SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – A multimillion-dollar severance package for a controversial New Mexico higher ed president has ignited outrage amongst the state's top elected officials. Now, a New Mexico lawmaker said it's time for university regents to get a lot more training.   Story continues below Community: Pillar of Albuquerque cycling community killed in hit and run Entertainment: ABQ city councilors request funding for playscape at balloon museum Crime: Will Couy Griffin accept a pardon for his Jan. 6th conviction? The Democrat behind the bill said that while it's not directly tied to the Western New Mexico University buyout scandal, new requirements could help university regents avoid similar messes in the future.  "Better trainings, I mean so that we're not treating this like just a reward for a donor, but rather a place of excellence," said Senator Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces).  Sen. Steinborn said it's time to overhaul the way university regents are trained for their jobs. He's behind a new bill requiring all regents to take ten hours of training in their first year. "So, these schools manage a multi-hundred-dollar budget. How much experience and training have they been given on that kind of a budget before they walk in? This would be something that would give them you know some high-level training," said Sen. Steinborn.  The training would be developed by the Higher Education Department and include lessons on university financial management, ethics training, and open meetings laws. "You need to be aware of laws in this state regarding open meetings, how decisions are made, best practices with ethics and transparency. These things go hand in hand because sometimes what we see is golden parachute deals, we see them made behind closed doors," said Sen. Steinborn.  Steinborn said he did not write the bill because of what happened at Western New Mexico University where president Joseph Shepard stepped down amid a spending scandal but was given a $2 million severance package from their board of regents. However, Sen. Steinborn said that the case is a reminder to do more. "We'll see a management challenge in any organization at one time or another but when you have those and you haven't vetted candidates and you haven't put in training then it kind of just shines a light on well why didn't we do more to prepare them to make better decisions," said Sen. Steinborn.  The governor's office demanded the resignation of Western New Mexico University's regents after the buyout. They told KRQE News 13 that they're still analyzing Sen. Steinborn's bill. He said he's also working on a constitutional amendment to create commissions that would nominate board of regents to recommend to the governor.