The Western New Mexico University Board of Regents met for its annual spring meeting on Thursday, May 12 at the Silver City campus.
The Board approved several items and listened to updates on university initiatives.
An approval on tuition and fees for the upcoming academic year was passed unanimously. Tuition rates will remain the same as the current year. A small increase in student fees of $8.40 per credit hour, proposed by members of the Associated Students, was voted with approval.
The Tuition Guarantee program, introduced a year ago, will remain intact for incoming students. The program guarantees that there will be no tuition increase for incoming students, for eight consecutive semesters, as long as students meet some minimum requirements.
Regent members listened to a presentation by PNM representatives on a proposed photovoltaic system to be installed on campus in two locations. The system would reduce power usage by at least $38,000 per year once installed. WNMU would partner with PNM on a 25-year lease agreement with no up-front costs to the university.
The Board approved a report on the annual audit which was considered unqualified, a clean report by auditors.
Several professors were granted promotions by the Board including Dr. Benjamin Cline, Dr. Vicki Denson and Dr. Nancy Livingston-Potter who were all promoted from Assistant Professor to Associate Professor. Dr. Debra Dirksen and Dr. Leslie Shurts were promoted from Associate Professor to Professor. Dr. Benjamin Cline was granted tenure.
The Board granted emeritus status to three retiring professors including Dr. Linda Baldwin, Dr. Mary Dowse and Dr. William “Bill” Toth.
In other business, Regent members approved the current university budget and voted on planned capital and infrastructure projects.
For more information and to see video streams of past meetings, visit http://admin.wnmu.edu/bor.