On Thursday, July 30, 2025, the newly-appointed Western New Mexico University Board of Regents voted unanimously to rescind former President Dr. Joseph Shepard’s $1.9 million severance. Regent Vice Chair John Wertheim introduced two motions related to the separation agreement and faculty appointment of Shepard. MORE: WNMU President severance rescinded after board meetingAccording to WNMU, Wertheim noted that the board’s December 20, 2024, meeting failed to comply with legal notice requirements of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act (OMA), rendering the approval of those actions potentially “invalid.” The regents also voted to void Shepard’s five-year teaching contract at the WNMU’s Business School for $200,00 per year. On Thursday, KOAT reached out to Shepard following the board’s decision. His statement is below. KOAT reached out to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham as well as the New Mexico Department of Justice following the announcement. Their statements are below. KOAT legal expert John Day weighed in on the legalities of the case.Related: Governor replaces WNMU board of regents amid $1.9 million severance fallout”The money has already been handed off. It’s apparently in his bank account. Can they claw back that money by retroactively canceling the deal? That’s going to be a question for the courts. It certainly will be an uphill battle,” Day said. “The previous Board of Regents, believe they have the authority to make those contracts to enter into that deal, whether it was a good idea of public policy, wise or not, that remains to be seen,” Day said.”The state’s Open Meetings Act means that, basically relates to public meetings about public business, and it gives very specific guidelines about what decisions can be made and what type of meeting and how much notice the public has to have,” Day said. “So, the challenge from the new Board of Regents is this a totally invalid decision, because it was made in a meeting that violated the Open Meetings Act. If a court, for example, finds that the Open Meetings Act was violated during that decision making process, it certainly is possible that the money could be clawed back by the new Board of Regents,” Day said. Related: AG: WNMU President ‘refuses’ to turn over $1.9 million severance amid growing criticism The former board of regents supported a guaranteed one-time payment of a $1.9 million severance package, a full-time teaching position for the WNMU School of Business and a eight-month sabbatical for Shepard before he resigned from his position as president on Jan. 15, 2025, according to WNMU. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham replaced the board with its current board, after calling for immediate resignation due to questions of wasteful spending and financial oversight failures. Former WNMU President Dr. Joseph Shepard statement”Today’s vote by WNMU’s Board of Regents to rescind my legitimate separation and faculty agreement with the University is the continuation of the highly orchestrated political smear campaign to damage and destroy my reputation, career, and livelihood. After serving 14 exemplary years of advancing the University, it’s troubling that this new, Governor- appointed Board has chosen this path. This is a matter before the courts. The Board’s desire to attempt to circumvent the legal process is telling in that they know they can’t win where facts matter and are doing all they can to prevent the truth from being shared.”MORE: Former WNMU president speaks on alleged misuse of ‘American Disabilities Act’ funds for daughter’s weddingGov. Michelle Lujan Grisham statement”The WNMU board did the right thing. Our students and their families work too hard and sacrifice too much to see their tuition dollars and taxpayer investments squandered on excessive golden parachutes. Every dollar we save here is a dollar that can go toward what matters most: making higher education more accessible and affordable for New Mexican families. This decision represents exactly the kind of fiscal responsibility and accountability New Mexicans deserve from their public institutions.”New Mexico Department of Justice statement“We appreciate that the newly appointed Board of Regents for Western New Mexico University has formally recognized that their predecessors failed to comply with the Open Meetings Act thereby nullifying Dr. Shepherd’s outrageous $1.9 million golden parachute. This action will have profound consequences for our pending lawsuit against Dr. Shepard, and we intend to file supplemental motions to bring this matter to the attention of the district court.” — Lauren Rodriguez, NMDOJ Chief of StaffAccording to officials, WNMU has launched a nationwide search for its next president, partnering with executive search firm Anthem Academics to lead the process. For more information, view here.Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
On Thursday, July 30, 2025, the newly-appointed Western New Mexico University Board of Regents voted unanimously to rescind former President Dr. Joseph Shepard’s $1.9 million severance. Regent Vice Chair John Wertheim introduced two motions related to the separation agreement and faculty appointment of Shepard.
MORE: WNMU President severance rescinded after board meeting
According to WNMU, Wertheim noted that the board’s December 20, 2024, meeting failed to comply with legal notice requirements of the New Mexico Open Meetings Act (OMA), rendering the approval of those actions potentially “invalid.” The regents also voted to void Shepard’s five-year teaching contract at the WNMU’s Business School for $200,00 per year.
On Thursday, KOAT reached out to Shepard following the board’s decision. His statement is below. KOAT reached out to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham as well as the New Mexico Department of Justice following the announcement. Their statements are below. KOAT legal expert John Day weighed in on the legalities of the case.
Related: Governor replaces WNMU board of regents amid $1.9 million severance fallout
“The money has already been handed off. It’s apparently in his bank account. Can they claw back that money by retroactively canceling the deal? That’s going to be a question for the courts. It certainly will be an uphill battle,” Day said.
“The previous Board of Regents, believe they have the authority to make those contracts to enter into that deal, whether it was a good idea of public policy, wise or not, that remains to be seen,” Day said.
“The state’s Open Meetings Act means that, basically relates to public meetings about public business, and it gives very specific guidelines about what decisions can be made and what type of meeting and how much notice the public has to have,” Day said.
“So, the challenge from the new Board of Regents is this a totally invalid decision, because it was made in a meeting that violated the Open Meetings Act. If a court, for example, finds that the Open Meetings Act was violated during that decision making process, it certainly is possible that the money could be clawed back by the new Board of Regents,” Day said.
Related: AG: WNMU President ‘refuses’ to turn over $1.9 million severance amid growing criticism
The former board of regents supported a guaranteed one-time payment of a $1.9 million severance package, a full-time teaching position for the WNMU School of Business and a eight-month sabbatical for Shepard before he resigned from his position as president on Jan. 15, 2025, according to WNMU.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham replaced the board with its current board, after calling for immediate resignation due to questions of wasteful spending and financial oversight failures.
Former WNMU President Dr. Joseph Shepard statement
“Today’s [Thursday’s] vote by WNMU’s Board of Regents to rescind my legitimate separation and faculty agreement with the University is the continuation of the highly orchestrated political smear campaign to damage and destroy my reputation, career, and livelihood.
After serving 14 exemplary years of advancing the University, it’s troubling that this new, Governor- appointed Board has chosen this path. This is a matter before the courts. The Board’s desire to attempt to circumvent the legal process is telling in that they know they can’t win where facts matter and are doing all they can to prevent the truth from being shared.”
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham statement
“The WNMU board did the right thing. Our students and their families work too hard and sacrifice too much to see their tuition dollars and taxpayer investments squandered on excessive golden parachutes.
Every dollar we save here is a dollar that can go toward what matters most: making higher education more accessible and affordable for New Mexican families. This decision represents exactly the kind of fiscal responsibility and accountability New Mexicans deserve from their public institutions.”
New Mexico Department of Justice statement
“We appreciate that the newly appointed Board of Regents for Western New Mexico University has formally recognized that their predecessors failed to comply with the Open Meetings Act thereby nullifying Dr. Shepherd’s outrageous $1.9 million golden parachute.
This action will have profound consequences for our pending lawsuit against Dr. Shepard, and we intend to file supplemental motions to bring this matter to the attention of the district court.” — Lauren Rodriguez, NMDOJ Chief of Staff
According to officials, WNMU has launched a nationwide search for its next president, partnering with executive search firm Anthem Academics to lead the process. For more information, view here.
Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
