The University of New Mexico Board of Regents approved changes, with one exception, to several policies pertaining to the governance of the Health Sciences Center.
The motion, introduced by newly-elected Board Vice President Marron Lee, stated the revisions to eight policies were intended to streamline, enhance and better University operations, as well as clarify leadership and reporting structure, and assist the regents in fulfilling their fiduciary duties to the University.
The board approved the changes by a vote of 4-2 with regents Regents Suzanne Quillen and Bradley Hosmer voting against the proposal.
The revisions eliminate the Health Sciences Board of Directors as a separate board and return the governance to a standing committee. The regents said this reporting hierarchy would align under the leadership of the University President, and maximize efficiency, address economic concerns, remove conflicts of interest and improve governance, authority and responsibilities.
Regent Jack Fortner offered an amendment to the remaining proposed change to policy section 3.3 regarding appointment and termination of key administrators.
Fortner suggested the language be modified to state that the University President must advise and get consent of a majority of the board of regents prior to dismissing the executive vice president of the Health Science Center. That amendment passed by a 5-1 vote with Lee dissenting.
Regent Hosmer followed with a motion to forestall the changes for six months to allow for due process, but that failed when the board split on a 3-3 vote. The vote came after lengthy public comment. Discussion among the regents also included plans to review how to add more community and student input into the governance structure.