SEARCH COMMITTEE FOR STATE HIGHER EDUCATION CHIEF CHOSEN

George Zamora

SOCORRO – New Mexico Tech President Daniel H. López, chairman of a newly formed search committee that is tasked with recommending nominees for New Mexico’s first secretary of higher education, today announced that a complete slate of committee members had been appointed by Governor Bill Richardson.

The search committee, comprised of López and 12 other prominent state leaders in education and business, will conduct its first organizational meeting at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13 in the offices of the New Mexico Student Loan Program, 7400 Tiburon Street, NE, in Albuquerque.

“Governor Richardson has asked that the search committee come up with at least three recommendations for him to consider for this new position by July 1,” López said, “so the plan is for us to compile a state andB nationwide pool of nominations, applications, and letters of interest from qualified individuals by no later than May 30.”

Persons interested in applying or nominating someone for the cabinet-level position of state secretary of higher education are asked to address correspondence to the search committee in care of President López at the New Mexico Tech Office of the President, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, NM 87801, or by calling 505.835.5600 for more information.

Legislation creating a state department of higher education, along with the position of cabinet secretary of higher education, was passed earlier this year by the New Mexico State Legislature and was signed into law by Governor Richardson.

Some of the immediate goals set by Richardson’s administration for the New Mexico Department of Higher Education include developing a public agenda for higher education, aligning education programs from pre-K to the doctorate, and providing better coordination of programs and resources among the state’s network of colleges and universities.

In addition to López, members of Governor Richardson’s Search Committee for Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Department of Higher Education include:

*Former Governor Toney Anaya of Santa Fe;

*Santa Fe businessman Don Chalmers;

*Alicia Chavez, director of the University of New Mexico (UNM) Taos branch;

*Viola Florez, dean of the UNM College of Education;

*Veronica Garcia, Cabinet Secretary of the N.M. Department of Education;

*Albuquerque lawyer Phillip Larragoite;

*Bernalillo County Treasurer’s Office special projects director Lenton Malry;

*Steve McCleery, president of New Mexico Junior College;

*John Papen, executive vice president of Well Fargo Bank;

*Carol Spencer, president of San Juan College;

*Tony Trujillo, Western New Mexico University regent; and

*Della Warrior, president of the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe.

-NMT-