Western New Mexico University's board of regents has rescinded the severance package for former President Joseph Shepard.
WNMU Regents Void Controversial Separation Agreement for Former President
Western New Mexico University (WNMU) has announced that the separation agreement and faculty appointment for former president Joseph Shepard, worth $1.9 million, have been voided by the university's governing board.
Earlier this year, the new governing board was appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Shepard was given a faculty appointment paying $200,000 annually and a controversial separation agreement as part of his exit deal. However, the Board of Regents subsequently voted to reject and void both the separation agreement and the faculty appointment in a revote.
The controversy stemmed from the high cost of the separation package during a time when university budget and governance were under scrutiny. The revote ensured that the university would not proceed with the previously agreed payment or faculty position for Shepard.
On July 31 and August 1, 2025, the Board of Regents formally disapproved and confirmed the termination of Shepard's agreements. Regent John V. Wertheim explicitly stated that the severance and teaching contract no longer existed.
Shepard was set to teach a course in business ethics this year as part of his faculty appointment, which came with an eight-month sabbatical.
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The voided separation agreement and faculty appointment for Western New Mexico University's former president, Joseph Shepard, have raised concerns in the realm of politics and general-news. Education-and-self-development is also involved as Shepard was supposed to teach a course in business ethics within the university. The development of this news is significant in the business community, especially considering the controversy surrounding the high cost of the separation package.
