Mesalands enrollment rises 14%

One of the vice presidents for Mesalands Community College reported a substantial increase in student enrollment compared to a year ago.

Josh McVey, vice president of student affairs, reported to the board of trustees last Tuesday that total enrollment was 553 as of Sept. 11.

He said that was a 14% increase compared to the same time in the fall semester of 2023.

“There are more enrollments coming in,” McVey added in his written report to the board.

“That’s great,” board of trustees Chairman Richard Primrose said, noting the state’s Higher Education Department was wanting Mesalands to boost its enrollment numbers.

McVey also said the college is working to re-establish programs that encourage more students to stay with classes and that faculty or staff were following up with absent students or those who need emergency services.

He said the college also has hired its first student recruiter in three years.

In other business:

— Answering a question from Primrose, director of business office services Rachelle Arias said a $17,000 item on an expense report was a lawsuit settlement with Rose Brito, a former administrative assistant to former vice president of academic affairs Natalie Gillard.

Brito, Gillard and Donna Garcia, former professor of sociology and social work, sued the college after they were fired in May 2022 during the tenure of former Mesalands president Gregory Busch.

Mesalands President Allen Moss, appearing by videoconference during the meeting because he was attending conferences in Albuquerque, said settlements on the outstanding lawsuits soon will be finalized and reimbursed by the college’s insurer.

Another former Mesalands employee fired during that time, athletic director Milan Rasic, received an $80,000 settlement in April from his lawsuit.

Busch left Tucumcari shortly after the executive team, staff senate and faculty senate issued no-confidence votes against him in February 2023. He had been accused of hiding the college’s dire financial condition from the public and threatening to fire employees if they revealed it.

Busch resigned weeks later.

— During approval of the August 2024 financial report, Moss said the college was maintaining a good cash balance.

“My overall view is we’re doing really well compared to last year,” he said.

Moss stated in his written report, however, “we still are having some issues with the audit,” especially with student records for 2022-2023.

He stated that business office staff have been working with the auditor to resolve that.

— Moss stated in his report the college will be allotted $300,000 annually in workforce funding for the next three years.

He said he wants to use those funds to support Mesalands’ commercial driver’s license, nursing and wind-energy programs.

— Mesalands’ adult-education program recently was honored for having the highest measurable skill gains for English-as-second-language students, said Joel Kiser, vice president of academic affairs.

Its 63% gain was the highest among the state’s 26 programs, according to the award given by HED Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez and Amber Gallup, director of the adult education division.

The board applauded Dean Garcia, who oversees the college’s adult-education program.

Moss called the award “an amazing accomplishment.”

— Garcia said five students had completed high-school equivalency courses.

Garcia said many of those students are younger and simply want to finish their schooling early.

He also said 19 students have enrolled in English-as-a-second-language courses, with four more being pretested.

— Kiser said Nikki Vazquez, director of the college’s library, gained access to 336 e-books as part of efforts to acquire more digital materials for students.

Kiser said the acquisitions not only would help students with their research, it would help with distance-learning and the college’s accreditation.

“I look for the digital library to grow in the next few years,” he said.

— The board approved a $20,950 purchase requisition with Mike Johnson of Rawhide Rodeo in Claude, Texas, to provide stock animals, an announcer and other support for the college’s annual rodeo on Oct. 11-12.

— McVey said Leeward Energy, which is developing a wind farm near San Jon in southern Quay County, has contacted the college about possible future support to the wind program.

— Mark Martinez, executive director of operations and procurement, said roof replacement has begun on Building E, used for the wind-energy program. He also is looking into an insurance settlement for the roof over the library.