Albuquerque Journal

Gov. appoints a familiar face as UNM regent

Michael Brasher insists his is not a ‘political’ appointmen­t

- BY JESSICA DYER JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Former Bernalillo County commission­er and onetime Albuquerqu­e city councilor Michael Brasher will now help govern the University of New Mexico.

Gov. Susana Martinez has appointed Brasher, general manager at KANW-FM, to the vacant seat on UNM’s sevenmembe­r Board of Regents. Her announceme­nt came late Wednesday — less than a day before the board convenes for its annual budget summit.

Brasher is a familiar face in local government. He served on the Bernalillo County Commission from 2002-10 and was on the Albuquerqu­e City Council from 1989-2001.

It is not the first time Martinez has tapped Brasher, a Republican, for a prominent position.

She also appointed him to the State Board of Finance — of which she is president.

Brasher said he applied to be a UNM regent and also expressed his interest directly to Martinez.

While his appointmen­t comes amid an ongoing battle over governance at New Mexico universiti­es — with some raising questions about political interferen­ce — Brasher said the governor has not given him direction about how to operate as a regent. He said he does not see his as a “political” appointmen­t.

“I look at it as an opportunit­y to serve the university and the people of the state of New Mexico,” he said in an interview.

Brasher will replace Alex Romero, who stepped down last month after about eight months in the role. Romero said upon his resignatio­n he had been unsuccessf­ul in his efforts to work with the board’s leadership.

Brasher is a “recess” appointee whose term expires at year’s end.

He said he plans to be at this morning’s budget summit at which regents will determine 2018-19 tuition rates and are set to hear a proposal to eradicate most of the athletic department’s multimilli­on-dollar deficit to the university.

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Michael Brasher

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