Highlands university investigates premature RR firings

RIO RANCHO — An internal review was launched at New Mexico Highlands University last month after four employees, including two in Rio Rancho, were prematurely fired right before the end-of-year holiday break.

Dr. Neil Woolf, president of NMHU, based in Las Vegas, New Mexico, announced the review to university officials in late December following reduction in force notices given to four employees on Dec. 19, according to an email he wrote, obtained through a public records request.

Woolf also said he rescinded the notices as soon as he learned about them since they occurred without his approval. He then pledged that his administration would "develop a collaborative long-term plan for NMHU’s campus centers in the months ahead."

"I recognize the anxiety these actions have caused and offer my sincere apologies to all who were impacted," Woolf wrote. "Friday's actions do not reflect the culture, policies, or procedures of NMHU’s administration."

The Observer learned about the review and firings from members of the NMHU faculty association and staff union. NMHU Professional Staff Union President Katie Gray confirmed two employees at the Rio Rancho center, located at 1700 Grande Blvd. SE, received notices. Attempts by the Observer to reach the impacted employees for comment were unsuccessful.

Gray was blunt about the developments in a Dec. 19 email to faculty, obtained in a records request.

"(Serving RIF notices) is not how you treat family. This is not Highlands Purple. This is not how we 'elevate' Highlands," Gray wrote in an email to faculty announcing the news. "This should not be coming from an administration that just a couple of weeks ago asked for us to send them money to support Highlands Giving Tuesday."

What's more, Gray pleaded with Woolf in an email later that day that impacted employees had not received notice their RIF notices had been rescinded. The email thread obtained in a records request showed no response from Woolf. 

Dr. PJ Sedillo, chair of the NMHU special education/gifted department and associate professor of special education, said in an interview "it really broke my heart" to learn of the employees' terminations.

Sedillo, who has worked at the Rio Rancho center on and off since 2013, said the two Rio Rancho employees are his "go-to people" for advice and are the "first line of defense" for students. The employees, Sedillo added, have about 70 years of educational experience combined.

"They're my medicine; they keep me alive and able to be productive with this job," Sedillo said.

In response to the terminations, Sedillo wrote a letter Dec. 19 to university administrators, which stated, in part, that he was "disenchanted" about the terminations and that the university's actions make him feel like the NMHU centers are "not being respected" and being "underrepresented."

Sedillo said the university never responded to his letter. He also said he never received communication from Woolf about an internal review.

Sedillo said since he learned of the university's actions last year, he has had time to process what happened. But, he said, others at the Rio Rancho center have not, since some employees only learned of the developments once the spring semester began Jan. 12.

"It is fresh for the faculty to deal with right now," Sedillo said, while referencing the seven stages of grief. "I'd say most faculty are probably at that anger/bargaining/depression phase."

As for Sedillo, he said he accepted the terminations, but now he wants answers.

"All I know is what was told to me by the individuals who were let go — that this was out of restructuring. What does that mean?" Sedillo said. "I don't think this situation was handled with the best interests of everyone involved."

Sedillo added that one month after the Rio Rancho center terminations, "I don't think anyone feels safe right now."

Dr. Paul Grindstaff, NMHU vice president for advancement and university relations, said in an email to the Observer that the university does not comment on personnel matters or internal administrative reviews.