NMSU: 'Not a good time' to pursue MCC merger

The interim president of New Mexico State University wrote to a state senator “it is not a good time” for his institution to consider a merger with financially troubled Mesalands Community College.

State Sen. George Munoz (D-Gallup) in late July wrote letters to Mesalands, Eastern New Mexico University and NMSU, urging them to consider a partnership or make the Tucumcari college a branch campus of one of the universities. He requested a response by Aug. 28.

The Quay County Sun through an open-records request obtained a copy of the written response from Jay Gogue, NMSU’s interim president.

“We have done a market analysis of the area, both from job and population growth to programs provided to students,” Gogue wrote to Munoz. “At this time there is a declining opportunity in these areas.

“With an upcoming accreditation visit in 2025, the financial watch they are under and their other challenges, it is not a good time for NMSU to assume full leadership of MCC.”

Gogue noted, however, that Mesalands offers transfer associate degrees, a dual-credit program and workforce training opportunities including a “credible” 12-week certificate in wind technology.

“NMSU would be interested in looking at ways to partner on how to transition their existing student population to a program at one of our community college campuses, the NMSU Las Cruces campus or the NMSU Global online campus,” he wrote.

“The next step would be to meet with MCC leadership to establish any articulation agreements, set the timeline and additional due diligence that would need to be completed on our end,” Gogue added. “We are committed to the work that gets done in community colleges in these small communities and would be happy to extend a deeper look at how a partnership might exist.”

However, Monica Torres, chancellor of NMSU System Community College, wrote “it is clear to me that there are some opportunities here” about possibly making Mesalands a branch campus.

Torres said Mesalands offers academic and non-academic activities that “align with significant interests” in the NMSU System. She cited certificates and degrees in business, education, digital media, criminal justice, animal science, agri-business and wind energy technology, plus a region that includes agriculture and food process in its economic development portfolio.

Torres also mentioned Mesalands’ intercollegiate rodeo team, plus its cross country, golf and esports teams.

She said NMSU already has a presence in the region with the Rex E. Kirksey Agricultural Science Center in Tucumcari and an agricultural science center in Clovis.

“Partnerships — of various kinds and to various degrees — seem quite possible and potentially mutually beneficial,” she wrote.

Torres said the factors she mentioned make a bigger relationship with Mesalands “attractive.” She said Mesalands’ offerings, plus the NMSU System’s portfolio, “potentially provides additional opportunities for residents of Quay County (and the surrounding region) as well as for the university.”

Torres wrote that articulation agreements between NMSU and Mesalands could be developed in the short term.

“If, however, we were to seriously consider the branch campus option, additional due diligence would be needed,” she wrote.

Mesalands board of trustees Chairman Richard Primose and Mesalands Interim President Allen Moss wrote to Munoz the college was not “at this time” considering an option of becoming a branch of a four-year university.

They agreed the college needed “additional and strengthened partnerships” between other higher education institutions in New Mexico.

The letter stated the college also “working to get our finances in order,” plus was working with the New Mexico State Auditor to finish 2022 and 2023 audits and a special audit by late December.

James Johnston, chancellor of ENMU and president of the Portales campus, in an email to Munoz and other members of the Senate Finance Committee signaled an open mind to Munoz’s partnership proposal but wanted logistical questions answered from lawmakers and the New Mexico Higher Education Department.

The financially distressed college earlier this year was in danger of not meeting payroll. Mesalands imposed pay cuts, eliminated several programs and received emergency funds from the state to keep it afloat.

Mesalands executive staff and faculty issued no-confidence votes against its previous president, Gregory Busch, and he left town shortly afterward. Busch submitted his resignation weeks later.

Moss soon was appointed interim president, and the college’s finances improved enough that it returned some state funds. Mesalands remains under state fiscal oversight.

Senator’s reaction

Munoz, reached by phone last week, said the genesis of his sending letters to Mesalands and two universities came after Mesalands officials approached the New Mexico Legislature late in the 2023 session, begging for emergency funds.

Munoz said Mesalands officials — he couldn’t recall who — said the college was “broke,” and they lacked information about the number of students enrolled.

“Nobody knew anything over there. There was so much chatter over there about who was doing what,” Munoz said.

In July, Mesalands officials presented a spring 2023 enrollment report. Enrollment rose to 783 students from 600 the previous year, a 30% increase.

A total of 232 students were on campus, with 63 who graduated with certifications or degrees in May.

Total students, which include those in corrections facilities, were 1,790, which was above pre-pandemic levels.

Munoz said he became more concerned about Mesalands because he has a child in rodeo who knew some of the Stampede rodeo athletes.

“My main concern is, are their credits going to transfer? Are they going to be able to go to college? What are their numbers looking like?” he said. “My concern is a two-year student in the wind program, and they suddenly lose accreditation, or the college can’t financially pay the instructor. The student would be left out there with no credits.

“Rural colleges are very important to their communities,” Munoz added. “They’re an economic driver. We need to make sure they’re viable.”

Munoz said, for now, he’ll wait to see what the forthcoming audits state about the college.

“I don’t think I can force a merger,” he said. “I think the Higher Ed Secretary will make a determination whether they can succeed or not succeed.”

Regardless, he said it bothered him that four-year universities seemed reluctant to pursue a merger with Mesalands.

“That makes me nervous,” he said.