Notes from November 1998 Regents Meeting

Regents’ meeting, November 13, 1998

Ann Murphy Daily

Bill Grüner

Sid Gutierrez

Randy Horn

Robert Taylor

Minutes from the October 16 and November 9 meetings were approved.

Dr. Daniel H. López presented a briefing on the various assessment efforts underway at New Mexico Tech, including the regental priorities, the strategic planning process, the Industrial Advisory Committee report, and the Council of University Presidents performance effectiveness plan. The major thrusts identified by these processes include:

• Complete strategic plan update
• Increase and manage enrollment
• Improve recruitment
• Increase retention
• Improve student quality of life
• Address allocation of financial resources
• Examine program productivity
• Increase support from alumni and development efforts
• Increase outreach
• Improve communication within the university
• Encourage and stimulate interaction among academic departments and research entities

López reported that the strategic planning process was proceeding on schedule. The planning team has reached consensus on the challenges that New Mexico Tech faces and adopted two new core values--leadership and service. The current focus in the process is on developing and setting priorities on strategies to address the identified challenges.

López invited Dr. Dave Johnson, a member of the strategic planning team, to also comment on the progress of the planning process. Johnson assured the board that all members of the team are especially concerned about recruiting and retaining students, as well as with improving the student quality of life, and that no one was fighting to preserve the status quo.

Regent Sid Gutierrez expressed the importance the board is placing on the strategic plan. The board agreed to schedule a working session to review the plan when it is closer to completion.

López reported that preliminary enrollment data shows that overall applications to New Mexico Tech are up substantially, but the number of students who have paid deposits is down somewhat. López emphasized that the data is very preliminary.

López also announced that the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) will be on campus the week of Nov. 16 to review Tech's engineering programs.

Dr. Van Romero, vice president of research and economic development, briefed the regents on the first counter-terrorism class held Nov. 9 through 12 on the Socorro campus. First responders from Seattle, St. Louis, Chicago, and Fairfax County, Virginia, as well as New Mexico attended the Department of Justice course. Romero praised the administration and staff of the Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center (EMRTC) for an "outstanding job."

Dr. Mark P. Cal was appointed assistant professor of environmental engineering. Cal has been working at Tech since the spring 1998 semester in a non-tenure-track position.

T. M. Whitworth was granted tenure as a hydrogeologist for the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources. Bureau Director Chuck Chapin praised Whitworth, who has been on the staff for five years, as a "very productive and valuable member" of the Bureau.

Vannetta Perry, coordinator of educational outreach, briefed the regents on Tech’s Master of Science Teaching (MST) program. The program began in 1969 with the goal of improving pre-college science and mathematical instruction in the state of New Mexico. High school teachers receive high quality graduate education in science, engineering, math, and technology through content-focused classes, which are taught both in a laboratory setting and in field experiments. In addition to four two-week sessions each summer, Tech now offers fall and spring courses via distance education and on-site at Albuquerque Academy. Perry hopes to double the size of the program, graduating 20 to 30 teachers per year, and expand the courses offered through distance learning.

The regents approved bids for telecommunication materials and parts from Graybar and Anixter. Tech expects to spend an estimated $306,000 per year for telecommunication material over the next three years.

Vice president Denny Peterson reviewed the income and expense summary for the fiscal year-to-date. Peterson expressed concern over the EMRTC deficit and detailed plans to bring the deficit under control.

EMRTC received permission from the regents to declare four stainless steel tanks that are no longer being used as excess property and exchange them for a steel bunker. The tanks are worth about $20,000, but it would cost about $13,000 to remove them from the campus site. The bunker, which is being acquired as a result of the trade, is valued at about $15,000. This transaction, then, results in a net gain of $8,000 for Tech.

The board approved a vehicle use policy that expands the definition of "employee" to include those using Institute vehicles for any official campus or off-campus function so that students or other guests driving or being transported in Tech vehicles will be covered under risk management.

Tech attorney Mark Adams presented a revision to Tech’s Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act to bring the Institute’s policy in line with the current federal law. The regents approved the revision.

Gutierrez received a letter from the board of regents at Eastern New Mexico University proposing the expansion of the boards of regents from five to seven members. Tech regents weren't inclined to support the proposal.

Regent Robert Taylor reported on a meeting of regents from throughout New Mexico and commended the Bureau for the "excellent briefing" given to the board before the public meeting.

Taylor also recommended that the administration draft a policy to ensure that all publications throughout the Institute reflect their association with New Mexico Tech.

Regent Ann Murphy Daily reminded the board that the November meeting was Student Regent Bill Grüner’s last meeting. The regents expressed their appreciation for the perspective Grüner brought to the board, as well as the extra load he carried while completing his studies at Tech.