Regents Minutes - May 2011

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Board of Regents

1:30 p.m., May 13, 2011

New Mexico Tech, Macey Center, Galena Room

Socorro, New Mexico

MINUTES

The New Mexico Tech Board of Regents convened at 1:30 p.m., with Regent Richard Carpenter presiding.  Other Board members present were Regent Jerry Armijo, Regent Deborah Peacock, Regent Abe Silver, Jr. and Regent Omar Soliman.  University administrators, staff, and guests who were also present included:

4. Announcements

Regent Carpenter called on President López for announcements and he outlined the following:

• Enrollment Update:  The enrollment numbers are improving, reported President López, with an increase in paid applications to date when compared with this time a year ago.  Paid applications stand at 1415 for the month ending April 30, compared with 1294 for the corresponding month ending of the previous year.  Efforts continue to increase the number of paid applicants.  Vice President Melissa Jaramillo also reported that student housing is fast approaching full capacity, with approximately 40 beds available for fall enrollment.
• Hot Water-Loop Progress Report:  Dr. López reported that the hot water-loop project is nearing completion and is fully operational.  Vice President Marquez, in addition, stated that some maintenance is on going, and landscaping still needs to be completed in connection with the project.   He added that the entire project should be completed by the end of July.
• New Funding Formula:  Dr. López stated that a taskforce has been named and it has been tasked with coming up with a new funding formula for higher education.  Dr. López, as part of the effort, will chair a sub-committee which will provide input on behalf of the research universities.   A draft formula must be prepared and submitted to the Legislative Finance Committee by October 15, 2011. 
• New Mexico Tech Research Foundation:  Dr. López requested a delay in presenting a status and financial report of the New Mexico Tech Research Foundation.  He suggested that the August meeting, with the Board’s concurrence, would be a more suitable opportunity to present a full report to the Board by the Director of the Foundation, and, thereafter, try to provide a Foundation status quarterly update to the Board of Regents throughout the year. 
• Graduation:  Dr. López provided the Board with an itinerary of the scheduled May 2011 events for the annual two-day graduation ceremonies.
• Child Care Center:  Dr. López reported that construction had commenced on the new child care center.  It is expected the center will be completed by January 2012.

Other

Dr. López had nothing else to report.

6. Degree Conferrals for April 2011:  Dr. López presented the list of four candidates eligible to receive their master’s degrees.  Dr. López reported on this agenda item simply to keep the Board fully informed, but no action was required for approving these degrees since the Board had previously vested the President with the authority to periodically confer degrees. 

Restricted Fund Purchase Notification:  Dr. López provided the single April restricted expenditure exceeding $100,000.00.  While this agenda item did not require Board approval, it was provided, nonetheless, for information purposes.  The item involved a change order made by EMRTC to the  Command Post Technologies, Inc. contract for support of the EMRTC/Playas Training Center in order to facilitate strategic planning activities and program management with regard to the 3 – 1 AD exercises taking place at PTRC from April 19, 2011 to May 15, 2011.  The funding for this program change order is from ARFB10 fund.  The support change order will provide contract labor services and sub-tier subcontractor services.  The change-order is priced in accordance with the Statement of Work and Corresponding Bid.

12. Request for Unrestricted Fund Purchase Exceeding $250,000.00:  Dr. López presented a request to grant Altura Communications the contract to upgrade the current telephone system.  The request was based on a bid process conducted by the State which includes and qualifies Altura as an eligible contractor under the General Service Administration (GSA) contract pricing agreement.  The estimated cost will be about $259,424.24 for equipment and installation services. 

Regent Soliman asked if the award included removal of the phones by Altura or by Tech.  Vice President Marquez replied Tech is to remove the phones and not the contractor, Altura. 

Regent Armijo moved to approve the award.  Regent Silver seconded the motion and it was unanimously approved.

Regent Armijo asked about the status of the August retreat.  Regent Carpenter told the Board members that the Retreat will take place in Albuquerque and that it will begin with a dinner on Thursday evening. Retreat business will be conducted Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, following the Friday morning regular Bard of Regents meeting.  A field trip, Friday afternoon, to a yet-to-be-determined destination, will be part of the schedule for the Board Retreat.  On Saturday, after the Retreat, participants will be free to leave around the noon hour. 

19. Adjournment:  Although the agenda provided for a possible Executive Session, under agenda items 17 and 18, there was no business to consider in Executive Session.  As a result, the Board skipped items 17 and 18, and in the absence if further business to come before the Board, Regent Armijo moved to adjourn the meeting.  Regent Soliman seconded the motion and it was unanimously agreed to adjourn at 2:36 p.m.