Since former New Mexico State athletic director Mario Moccia was terminated for cause on Jan. 2, university donors have been divided in their opinions.
Those in opposition sent an anonymous letter to NMSU President Valerio Ferme under the group name “Community For a Stronger NMSU” eight days after Moccia’s termination. The group outlines three main grievances it has with Ferme and the university:
- Pay Moccia the remainder of the money on his former contract (which amounts to approximately $1.3 million).
- “Respect the history and culture of NMSU” by “considering” stakeholders such as alumni, students and staff members in decision-making.
- “Repair the relationship” between NMSU and its stakeholders.
The Las Cruces Sun-News received the letter from NMSU through a public records request on Jan. 21 and has since spoken to multiple individuals behind it.
The Sun-News also obtained a petition with 498 signatures, including group members, sent to Ferme on March 6. NMSU provided the names of every signee, nine of which are repeated, and include former NMSU Alumni Association President Tony Martinez and former NMSU All-American running back Larry Rose III.
The signees the Sun-News spoke to gave similar answers on why they signed the petition, which included their support for Moccia based on his accomplishments as NMSU’s AD and their belief that NMSU should pay Moccia the remainder of the money on his contract.
The petition is shorter than the original letter and includes only the group’s three main points of concern. A copy of an email sent to “supporters” of Moccia encouraging recipients to sign it was also received by the Sun-News and refers to the group as “Friends For A Stronger NMSU.” Both documents were obtained March 13 through public records requests to NMSU.
Donors involved in the Community For a Stronger NMSU who spoke with the Sun-News threatened to withdraw NMSU athletics funding if their relationship with the university further deteriorates. Primary reasons for this include a belief that Ferme has tarnished NMSU’s relationship with its donors and a lack of confidence in his leadership.
“Two-and-a-half years (after the 2022-23 NMSU men’s basketball scandals which ultimately led to Moccia’s firing), somebody comes in who had no part of it, is not part of the history of the school, ever. Nothing,” said Michael “Mickey” Clute, a member of the Community For a Stronger NMSU group. “From the outside, he comes in and makes that determination two-and-a-half years after that. Not on current knowledge, not talking to any other contemporaries that were there. Perhaps he’s talked to professors. I don’t think he talked to athletic-supporting donors.”
Another group member, Joe Bullock, said he wants to support NMSU student-athletes but his money is the “only card” he has to play in his eyes to get what he wants.
“He’s pissed off everyone on this side of the state,” Bullock said. “I think he’s already dug a hole he can’t get out of.”
Upon receiving the letter, Ferme said he immediately reached out to some of its proponents, including Clute, and found the conversations productive. He believes the group’s concerns are valid, but they underestimate his understanding of collegiate sports.
“They feel ownership because they donated to the program. They feel that without their support, certain things would not happen. They are afraid. They are concerned about the future of athletics,” Ferme said. “I keep on repeating and reminding them that I was a college athlete. I was also a college coach for six years. I understand the world of sports, so I’m not as naive as they might think.”
NMSU acting athletic director Amber Burdge told the Sun-News in January that raising $1 million in funds for the Aggie Athletic Club, NMSU’s primary athletics fundraising arm, for the 2024-25 academic year is one of her goals. This has never happened before, although last year’s record total of $946,309.34 came close.
Donors threatening to pull their funds could pose an obstacle to this goal. Clute questions whether Burdge and the AAC can reach $1 million without support from him and other letter proponents.
“Where is she going to get the money from?” Clute remarked.
However, Ferme says NMSU has received multiple large donations for athletics from donors supporting Moccia’s termination, though the Sun-News could not confirm the donors or amounts. Ferme says this is because these donors requested anonymity in their gifts.
Ferme also plans to increase fan engagement with AAC-sponsored initiatives, such as “family fundraising” events for athletics.
“That might actually be coming out very soon,” Ferme said. “These are creating some visibility for the things that we’re doing. I’ve also asked to be put into the presence of people that we know in the past have given money to athletics, and we’re just trying to see how to get them engaged and maybe (earn) some big support of athletics that is different from what they did in the past.”
Ferme says he has engaged with the NMSU and Las Cruces communities, including meeting with the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, the Borderplex Alliance and Las Cruces Public Schools Superintendent Ignacio Ruiz. He’s also appeared several NMSU sporting events, including tennis matches.
“I was told, ‘You’re the first president who has come to watch us (the tennis team) play,’” Ferme said. “I do have an interest. It’s important for me to understand the challenges that the university has in the athletic realm.”
However, some group members ultimately believe Ferme cannot make sound decisions for NMSU athletics.
