WNMU presidential situation keeps getting worse

This article in the Albuquerque Journal from a research professor at George Mason University highlights just how bad the now-deposed president’s contract was/is. It is worth noting that while the Gov. has rightly expressed outrage at the contract and the behavior of WNMU’s president and regents, that SHE put those regents into place. They are her people.

Here are the details on the contract:

The 5-year employment agreement is worth more than $3.5 million — including the base salary, an annual “retention bonus,” supplemental annuity, car allowance, life insurance premium and an estimate of standard fringe benefits.

Dr. Shepherd receives a $2,000 monthly car allowance. The author couldn’t even find a car with a lease that expensive.

While President Shepard’s current contract is quite lucrative, especially for an institution of WNMU’s size and complexity, the separation agreement is, without question, the most generous we’ve seen.

The first five years of his post-presidential appointment is worth more than $3.5 million, including severance pay, faculty salary and fringe benefits. Essentially, the Board of Regents granted him the equivalent of an additional five-year term as president. In addition, the Board of Regents approved a teaching load half that required in the faculty handbook and allows him to teach all his classes remotely.

If the AG or Gov. take legal action against Dr. Shephard WNMU may have to pay any attorney fees as the agreement provides for “representation by counsel of his choosing, and the University shall pay all reasonable costs and fees associated with such counsel’s representation of Dr. Shepard.”

The author concludes: “It’s also clear from reporting by the Journal and other media outlets that State Auditor Joseph Maestas should undertake a statewide audit of expenditures by our public university presidents.”

While corruption is always a problem in New Mexico government it is also worth remembering that Gov. Lujan Grisham led the charge to create “free” college with little to no accountability. So, the Gov. while not directly responsible DOES share responsibility in two specific ways for this corruption.