Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
In the wake of a 14% increase in enrollment this fall, Mesalands Community College’s vice president of student affairs presented an updated five-year enrollment management plan that seeks to avoid an “enrollment cliff” many colleges and universities are forecast to encounter.
Many higher-learning institutions are bracing for when the number of high-school graduates is expected to peak in 2025 or 2026, then decline for many of the following years. The U.S. saw a falloff in its birthrates after the 2008 recession.
Josh McVey told the college’s board of trustees during its Oct. 15 meeting that Mesalands faculty will be asked to do at least two recruiting trips to bolster its enrollment numbers.
He also said the college’s dual-credit programs can serve as a pathway to earning workforce certifications into certain fields, such as wind-power technician and nursing positions.
“It’s a bridge into a smooth transition to a career or academics,” he said.
Citing U.S. Department of Labor projections, McVey said wind energy and nursing will see growth in employment of 60% and 40% respectively.
McVey highlighted a few items in his report, including:
— The number of full-time students at Mesalands more than doubled in 2022.
— Mesalands’ student population is about 70% male and 30% female. The college saw an increase in women enrollees in 2022, but the number of male students rose again in 2023.
— The number of Hispanic or Latinx students rose nearly 50% in 2022. “We consider this moving in the right direction,” the report stated.
— The college did not meet its enrollment goal in 2023 partly because it lost its partnership with FieldCore due to the company closing. However, the college has a partnership with Impact Wind and are seeing enrollment rise with it. McVey said the college is meeting with other potential energy partners.
Mesalands President Allen Moss said the lack of student housing remains “an issue,” but he said the college’s foundation is looking into addressing that.
Board Chairman Richard Primrose praised the college’s focus of training people in Tucumcari for certain trades.
“I think this management plan is very good … lots of good information,” he said.
McVey said early enrollment for the spring semester would begin this week.
In other business:
— During his president’s report, Moss said Judy Scharmer, a consultant with the business office, recently completed a report of actuals for fiscal year 2024 and found Mesalands is looking at a $500,000 surplus.
Moss stated in his earlier update it appeared the college would finish that fiscal year with a $30,000 deficit. Mesalands saw a $2 million deficit in 2022-2023.
Moss said the updated number is “great news” because it doesn’t factor in the lack of supplemental funding for the nursing program, for which he estimated Mesalands is spending $250,000 to $300,000 annually.
“I feel like we’re doing pretty well,” Moss said of the college’s finances. “We’re holding on to a tight budget.”
Moss said draft findings for the 2023 audit would be finished in a few weeks. He said the board may need to schedule a special meeting for an exit conference with the auditor.
Moss also stated in his report the Higher Education Department is recommending $750,000 in capital funding for the college to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration committee. Mesalands had requested $990,000, but he noted it was “better than the zero from last year!”
— The board approved a purchase requisition of $50,480 to install Canvas as the college’s learning management system. It would be paid from the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic, plus digital learning fees.
Joel Kiser, vice president of academic affairs, said Mesalands uses a free version of Moodle as its learning management system, but it is limited in its capabilities.
After a cost analysis and consulting with faculty, Kiser recommended Canvas because many universities, high-school students and prison inmates use it.
Kiser said Canvas also offers remade course shells shared by many colleges. He said it also works well with the college’s Jenzabar platform.
— Citing faculty and staff successes, Kiser said history professor Stephen Edwards is featured in a new book, “Playing at War: Identity and Memory in Civil War Games.”
He said Nikki Vazquez developed a process so students at state prisons could conduct research for their coursework.
— Mark Martinez, executive director of operations and procurement, said roof replacements on Building E and Building A likely would be scheduled within a few weeks. He also said HVAC units also would be replaced on Building A and the former armory later this month.
— Martinez said a circuit board and tools have been ordered to repair the college’s wind turbine. He expects those to arrive in the next two to three weeks.
In his report, McVey said U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich’s office sent “positive” signals about possibly funding up to $4 million to repower the turbine.
— McVey said Leeward Renewable Energy, which is developing a wind farm in southern Quay County, is meeting with Moss about possibly supporting or developing the wind program.
— Martinez said repairs to a 15-passenger van is being covered by insurance. He said Phil Bidegain, a member of the foundation, donated a pull-behind trailer for the use of the golf team during road tournaments.
— Moss said the fall rodeo drew an estimated 300 spectators. McVey said the college sold tickets to the event for the first time this year and sold 25.
— During the chairman’s report, Primrose thanked faculty and staff for devoting their time to attend events in the city and county, though they are busy.