“I think he’s got intelligence, but I don’t think he has leadership intelligence,” Bullock said. “I don’t think that’s leadership.”
‘Community For a Stronger NMSU’ believes Ferme acted recklessly in terminating Moccia
The group states that while Ferme can fire anyone within his authority, he acted with “arrogance” and “lacked foresight” in firing Moccia. The group requests Ferme create a group to connect him with “university stakeholders” and focus on a town-and-gown initiative to “repair” relationships.
They also believe the “abrupt” termination on Ferme’s first official workday failed to reflect NMSU’s values. Ferme officially ascended to NMSU’s presidency on Jan. 1, a federal holiday, with his first workday being Jan. 2.
Group members say these things damage the relationship between them and NMSU.
“He’s got this disconnect going on,” Bullock said. “The football team went to three bowl games (during Moccia’s tenure). He made one bad hire (former NMSU men’s basketball coach Greg Heiar, who coached the Aggies in their scandal-plagued 2022-23 season), who brought his own culture with him… that wasn’t here before. He says he’s all about humility, but he doesn’t look like it.”
Ferme says he read the report multiple times before firing Moccia and says he put much thought into his decision. He says while “tweaks” could’ve been made to the process, he doesn’t regret his decision.
“There are two ways of looking at this,” Ferme said. “One is that I still feel confident in the process, and the other one is that I’m now able to get a better perception of what is happening across the athletics unit.
“Do I feel confident that we’re moving in the right direction? I think so. There are a lot of challenges… and they continue to be here regardless of who’s in the position. We are trying to address those challenges as best we can, so I feel fine about the dynamics of it. There are always tweaks that could have been done differently. Some of the things that happened, I actually had anticipated some of them.”
‘Community For a Stronger NMSU’ wants Moccia’s for-cause designation removed
Another issue for the group is the for-cause designation for Moccia’s firing, meaning NMSU is not responsible for paying him the remaining money on his contract. The letter and petition call for this designation to be removed and for the university to pay Moccia.
Ferme outlined why he fired Moccia for cause in a Jan. 3 conference, citing a December 2024 New Mexico Department of Justice report on its investigation into NMSU men’s basketball scandals during the 2022-23 season.
However, some believe NMSU’s Office of Institutional Equity is more to blame. Clute cites parts in the NMDOJ’s report and a report from the law firm Lightfoot, Franklin & White in 2023 that criticized the OIE on its handling of hazing and sexual assault allegations within the program, while some petition signatories believe Moccia did everything he could in his response.
“We can’t take away from all the good Mario has done. When Mario was made aware of the situation, he told his superior and instructed the victim’s father to go to campus police,” said Eric Bernal, a petition signee. “Long story short, (you) can’t fire someone without cause then expect not to pay them… Me signing that petition was to support Mario and I hope he gets his money.”
Ferme also stated he acted alone in terminating Moccia when asked if he was under pressure from the New Mexico government and said his only contact with any government official about the decision was a “courtesy call” to New Mexico Higher Education Department Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez to inform her before it became public.
The Sun-News found no evidence of government officials pressuring Ferme to fire Moccia or evidence of Ferme and government officials discussing the possibility of firing Moccia through emails or text messages on government or university-issued devices from Sept. 19, 2024, when Ferme was chosen as NMSU’s next president, to Jan. 2 through several public records requests.
Moccia was approached for comment for this story on March 4 but did not respond.
Effects on Amber Burdge
Both Clute and Bullock wish Burdge well in her tenure as NMSU’s acting athletic director and say their primary grievances are with Ferme. The Sun-News requested an interview with Burdge but NMSU only provided Ferme.
Ferme says he’s been pleased with Burdge since she ascended to her position. He’s happy with how she’s reaching out to stakeholders beyond Las Cruces, such as having NMSU football’s spring game in Artesia, and how she’s building the relationship between the NMSU Foundation, a separate entity that helps the university raise money, and the NMSU athletic department.
Ferme is also impressed to see Burdge involve herself in areas beyond athletics, believing she’s bringing NMSU sports closer to other university departments.
“I am very happy with the way she’s integrated with many of the other functions of the university, participating in our executive meetings and contributing to those, working with our enrollment management, all things that I think needed to be strengthened,” Ferme said. “I’m happy about those things.”
Burdge’s acting tenure is expected to run until July, as Ferme stated on Jan. 3 that he would “reassess” NMSU’s AD position in six months and decide whether to make her the permanent AD or search for a new one.
The Las Cruces Sun-News has provided this story free of charge to inform the Las Cruces community and NMSU sports fans. Please consider supporting the Sun-News through a subscription.
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