By KRWG News
Las Cruces – The New Mexico State University Board of Regents honored and thanked Waded Cruzado and Manuel Pacheco for their service and dedication to the university at their regular meeting.
"We truly sit in the presence of excellence," Regents Chair Blake Curtis said of Cruzado and Pacheco after each was presented with a resolution in their honor.
Executive Vice President and Provost Cruzado is leaving NMSU at the end of the year for the presidency at Montana State University. Pacheco, who has had a long and distinguished career in higher education and came out of retirement to serve his native state as NMSU's interim president, will return to his retirement.
The Regents also approved the university's audited financial report for the fiscal year that ended June 30.
Jennifer Taylor, senior vice president for business and finance, presented the report audited by Moss Adams, indicating that it was a clean audit.
In a summary of the report, Taylor highlighted that the university ended the fiscal year in a strong financial position, even with the downturn in the national economy. The university had a decrease in total net assets of $14.5 million, mostly due to the loss on permanent endowments.
Regent Laura Conniff, who sits on the finance committee, commended Taylor and her staff, indicating that the auditors could not have been more complimentary of their work.
In other business, the Regents heard reports from Faculty Staff Chair Chris Erickson and Associated Students of NMSU President Travis Dulany. Employee Council Chair Kelly Brooks introduced the newly elected Employee Council Chair to the Regents. Roseanne Bensley, who has worked in student services at NMSU for 30 years, will begin her term as Employee Council Chair Feb. 1, 2010.