Mesalands repeals vaccination mandate

The Mesalands Community College board of trustees last week essentially repealed the college’s new COVID-19 vaccination mandate in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision on the matter.

The board during its Jan. 18 videoconference meeting also gave Mesalands President Gregg Busch the authority to make immediate changes to COVID-19 policies if the state imposes its own vaccination mandate. The high court, Busch said, allowed states to set their own mandates, but not at the federal level except for health-care workers.

Busch said the new policy adopted by the board would replace language about the mandate by stating a full COVID-19 vaccination for staff and students is “strongly encouraged” but not required.

The policy also recommends students and staff wear N95 masks, which is the only effective protection against the highly contagious Omicron variant that is spreading fast across New Mexico and the nation. The college also will urge social distancing, washing hands and other usual preventative measures.

Busch said New Mexico’s state government has been “quiet” in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Jan. 13 ruling that blocked federal vaccine-or-testing requirements for large employers, of which Mesalands qualifies. The high court allowed vaccination mandates for healthcare workers at facilities that receive federal money.

Busch said he didn’t want to wait to act on the college’s vaccination policy to see what the state might do.

“I don’t believe Mesalands is in a position to get into the fray of whether it is a federal or state issue,” he said.

Board Chairman Jim Streetman, noting the situation is “fluid” due to disruptions being caused by the Omicron variant and the possibility the state might impose its own mandate, recommended Busch and his administration be given “the tools to change policy as needed” so the college wouldn’t have to wait until a board of trustees meeting to act. Board members agreed with Streetman’s suggestion and added it to the motion.

Board member Tom Sidwell asked whether Busch had considered natural immunity from the virus in the policy. Busch replied the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states natural immunity after a COVID-19 infection lasts only about 90 days. He said an unvaccinated person who contracts the Omicron variant could face life-threatening problems, while most vaccinated people experience only a mild illness.

The board voted 4-1 during a special meeting Dec. 30 the impose the now-defunct vaccination mandate. The policy stated students and faculty must receive a booster dose if they completed their initial series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccines before June 1 or the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine before Oct. 1 and provide documentation of the booster before Jan. 18.

Busch said in meetings earlier in the fall that he was reluctant to impose a vaccination mandate because many students opposed it.

On a related note, the board officially approved Busch’s emergency order to not start classes until Jan. 31 at the earliest due to the spread of Omicron. The board also approved a revision in the academic calendar to reflect the change.

The college’s spring semester will be extended by one week, with commencement on May 13.

Busch said the semester’s start date may be adjusted again if mass closings are occurring due to the variant.

Answering a question by Streetman, Busch said his original plan was to eliminate spring break. However, Busch said faculty members said they could retain spring break by lengthening their classes by an additional 15 minutes per session.

In other action:

• Busch said the college was about to sign sponsorship paperwork with Pepsi that would earn “tens of thousands of dollars,” plus additional income from selling Pepsi products.

Busch said the college also was seeking sponsorships with Under Armor and BSN Sports for its sports programs.

• Busch said officials at a recent New Mexico Higher Education Department capital projects committee meeting praised and approved $1.2 million in renovations to Building A that would have the front of the building face 11th Street. He said contractors for renovations on the building were being lined up, and he anticipated construction would begin by mid-February.

• Josh McVey, vice president of public relations, gave the fall 2021 persistence report. It stated a 62.5% drop in failing grades. The number of students who made the Vice President’s List due to academic achievement more than tripled.

• Mary Beth Busch of the Center for Workforce Development said her office found personnel and equipment needed for commercial driver’s license, or CDL, skills testing. She said the college also was looking at adding training for paramedics and emergency medical technicians.

• The board was introduced to several new faculty members: psychology professor Catheryn Orive, political science professor Nicholas Busch, history professor Stephen Edwards and Hispanic outreach coordinator Maria Haase.

• The board discussed a New Mexico Secretary of State addressed to former president John Groesbeck. The letter states college officials need to file an annual financial disclosure statement by Jan. 31 or face fines. Busch said it was unclear whether the members of the board of trustees were subject to such requirements. He said he would contact the office to verify that.

• The board meet for about 10 minutes in closed executive session for personnel matters and Busch’s evaluation. No action was taken when open session resumed.