Category: Tuition Hike

Board of regents meeting at Branch realty tuesday, February 24th, 5pm

2/21/2015

The NNMC Board of Regents will hold a Finance Committee Meeting in Santa Fe at Branch Realty Commercial Advisers on Tuesday, February 24th at 5pm. This meeting, held hidden away from Rio Arriba County and the Española Valley community at Regent Michael Branch's place of business, is subject to the NM Open Meetings Act. [1]

The public and reporters may attend, record, and document the meeting in full. On the agenda at Branch Realty Commercial Advisers are: 1) Fiscal Watch Reports, 2) Budget Adjustment Request, 3) Capital Projects Updates, and 4) Residence Hall Update.

The discussion at Branch Realty Commercial Advisers will set the financial decisions for the full Board of Regents Meeting on Thursday, February 26th (see full agenda at top right), where the Regents will vote on a tuition hike and will unveil their Plan B (or is it Plan G) for building dormitories for out-of-state students as NNMC's enrollment continues to decline precipitously. Regent Michael Branch, whose term expired on December 31, 2014, tightly controls the Finance Committee and the Board of Regents. Branch's Commercial Real Estate company's ties to the multimillion dollar dorm development project (projected by NNMC Administration and no-bid consultants to cost over $16 million) is yet to be revealed.

Branch Realty Commercial Advisers is located at: 228 S. St. Francis Drive. Bldg E, Santa Fe, NM 87501. The meeting will be held in the Conference Room. Call (505) 984-8100 for directions, or call the NNMC main switchboard and request Assistant to the President, Amy Peña, who generates agendas and public notices. Ms. Peña fulfills requests for full public agendas and meeting details. NNMC main switchboard: (505) 747-2140. Assistant to NNMC President Barcelo, Amy Peña email contact: amy.pena@nnmc.edu

February 24th UPDATE: When contacted by at NNMC by phone, VP of Finance Assistant Brandi Cordova confirmed at 2:37pm that the Board of Regents Finance Committee Meeting at Branch Realty was not publicly announced, explaining: "Oh, that meeting was not announced so I am not at liberty to share that information."

In clear violation of the Open Meetings Act, the Board of Regents Finance meeting was held as scheduled at Branch Realty with NNMC Administrators and Board of Regents members in attendance. The public was barred from entry at 5pm by VP of Institutional Advancement, Ricky Serna. At left is the internally distributed meeting agenda.

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[1] Download or view full text of New Mexico’s Open Meetings Act online at: http://www.nmag.gov/consumer/publications/openmeetingsactcomplianceguide

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NNMC has NOt Attained University Status

2/20/2015

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At the January NNMC Board of Regents meeting, President Nancy "Rusty" Barcelo yielded her time for her "President’s report” to Regent Michael Branch. Branch’s term on the NNMC Board of Regents expired December 31, 2014. Branch introduced two key measures: 1) the introduction of a new Board of Regents “Academic Affairs Committee,” and 2) the “Academic Affairs Committee’s” recommendation for the name change from Northern New Mexico College to Northern New Mexico University.

Regent Branch and Board President Rosario “Chayo” Garcia violated parliamentary procedure, moving for a vote to approve a name change for the institution. The name change recommendation, states the agenda, is to be made by the “Academic Affairs Committee” (President’s Report, III.2). The declared Chair of the “Academic Affairs Committee” is stated as Regent Michael Branch, whose term expired on December 31, 2014. Regent Branch introduced the motion for the institutional name change. This motion was then voted upon. This motion and vote were both before the approval of the “Academic Affairs Committee.” Indeed, the committee, which was stated to be the recommender of an institutional name change, has yet to be voted into existence.

In addition, the vote count to approve a name change for the educational institution from Northern New Mexico College to Northern New Mexico University included Regents Branch and Herrera, whose terms expired on December 21, 2014. The vote also excluded Regent Martinez who was confronted with a forced resignation before the meeting (Regent Martinez has not resigned). And Regent President Garcia did not cast a vote. Thus, the name change to University violated parliamentary procedure in at least three ways. The vote to approve the misleading name change for the educational institution from Northern New Mexico College to Northern New Mexico University was accomplished with only one vote of a non-expired Board member—that of Regent Kevin Powers.

The responsibility to push through the NNMC Regents’ invalid voting procedures to secure a misleading name change will soon be New Mexico Senator Carlos Cisneros’. Senator Cisneros is sponsoring SB-603 endorsing the name change “for common convenience.” Of course, the name change by Barcelo and Branch is designed for common misunderstanding. See SB-603 at http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/15%20Regular/bills/senate/SB0603.pdf

Comments and/or concerns regarding SB-603 can be communicated to Senator Carlos Cisneros by phone at: (505) 670-5610 or by email at: carlos.cisneros@nmlegis.gov

The NNMC name change is purposefully misleading, an act of false advertising that will jeopardize the college as an institution. Under the present leadership, NNMC has not attained a Status Change to University. While the NNMC President Barcelo and VP Serna have quietly admitted that the name change is not meant to indicate a Status Change to University, it is clear the NNMC Administration’s intention is to mislead students, parents, funders, and the public.

