UNM-G names interim director

By Bill Donovan
Staff writer

GALLUP — UNM-Gallup has a new interim director.
Barry Cooney, a management consultant who lives in Santa Fe, has been appointed by officials at the main campus to direct activities at the University of New Mexico-Gallup until a permanent director is appointed.

He replaces Beth Miller, who stepped down as director to take a position helping develop the new campus at Rio Rancho.

Cooney, who has been associated with the Alliance for Creative Management Inc. in Santa Fe for the past 20 years and has done consulting work for UNM’s Anderson School of Business, said he will be spending four or five days a week in Gallup.

The author of the 2004 book “Conquering Dysfunction in the Workplace,” Cooney said that while he has never been director of a community college, although he said he has advised people in that position.

He said he expects to be in the position for the next six to nine months. “Sometimes it takes a long time to find a director,” he said.

While in the position, he said he doesn’t plan to be just a caretaker, or someone who is “waiting for the bus. I plan to be proactive.”

UNM officials said that they plan to do a nationwide search for a new director.