The New Mexico Highlands University Board of Regents has fired President Neil Woolf following a series of high-level dismissals and weeks of upheaval at the state-owned school in Las Vegas, N.M.
Woolf’s termination, during a virtual board meeting Tuesday, comes less than a week after he filed a lawsuit accusing the university of violating his contract and retaliating against him after he refused to follow an illegal order to redirect a construction contract to a local firm with ties to a regent and a local politician.
The regents had placed Woolf on paid administrative leave in early May, the first in a wave of departures that took out the university’s provost, several vice presidents and the men’s basketball coach. Vice President of Student Affairs Kimberly Blea was named Highlands’ interim president.
The regents’ unanimous vote Tuesday to terminate Woolf’s contract came after about two hours of discussion closed to the public.
University officials have repeatedly refused to provide any reason for Woolf’s departure, with Highlands general counsel Doajo David Hicks writing in an email earlier this month the university was “unable to comment on the reasons underlying personnel decisions, including the circumstances surrounding Dr. Neil Woolf’s placement on paid administrative leave.”
Woolf, who held the university’s top office for less than two years, had a brief opportunity to address the regents during Tuesday’s meeting. He emphasized his appreciation for the university community and highlighted some of the positive changes he oversaw on campus — including enrollment increases, responsible budgeting practices, and deeper partnerships with K-12 schools and tribal leaders.
“Despite the way I and … a dozen others have been treated, my family and I still pray for Highlands. We still pray for Las Vegas,” Woolf told the board of regents. “These two years have been transformational for the institution, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”
Woolf’s lawsuit, filed Thursday in the state’s 4th Judicial District Court in San Miguel County, offers the clearest picture yet of what may have precipitated his termination.
The complaint alleges his firing was “unlawful retaliation” after he refused to “carry out the illegal orders” of Regent Frank Sanchez, who directed him to cancel an existing construction contract and redirect about $600,000 to local contractor Franken Construction — owned by Sanchez’s ally, Jim Franken.
According to the complaint, Sanchez said steering the money toward Franken “would go a long way” in securing additional appropriations from state Sen. Pete Campos, a Las Vegas Democrat and Sanchez’s brother-in-law.
The complaint alleges the university’s actions violated the New Mexico Whistleblower Protection Act, which prohibits public employers from retaliating against employees who refuse to participate in unlawful or improper actions on the job. It also accuses university officials of failing to adhere to the terms of his contract, which outline a specific termination process.
The board of regents issued a statement denying any university official pressured Woolf to “redirect, steer, or improperly award any construction contract.” They also argue Woolf doesn’t qualify as a whistleblower under New Mexico law.
“Dr. Woolf’s lawsuit contains allegations that are factually inaccurate and without legal basis,” the regents said in the statement. “The University and the Board of Regents are confident that the facts, when fully examined through the appropriate legal process, will fully vindicate the University’s actions. NMHU will vigorously defend against this litigation.”
Neither Campos nor Franken returned calls Tuesday requesting comment on the allegations included in the lawsuit.
Woolf referred to the lawsuit during the board of regents meeting.
“The legal protections I’m afforded by New Mexico law will take their course in due time … to address what this board has done,” he said.
Attendees voiced their support for the ousted university president in the virtual meeting’s comments section.
“We lost a good one,” one commenter wrote.
“I wonder if the Regents have any idea of all he did for the community and the school,” added another. “They don’t seem to care themselves.”
A third, whose name in the virtual meeting appeared as “Pray for Highlands,” repeatedly sent chicken emojis, as still others lamented the regents’ lack of transparency.
