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The New Mexico Highlands University administrative shakeup reached further than President Neil Woolf, who was placed on paid leave by the Board of Regents on Friday.

On Wednesday, NMHU鈥檚 general counsel Doajo Hicks confirmed Provost Dann Brown and men鈥檚 basketball coach Zach Settembre were placed on administrative leave as well.

Hicks also confirmed that administrators Paul Grindstaff, David Lepre and Johnny Montoya have been terminated.

Kimberly Blea, who most recently served as vice president for student affairs, is interim president and Ian Williamson, associate vice president for academic affairs, will be interim provost, Hicks said.

Settembre told the Journal late Wednesday that he was still unsure of his job status.

鈥淟ate (Tuesday) night, I received multiple calls from colleagues, friends, family, and the families of players asking about termination,鈥� Settembre said in a text. 鈥淎fter a sleepless night, I asked our HR department first thing this morning if I had been terminated, and our head of HR told me unequivocally that I had not been terminated. I鈥檝e never seen anything like this in my career.鈥�

Settembre was hired at NMHU last year from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas.

鈥淚 still have not heard one word on termination from our athletic director or our new interim president,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is heartbreaking to witness the professional and personal lives that have been altered and permanently damaged with recent developments at our amazing university.鈥�

Settembre, in his first season at NMHU, led the Cowboys to a 13-19 record and 11-9 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.

The school announced a three-year contract extension for Settembre just last week, but the news release has since been taken down from the school's website.

鈥淚鈥檓 saddened for our current student athletes, including the eight graduating this Saturday (a single-season program record), as well as those currently signed for next season, as they are caught in the middle of what appears to be a political coup at our university,鈥� Settembre said.

Officials from the New Mexico chapters of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, along with the NMHU Faculty and Staff Association, said in a statement that Woolf鈥檚 dismissal came after 鈥渕onths of documented concerns.鈥�

鈥淎fter collective bargaining agreement violations, attempts to fire and privatize essential positions of our university staff, and the gross mismanagement of worker safety issues at the Ivan Hilton Science Building, we are not surprised by the actions of the Board of Regents,鈥� the union officials said in a joint statement.

The group said Blea had an opportunity to 鈥渞eset the University鈥檚 course and work to heal divisions and restore the mutual respect between administration and faculty and staff that make our university community strong.鈥�

NMHU faculty union President Kathy Jenkins told the Journal that discontent worsened after faculty and staff raised workplace safety issues at the university鈥檚 Ivan Hilton Science Building, which starting Sept. 3, 2024, after reports of a chemical spill, the Las Vegas Optic reported.

Marty Lujan, a custodian at NMHU who worked in the building, died 11 days later. An obtained by the Optic found Lujan died of complications from diabetes, though union officials said he showed signs of chemical exposure.

In a Facebook post, Woolf said the board provided no explanation for the decision and he hadn鈥檛 heard any indications that there were concerns.

鈥淪ince day one, my focus has been clear: strengthening Highlands for the students and communities we serve,鈥� Woolf wrote. 鈥淭ogether, we have made measurable progress 鈥� improving the university鈥檚 financial position, achieving record fundraising, launching new academic programs aligned with regional workforce needs, increasing enrollment, and building meaningful partnerships across New Mexico.

鈥淚 remain committed to that work. I welcome the opportunity to address this situation directly and to continue moving Highlands forward.鈥�

Woolf was appointed to the presidency in 2024 after a national search. He most recently served as the executive vice president at Southern Oregon University.

Journal staff writer Geoff Grammer contributed to this report.

Natalie Robbins covers education for the Journal. You can reach her at nrobbins@abqjournal.com.