MCC board appoints interim acting president

The Mesalands Community College board of trustees appointed an acting interim president Tuesday night, but not without testy opposition from the executive staff who labeled the move as “retaliatory” against them and accused the board of violating its own policies.

The board also approved a solvency plan of salary and program cuts for the financially troubled college and moved to implement it immediately. The move clears the way for the New Mexico Department of Higher Education’s proposal of issuing up to $4.7 million in emergency funds for Mesalands.

Absent from Tuesday’s special meeting was Mesalands President Gregg Busch, who also didn’t attend a previous special meeting last week after he was given a no-confidence vote by the executive staff, faculty senate and staff senate. Busch is accused by multiple staff members of disregarding dire warnings of the college’s finances and threatening to fire those who revealed the state’s oversight plan for Mesalands.

Busch said in a letter to the board last week he was taking a medical leave of absence due to COVID-19 and Parkinson’s disease.

After a one-hour closed executive session, the board moved to appoint Allen Moss, senior executive director of concurrent enrollment and academic outreach, as the interim acting president.

Assistant to the president Duane Brooks called the appointment as “retaliatory” against the executive staff in not choosing one of their members for the position. He said the board also should have consulted with the New Mexico Independent Community College Association on the move.

Joel Kiser, a member of the executive staff, twice asked the board in response to Moss’ appointment: “How does this decision best serve the faculty, staff, students and the community of Tucumcari?”

Board Chairman Jim Streetman said Moss held more academic experience than anyone on the executive board and the college needed a “neutral” figure to help direct it.

“We feel like we need somebody that is neutral to this, partially because there’s been too much finger-pointing from both sides,” Streetman said. “The finger-pointing needs to stop and stop right now. The board of trustees feels this is the best choice at this point in time.”

Moss said he was asked Saturday by Streetman, plus a few staffers and faculty members, whether he was interested in the interim acting president position. Moss said he initially “laughed it off” but would do it “if it would help” Mesalands.

Human resources director Russell Irby, also a member of the executive staff, said any conversation with Moss “outside of a public forum” would violate the board of trustees’ own policies.

Streetman disputed that, saying Moss’ hiring was a personnel issue and was conducted lawfully in a closed executive session.

Brooks said Moss was “a wonderful person” for the acting interim president position, but noted no action had been taken regarding Busch.

“We’re still paying him as a sitting president,” he said. “That doesn’t show us as very fiscally responsible.

Irby asked: “What would happen to Mr. Moss if Mr. Busch walks back on campus?”

“Dr. Busch will not be back on campus,” Streetman replied, without elaboration.

Irby responded: “I have no paperwork in any form that he won’t be back here tomorrow.”

With that, all the board members individually said they were comfortable in letting Moss run Mesalands.

“We need to move on,” board member Tom Sidwell said.

The board members’ unanimous voicing of support of Moss seemed to satisfy the executive staff on who would run the college. But the meeting turned testy again later when Streetman said the college must produce regular financial reports.

“You’re showing us disrespect by not considering a person at this table for an interim president to lead the college out of this,” Brooks said.

“The person responsible for this is not here. They’ve walked away. Drove away. Left town.”

Irby said: “I’m still uncovering federal violations that were done by this previous group, by the previous president who’s not here.”

We’ll have more details about the meeting in the next edition of the Quay County Sun.