During the first meeting of UNM’s presidential search committee Tuesday, members argued over a document shown to potential presidential candidates.
The document was prepared by Regent Bradley Hosmer after Monday’s public forum on the presidential search and is intended to give prospective candidates an introduction to the University by giving a brief UNM history and outlining problems facing the next chief executive.
Veronica Mendez-Cruz, director of El Centro de la Raza, said she thought UNM’s research was underrepresented in the document.
“There should be links to research information like there is to the budget,” she said.
Regent Don Chalmers said he thought the document was incomplete.
“This document should be as complete as possible as early as possible,” he said. “We need to all agree this is accurate.”
Professor Antoinette Sedillo-Lopez wants the document to let potential candidates know exactly what the position entails.
“This should be attractive, but honest,” Sedillo-Lopez said.
“We’ve suffered in the past from individuals not knowing anything about (the University).”
Alberto Pimentel, a managing partner of Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates, the consulting firm that operates the search, stressed that the document should be broad enough to attract a variety of potential candidates.
“You don’t want it to be so restrictive that it excludes candidates you want to consider,” he said. “This document is like a courtship: We don’t ask anyone to marry us on the first date.”
The search for a new president begins with candidates from the top-tier research universities in the country, and UNM isn’t the only one searching for new administration.
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“We’re entering a hiring season in higher education.” Pimentel said. “In the next two weeks, close to a dozen major research universities will begin looking. … We just need to get there as quickly as we can.”
He added that those who are intimidated by negative news coverage have no place at UNM.
“If they’re afraid of what the challenges are, and have been, you don’t want them here,” he said.
