Longtime Mesalands official retires

Natalie Gillard, vice president of academic affairs and a longtime official at Mesalands Community College, retired just before the college’s board of trustees meeting on May 17.

A glum Jim Streetman, chairman of the board, announced Gillard’s retirement after an executive session that lasted about 90 minutes. According to the meeting agenda, the closed session was to discuss personnel matters, litigation and real estate; it included the board, college President Gregory Busch, Chief of Staff Duane Brooks and lead auditor Marty Mathisen.

“She will be missed by many,” Streetman said.

Gillard was not present during the videoconference meeting, though she submitted her regular report for the month of April.

Joshua McVey, the vice president of public relations, stated Gillard’s retirement was effective immediately the night of the board meeting. He said there was no letter of resignation, and she submitted her retirement form through the state.

“We are in efforts to place an interim until we decide how and when to post the position,” McVey stated.

Gillard, contacted outside of her Tucumcari home on Thursday, declined to comment except to say her retirement had been planned “for some time” after her husband moved to Albuquerque.

Gillard’s time with Mesalands dated to 1994. She had been its vice president of academic affairs since 2010. Four years before, she was associate dean of instructional in administrative services. She began her tenure at the college as business administration lead faculty member and division chair of arts and sciences.

Twice, Gillard served as interim president of Mesalands, including from April 2020 to May 2021 when the board of trustees conducted a nationwide search for a new president.

During the meeting, Busch praised Gillard’s efforts for the New Mexico Higher Education Department’s recent approval of Mesalands’ proposed nursing program.

Busch said the only obstacle remaining is accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. Mesalands stated in a news release last week it was hopeful it could offer nursing courses by as soon as this fall.

In other business:

• The board approved an audit contract for fiscal year 2022 with CliftonLarsonAllen LLP of Albuquerque for $64,475.

• The board approved a contract with Paradise Power Co. to build a 6,000-watt solar-energy system near the wind-energy center. Jim Morgan, vice president of campus affairs, said the array would include a battery system. He said the college still has about $250,000 available for other renewable energy initiatives. The board also approved a purchase requisition with Paradise Power for $97,102 for the solar array.

• The board approved a purchase requisition with Cooperative Education Services in Albuquerque for $1.114 million in renovations for the college’s Building A.

• Mary Beth Busch, executive director of Workforce Development, said she is working on Mesalands becoming a designated testing site for commercial driver’s licenses. The nearest site is 100 miles away, she said. Mesalands began offering CDL courses again earlier this year.

• Busch introduced Patricia Crook, the new director of academic advising, counseling, mentorship and career services. Busch said Crook is a licensed mental health counselor in New Mexico and that such a service from a counselor is relatively rare even among four-year universities.