Governors Lose Power to Pick College Trustees

The New Mexico Legislature has passed a draft change to the state Constitution that would cut the governor’s direct role in choosing members for university governing boards. The proposal, called House Joint Resolution 1, would let the Legislature set up nominating committees that guide the governor’s appointments instead of letting the governor pick candidates outright. The move comes after a controversy at Western New Mexico University, where a former president’s severance package led the governor to demand that the whole board step down. While the incident exposed problems with how trustees were being selected, it did not show a flaw in the system itself. The real issue is that trustees often lack knowledge or are disconnected from voters’ needs. Currently, Article XII, Section 13 of the state Constitution gives the governor sole authority to nominate board members. Because the governor is elected, that power comes with a clear line of democratic accountability. Removing that link means an unelected group could push candidates who favor the status quo or special interests, rather than those who might bring needed reforms.The state’s four‑year graduation rate is 46th in the nation, and many argue that better trustees could help improve outcomes. Yet nominating committees are not elected or directly answerable to the public, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest. A similar situation occurred in Minnesota in 2021 when a council tied to a political action committee was accused of favoring certain candidates. The student association there called for the council’s list to be rejected, showing how unelected bodies can sway decisions. The sponsors of the resolution claim they are fixing a governance problem, but critics say they misunderstand the real issue: many board members are simply not trained or informed enough. A recent law, Senate Bill 19, already requires new trustees to complete ten hours of training in their first year. That measure aims to give board members the skills they need to act responsibly and represent voters’ interests. In short, the proposed amendment would replace direct gubernatorial accountability with an intermediary that could dilute public oversight. Instead of changing the appointment process, experts argue for more education and support for trustees so that university boards can truly serve the community.