The new director of the University of New Mexico Press will be Stephen Hull, who starts on September 17.
Richard Schuetz is currently the interim director of UNM Press and has been for about a year. When Hull takes over, Schuetz will transition to the position of associate director of business affairs.
Schuetz is from Waco, Texas, where he earned his B.A. in business from Baylor University. He received his MBA from the University of Central Florida and has been with UNM Press since 2002.
Katherine White is the marketing and sales manager for UNM Press, and has been with the press since 2010.
Schuetz and White were both on the search committee for the new director. They said they were impressed with Hull and recommended him to be hired. The final decision was made by the Dean of the College of University Libraries & Learning Sciences, Richard Clement.
Schuetz said one of the things that separated Hull from the competition was his experience.
“He worked as an editor and publisher for the University Press of New England for more than nine years,” Schuetz said.
While serving on the committee, Schuetz and White did not encounter a candidate already working for UNM Press.
White gave a couple reasons why, saying, “On top of being incredibly busy, no one already working here really had the correct credentials for director, aside from Schuetz.”
Schuetz and White said they know that UNM Press has been through a rough stretch, such as layoffs, a decline in sales and operating in debt.
“It’s not unique to UNM Press though,” White added. “Many other university and commercial publishing houses have seen better days.”
Schuetz said subsidies from the University attribute to some of the concerns.
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“Typically, university presses our size receive $600,000 annually. Last year we received $350,000 and only $75,000 the year before,” he said.
Hull was born in Connecticut and has lived all over the United States. He earned his B.A. in English and Film from the University of Boston and is currently concluding his thesis in creative writing for Dartmouth College.
Hull said he is more than excited to take the helm as director.
“UNM press has an excellent reputation as one of the most vibrant and accomplished university presses in the country,” Hull said. “I’m greatly looking forward to taking what I have learned to its stage.”
As far as leading the press out of its rough stretch, Hull said he knows that the problems won’t be fixed overnight.
“Well, university presses overall face continued challenges,” he added. “I hope to keep the press on a strong and stable course.”
He continued by saying that each press has its own nuances that makes it different than others, so it’s going to take some time finding out what makes this one tick.
Hull said that he thinks the press is now well-suited to do what it does best, which is publish books related to the unique southwestern culture of New Mexico.
Derek Olsen is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted by email at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Derek_Olsen2117.
