes on Frank’s background and the needs of the University, Doughty said.
The agreement has Frank beginning on June 1, and the details of the position will be developed by Chancellor Paul Roth at the Health Sciences Center, he said.
As of now responsibilities of the position Frank will be taking on have not yet been defined, said Richard Larson, executive vice chancellor and vice chancellor for research at HSC.
In an action taken by the Board of Regents, the HSC position was created specifically for Frank, Larsen said. There was no plan to have anyone else in the role created for Frank, who has already accepted the position.
Still, Doughty said the position will benefit HSC and UNM as a whole by combining executive skills in clinical health care and innovative applications to advance the mission of HSC and the University.
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Those interested in information on the search for the new UNM president can visit http://presidentialsearch.unm.edu for continued updates on the search.
Nichole Harwood is a news reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Nolidoli1.
