NMSU names Joseph Bull as provost, pending Board of Regents approval
NMSU has named Joseph Bull as its next provost, pending regents' approval, following a series of leadership changes in the role over the past two years.
Portland State engineering dean would step into role following recent leadership turnover at New Mexico State University
Organ Mountain News report
LAS CRUCES - New Mexico State University has named Joseph Bull as its next provost and vice president for academic affairs, pending approval from the university’s Board of Regents.
Bull currently serves as dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science at Portland State University, a role he has held since 2022.
If approved, Bull would become NMSU’s chief academic officer, overseeing academic programs, faculty and research priorities across the university.
NMSU President Valerio Ferme announced the selection Tuesday following a national search led by a university-wide committee.
Bull would take over a position that has seen multiple leadership changes in recent years.
Interim Provost Lakshmi Reddi, dean of NMSU’s College of Engineering, has served in the role since March 2024, following the resignation of former Provost Alan Shoho after less than a year in the position.
Shoho had been appointed after the 2022 termination of former provost and chief academic officer Carol Parker.
Parker later filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation by university leadership. The case was resolved in 2024 with a $445,000 settlement, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News.
Bull is an enrolled citizen of the Delaware Tribe of Indians and has been described by the university as the first Native American to serve as a dean of engineering in the United States.
Before joining Portland State, Bull held leadership and faculty roles at Tulane University and the University of Michigan.
His research focuses on ultrasound and biofluid mechanics, including work in gas embolotherapy and acoustic droplet vaporization.
Bull is a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and a Sequoyah fellow of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. He has also received national awards recognizing his work in diversity, outreach and scientific research.
Bull was selected following a national search led by a university-wide search committee co-chaired by Patricia Sullivan, interim vice president for research, creativity and economic development, and Christopher Brown, professor of geography and environmental studies and vice chair of the Faculty Senate.
"The search committee brought extraordinary care, thoughtfulness, and dedication to this process," Ferme stated in a university news release. "Their commitment to finding the right leader for NMSU reflects the very best of our community, and I am deeply grateful for their service."
Bull’s appointment must be approved by the NMSU Board of Regents before it becomes official. Bull’s salary has not yet been finalized, NMSU spokesperson Minerva Baumann told the Albuquerque Journal, though his predecessor Reddi earns $374,920 as interim provost.
Las Cruces gas prices near $4 as Easter travel begins — Prices are climbing across the region, but some stations are still offering significantly lower prices than others across the city.
New gun-tracing system gives investigators faster leads in Doña Ana County — Officials say new technology is already helping connect shootings and generate investigative leads across jurisdictions.
Las Cruces woman accused of pointing gun-like lighter at four people in park — Police say the incident at La Llorona Park prompted a response after multiple people reported being threatened.
