MCC board won't yet commit to partnerships

The board of trustees for Mesalands Community College came to a consensus it was too early to commit to pursuing additional partnerships or a merger with a four-year institution, including possibly Eastern New Mexico University.

Mesalands’ interim president Allen Moss asked the trustees during their Aug. 22 meeting for input regarding a response letter he was writing to state Sen. George Munoz (D-Gallup).

Munoz, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, in late July wrote letters to Mesalands, ENMU and New Mexico State University, asking them consider a partnership or merger with the financially troubled Tucumcari college. He asked for responses by this week.

Board Chairman Richard Primrose said he didn’t want to make a decision on potential partnerships until Mesalands completes its audits, plus undergoes an economic impact study planned by the state’s Higher Education Department later this year.

After that, the board can assess that possibility, he said.

Board member Jimmy Sandoval said he agreed with Primrose and took his viewpoint one step further.

“As for my part, I don’t want to partner with nobody,” Sandoval said.

Board member Phillip Box also said it was “premature” to talk about any partnership. Box noted the college was busy dealing with the first few weeks of classes during the fall semester.

Moss said his letter would mention Mesalands’ current partnerships with Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso and Northern New Mexico College.

Board member Teresa Stephenson said Mesalands in its letter to Munoz should highlight those current partnerships.

She also cited Munoz’s letter: “It doesn’t really say he wants us to be taken over.”

Moss said he acknowledged that Mesalands needs to build articulation agreements so graduates can more easily transfer to ENMU, NMSU, University of New Mexico and Northern New Mexico College.

He said even if a takeover is recommended, the HED would have to sign off on it and be approved by the legislature and governor.

Moss said he’s had no conversations with ENMU officials, though he briefly talked to Jay Gogue, NMSU’s interim president.

Board members advised Moss to list the steps the college has taken to stabilize its finances.

Earlier in the meeting, Moss said a state auditor visited the college the previous week and that the fiscal-year 2022 audit should be finished “fairly soon.”

After that, the college must undergo an FY2023 audit and a special audit.

As part of cost-cutting moves, Moss said Mesalands has reduced its number of dual-enrollment students by about a third, mainly shedding Texico, Dexter and Moriarty.

He said the college would concentrate instead on about 100 students total in Tucumcari, Logan, San Jon, Clayton, Des Moines, Roy, Mosquero and Santa Rosa.

Mesalands also cut back on its programs with state prisons.

Moss said the college has to remain conservative with its finances.

“We have to look at every dollar we spend,” Moss said.

Meanwhile, on-campus enrollment has risen about 14% this fall, reported Josh McVey, vice president of student affairs.

The board approved the quarterly financial actions and certification report, plus the July financial report, that are being submitted to state overseers.

Moss said a number of employees left in recent months after the college’s financial troubles became apparent. He said current employees are “feeling the strain” of assuming additional duties, and he thanked them for their efforts during the opening weeks of the fall semester.

Moss also noted Mesalands has not raised tuition rates in at least two years. He said other universities and colleges have imposed tuition hikes in the wake of the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship program, which may irk some legislators.

In other business:

— Mesalands has closed its wind energy building indefinitely while it waits for repairs from the May 25 hailstorm. Classes there have been moved to other sites on campus.

Mark Martinez, executive director of operations and procurement, said delays in insurance settlements and repairs to campus buildings after the storm have been “very disappointing.”

Box expressed concern the college’s insurer might reject future claims that might occur due to its own delays.

— Janet Griffiths, faculty senate president, and Dean Garcia, staff senate president, each said employees have expressed more confidence in the college righting its ship financially.

“Everyone’s concerns have gone down compared to six months ago,” Garcia said.

— Moss said employee training during reimplementation of the Janzabar computer program dropped while the college prepared for the opening of the fall semester.

Moss said, however, that HED and the college will “push” to have Jenzabar reimplementation completed sooner than the projected two years. He said he hopes to have payroll incorporated into the program by Jan. 1.

— The board briefly discussed a $500,000 state grant to the college to provide child daycare. Moss said the college has reached out to Tucumcari Public Schools and Head Start about possible partnerships.

However, the college’s armory building remains unavailable for such a service because it is being leased by Paulita’s New Mexico.

— Joel Kiser, vice president of academic affairs, said the college received a $128,000 grant to make its foundry more “carbon friendly” and efficient.

— Primrose said the inaugural Mesalands Stampede Golf Tournament at Tucumcari Municipal Golf Course netted $6,200 for the college’s foundation.

— The board spent more than an hour in closed executive session with an attorney to discuss limited personnel matters or possible litigation. No action was taken when open session resumed.