Notes from November 1997 Regents Meeting
The New Mexico Tech Board of Regents held its monthly meeting on
Monday, October 3. Four of the regents were present:
- William Gruner
- Sidney Gutierrez
- Randall Horn
- Chuck Zimmerly
Sid Gutierrez served as chairman during the meeting.
Tech President Dan Lopez announced that two professors will be on
sabbatical leave during 1998--Dr. Jim Corey, spring semester, and
Dr. Bill Lyons, fall semester.
(Return to agenda)
Dr. Lopez reported that the Excellence in Higher Education
Committee, which began with a comprehensive agenda to restructure
and "reinvent" higher education, has "lowered its sights" after
hearing from faculty, staff, students, and administration. The
committee will probably include distance education in the package
it presents to the State Legislature, according to Lopez.
(Return to agenda)
Extremely preliminary figures show that as of the end of October,
23 prospective students had paid deposits, compared to 12 paid
deposits last year at the same time.
(Return to agenda)
Director of Admission Melissa Jaramillo-Fleming briefed the
regents on Tech's Comprehensive Enrollment Plan. Strategies
enumerated in the plan include:
- Increase recruitment efforts in states that are members of
the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
- Recruit more high-ability students.
- Involve more faculty members in outreach programs to New
Mexico community colleges.
- Strengthen relationships with MESA advisors and staff.
- Focus on adult returning students.
- Increase international student enrollment.
(Return to agenda)
Vice President Denny Peterson reported that Tech has the
opportunity to buy as many as 575 additional acre-feet of water
rights. Tech currently owns about 1,480 acre-feet and is using
almost that full allotment. If approved by the State Engineer,
the cost would be about $1.5 million. Peterson cautioned that
the State Engineer will probably not recognize all the water
rights claimed by the sellers and therefore reducing the
available purchase allotment to Tech. This will restrict the
university to about 200 additional acre-feet, for a cost of about
$500,000. Because Tech has already set aside about $485,000 for
the purchase of water rights, the regents approved the
expenditure of up to an additional $1 million.
(Return to agenda)
Mr. Peterson announced that most departments and programs are
within budget for the first quarter of the financial year and
that carry-forward debt was substantially reduced.
(Return to agenda)
Student Regent Bill Gruner announced that he had recently
attended a meeting in which student regents from all the state's
universities put together a legislative presentation which will
be given at the next state legislature. Key points include:
- adequate compensation for faculty, staff, and graduate
students
- the individuality of each of New Mexico's six universities
- the importance of education as opposed to training
(Return to agenda)
Carlos Romero, Tech student and chairman of ASNM, reported on the
recent ASNM meeting held here at Tech. ASNM members put together
a presentation for the next state legislature dealing with
faculty compensation, increased student stipends, and distance
learning.
(Return to agenda)
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