New Mexico Highlands President Sues University

New Mexico Highlands University president Neil Woolf, who was placed on administrative leave last month, alleged in a new lawsuit that he was sidelined for refusing to comply with illegal orders.

Woolf said in the lawsuit filed against the university that Board of Regents chair Frank Sanchez directed him to steer $600,000 in state funds to a contractor who is also a friend, The Albuquerque Journal reported. Woolf alleged that he was told to cancel an existing contract for work on a new track facility at NMHU’s Las Vegas campus and to redirect those funds to a company owned by a friend of Sanchez. Woolf alleged that he was put on leave when he refused.

Woolf said in a statement to the newspaper that he was bringing the case “to clear my name and to make sure the people of New Mexico get an honest accounting of what happened here.”

“When I was asked to set aside the law and steer public money to a hand-picked contractor, I said no, because that is not how you spend taxpayer dollars or run a university. I never imagined doing the right thing would cost me my job,” Woolf added.

The regents say Woolf’s claims have no merit.

“The university categorically denies that any university official, including Board of Regents Chair Dr. Frank Sanchez, pressured Dr. Woolf or any other university employee to redirect, steer or improperly award any construction contract,” officials said in a statement to the newspaper.

Woolf was one of several administrators placed on leave by the university in May. Both Provost Dann Brown and men’s basketball coach Zach Settembre were also placed on leave, while three other New Mexico Highlands administrators were dismissed with no explanation.