McDonough won’t take the reins at NMSU after all

James McDonough won’t be New Mexico State University’s interim president after all, the university announced today in a news release.

McDonough’s withdrawal is due to a health concern he wasn’t aware of when he accepted the job last month, according to the Albuquerque Journal, which was quoting from the news release. No other details were released.

“Jim’s health is of the utmost importance to all of us,” Regent Bob Gallagher stated in the news release. “He will remain in our thoughts and we wish him well.”

The regents will reconsider candidates for the interim job at their July 14 retreat in Mescalero, according to the news release. They may announce a new interim president at their meeting on July 15.

Before selecting McDonough, the regents considered several candidates. The only other candidate named publicly was Business College Dean and former Gov. Garrey Carruthers.

McDonough was to have started his job on July 1. He would have been paid $25,000 per month to temporarily replace Michael Martin, who is leaving on July 31 to take the job of chancellor at Louisiana State University’s main campus in Baton Rouge. The regents are still planning to conduct a national search with the hope of installing a new president by the beginning of 2009.