James L. Oblinger is now a finalist for the post of president at New Mexico State University, according to a New Mexico State University press release.

Oblinger is N.C. State’s former chancellor who resigned this summer in a scandal over the hiring and pay of the former governor’s wife Mary Easley — who was hired as “executive-in-residence” in 2005 and received an 88-percent salary increase, making her pay $170,000.

Additionally, former Board of Trustees Chairman McQueen Campbell and former Provost Larry Nielsen resigned amid that controversy as well as controversy surrounding their obtaining political favors from the former governor Mike Easley.

Oblinger was also questioned for the payout he negotiated with Nielsen after his resignation.

Joining Oblinger on the list of finalists is Richard H. Herman who resigned from his post as chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign over a scandal involving the university’s preferential admissions acceptance for “politically-connected” candidates.

However, the New Mexico State University president search advisory committee chair, Del Archuleta, seemed to remain optimistic.

“It is our belief that each finalist has a strong record of positive accomplishments and should advance to the next stage,” Archuleta said in a New Mexico State University press release. “Through the interview process we fully expect that the community will question the candidates and research their backgrounds. We are confident that the discussions will be open and candid. This process will serve to identify the best leader for NMSU.”

Other finalists include Barbara Couture, senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Michael Oritz, president of California State Polytechnic University; and Lisa Rossbacher, president of Southern Polytechnic State University in Georgia.

Continue reading Technician for more on this developing story. You can also check out New Mexico State University’s Web site at http://www.nmsu.edu/.