Board Chairman Juan B. Lizama said their negotiation with Dr. Sharon Hart, who was first offered the position, has ended.
Hart made a counter-proposal after the board offered her the position on April 7.
“Although we continue to have deep respect for her and her extensive educational background, our negotiations with Dr. Hart were not successful,” Lizama said.
The board declined to disclose Hart’s counter-proposal.
Based on the proposed two-year contract, the new NMC president will get $80,000 in annual salary.
Early this month, Dr. Christa Adams, the regents’ first choice, withdrew her application.
Lizama said Armstrong also possesses many years of leadership experience in higher education.
“As I’ve indicated, the board of regents is cognizant of its important obligation to expeditiously hire a president and how that decision impacts the college’s compliance with certain accreditation standards and eligibility requirements,” Lizama added.
He said the board will continue to move forward with the process and find a president who will best lead the college.
The presidential search committee earlier announced there were 31 individuals who had applied for the NMC presidency.
The applications were screened by the Association of Community College Trustees, a nonprofit educational association tapped by the NMC regents to assist in the initial stages of the presidential search process, including the background searches of the final candidates.
