The interim president of New Mexico State University appointed a new provost last week following the resignation of Provost Alan Shoho.
Shoho, who had been provost and chief academic officer since April 2023, told faculty and staff that his last day with NMSU was March 22.
“I came to NMSU knowing of the many challenges that lay ahead. But I saw great potential for this institution as well, and you helped me realize it was not an illusion,” Shoho said. “There remains great potential and I am satisfied that together we made strides in moving the university forward by making some processes better, improving student retention and preparing the institution for the demographic cliff in two years.”
Interim President Jay Gogue appointed Lakshmi Reddi, dean of the College of Engineering, to fill the role but as interim provost.
“During his time at NMSU, Dr. Reddi has distinguished himself as an effective leader in the College of Engineering and will bring his expertise and extensive knowledge of our university’s academic operations to this temporary role. We appreciate his willingness to guide our academic operations at this time. Over the next few weeks, he will also work with other leaders in the College of Engineering to ensure a smooth transition,” Gogue said.
The provost is responsible for overseeing the university’s academic endeavors. The position is appointed by the president, who has the authority to select a candidate they believe is best suited for the role. Shoho was appointed by former chancellor Dan Arvizu and assumed his duties as provost on April 17, 2023.
“I was looking forward to welcoming a new president on board. Alas, this was not meant to be, at least not just yet. When the new president is selected, they will be able to hire their own provost. And while it has been a tremendous honor to serve as your provost and chief academic officer, I felt this was the right time for me to begin the next chapter in my life. I want to thank everyone for allowing me to serve NMSU over the past year,” Shoho said.
