Message from the President: DACA students

Dear faculty, staff and students, Today Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the administration was rescinding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).  He provided Congress six months to enact legislation that would reform immigration.  At Western New Mexico University we have a number of DACA students who are worried about what happens next. As president of this university my job is to provide leadership that promotes our university, positions it for the future, and ensures a quality education for all who pass through our doors.  Over thirty years ago I decided to become an educator.  I did so because through education I, along with thousands of others, can change the world for the better. I did not go into education because I wished to be an extension of immigration enforcement.  I went into education simply to teach whomever I could without care for their immigration status, their ethnicity, their gender, or any other attribute associated with...

Voting for the future of our community

Every two years you can directly impact our communities in a positive way through the passage of bonds for our colleges and universities. This election, General Obligation Bond C (GO Bond C) is on the ballot. Bond C asks voters to set aside more than $131 million in higher education funding to colleges and universities across the state, with no increases to taxes. If passed, this year’s GO Bond C will allocate $5 million to Western New Mexico University which will be used to invest in important infrastructure updates across campus as well as continue the renovations on the science building. The passage of Bond C will create jobs and boost our local economy. It will all be done without the increase of taxes. The improvements provided through projects generated by Bond C monies will mean that companies will be able to hire contractors and construction crews who will then spend their wages in our local communities which benefits all. Small and large businesses throughout...

President’s Blog: September 2016

Dear faculty and staff, At Tuesday’s Board of Regents meeting, I was honored with a very favorable evaluation. I truly believe that this is a reflection not of me, but of each of you and how you have made this university a better place. Over the last several years we have become a more community-focused institution that is moving in the direction of embracing our uniqueness and caring for both our students and our community. We are being progressive with confronting the realities of higher education and preparing for our future by challenging the status quo and identifying what it means to be distinctive. It has not been an easy journey as we struggle with the financial realities of the present moment. But each of you, in your own individual way, has contributed positively to the overall well-being of this wonderful institution where people can transform their lives through education. Unfortunately, in spite of our tremendous progress, the financial crisis facing the State of...

President’s Blog: August 2016

I often get asked what makes Western New Mexico University unique. Though we have excellent degree programs that can compete against any university, the answer is not our degree offerings. Western New Mexico University is known for our people and what we do for people. We are more like a private university, but at a public price. We are the university that is known for the first, second and third chances. The place where babies can begin their first developmental moments in our nationally accredited early childhood learning lab, and the place where senior citizens can continue enriching the mind through lifelong learning. We are known for educating people from birth through death. A place where you can get your High School Equivalency Diploma, your Associates of Arts degree, your Bachelor’s degree or your Master’s degree. We are a place where we are first educators before anything else. There are thousands of universities tucked away in small foothills and beautiful parts of...

In Memoriam: Linda Kay Jones

From The President's Desk It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news that Linda Kay Jones died this morning after a lengthy battle with cancer. Linda Kay had an accomplished and distinguished history of serving in various leadership positions throughout Grant County and New Mexico prior to joining the Western New Mexico University team, ten years ago today. Linda Kay began her career at WNMU as Special Assistant to the President for Institutional Advancement before becoming the Vice President for Advancement in 2008. She served the University in this leadership role until 2013 when she became the Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Initiatives. During her tenure at the University, Linda Kay was a strong advocate for economic development. She led numerous endeavors including raising funds to help build the Global Resource Center and the development of the statewide New Mexico Economic Development Course. While her achievements were vast, they were...