New Mexico Highlands University faced additional leadership dismissals after President Neil Woolf was placed on paid administrative leave, according to local reporting cited in the story. Provost Daniel Brown and men’s basketball coach Zach Settembre were also placed on paid administrative leave, while three other top officials were reportedly removed. The board of regents did not provide reasons for the leadership shakeup, leaving students and employees frustrated amid limited public explanation. The story notes the stress created by uncertainty, including a disruption where a scheduled Zoom meeting had already ended when stakeholders attempted to log in. Settembre, hired last year, said he was dismissed five days after signing a three-year contract extension and emphasized his expectation of due process. The unfolding case highlights how governance transparency affects campus climate and can rapidly escalate compliance, labor, and community trust issues.