In fact, the press release from the NNMC Administration regarding the name change is titled: “Northern New Mexico College becomes University” (January 27, 2015). [i] We note the deliberately misleading language: “Northern New Mexico College becomes a University,” versus the accurate: One non-expired Regent at Northern New Mexico College voted to rename the institution despite its not attaining or qualifying for University Status by any measure, according to the New Mexico Higher Education Department (NMHED), the North Central Higher Learning Committee, the official accreditation agency, or the NM Legislature.

What is University Status? Several institutions in New Mexico have worked hard to serve students and communities to attain University Status: The NM Higher Education Department has oversight of all public universities and colleges—these include three research universities, four comprehensive universities, ten branch community colleges, seven independent community colleges, and three special schools.[ii]

In order to attain University Status, institutions must offer graduate education (Northern does not), must employ a higher ratio of full-time PhD professors and Administrators (Northern’s faculty is 67-70% adjunct/part-time with a fraction holding PhDs, and several of the Northern “Executive Team” do not have degrees past Bachelor’s level, or commiserate with their responsibilities), and Northern must seek and obtain Status Change to University through the NMHED and the accreditation agency. There are several more criteria for an institutional Status Change and for this reason a proposal for Status Change to become a University is long-planned, long-sought, and long worked toward. Northern has not fulfilled any of the steps that would allow a Status Change to University and Northern does not qualify for a change to University Status by any measure.

What has prompted Barcelo’s push for a name change? After the Faculty Senate and the Student Senate voted “No Confidence” in Barcelo and her “Executive Team” last April, Barcelo went on attack, leading to the loss of over a quarter of the full-time faculty and the Directors of critical programs at both the El Rito campus and the Espanola campus. Some faculty and staffers were released via retaliatory non-renewals, others chose resignation.[iii] Local and national media covered the continued decline of Northern New Mexico College under Barcelo, and the college’s name became synonymous with incompetence, mismanagement, and practices of retaliation and favoritism.[iv]

In addition to running from the reputation that Barcelo’s Administration has earned after four disastrous years, NNMC Administrators and Regents aim to capitalize on false advertising. In an article in The Rio Grande Sun (February 19, 2015), Regent Branch explained that “although the name change does not guarantee an easier accreditation process... it will make it easier ...to obtain ...grants …more legitimacy.” Changing the college’s name, explained regent Branch, “improves the status” and will make for “a more impactful [sic] diploma.”

Thus, changing the name without attaining actual University Status is designed to create the misperception that the college is something it is not—Branch is clear that the effort is designed to deceive for the purpose of financial gain. The college will hike tuition—it’s now a University!—and the college will hope to mislead granting agencies and partners by trading on the “legitimacy” gained by claiming a fait accompli. As the NNMC press release reads, “Northern New Mexico College becomes University” (January 27, 2015). In an article published by The Journal North, Barcelo “added that it would help the institution be regarded with equal status as other state institutions, such as Western New Mexico and New Mexico Highlands.”

Yet, NNMC is not equal in Status to these institutions—indeed under Barcelo’s leadership, several programs have been cut, course offerings have fallen drastically, once healthy certificate and A.A. programs have been reduced to “continuing education” non-degree granting courses, and enrollment has fallen precipitously. But Barcelo’s hope is that a change of name/brand will give the false impression that Northern has become a University.[v]

In The Rio Grande Sun article, NNMC President Barcelo admits that “the move only changes the name of Northern and does not provide it university status,” adding “in the far future Northern administrators will strive to achieve university status.” Imagine, giving yourself credentials when you are certain you will not achieve those credentials until later… “in the far future.” Would NNMC students add the B.A. or R.N. to the end of their names if they thought they might strive to achieve those credentials later “in the far future?” Would we seek the expertise of an M.D., using those credentials, though they would not strive to complete education and training until sometime in “the far future?” What would we think of someone calling themselves "Sergeant" if they haven't earned the stripes? Will we allow Barcelo and Branch to disseminate complete falsehood, in the hopes no one is paying close attention? Do we want NNMC to be the only institution of higher education in New Mexico whose institutional name does not match its actual Status?

Such misrepresentation opens NNMC and the State of New Mexico to costly lawsuits that have been filed across the country against colleges who use deceptive marketing schemes. Indeed, the U.S. Department of Education has increased penalties for higher education institutions that draw on federal financial aid while misrepresenting programming, accreditation, graduation rates, and the quality and reputation of academic programs. Further, such misrepresentation damages NNMC's legitimacy, reputation, and its relationships with peer institutions.

With conscientious and careful leadership, perhaps NNMC could attain University Status. Under the Barcelo Administration, no such thing has occurred. NNMC President Barcelo herself predicts that only “in the far future Northern administrators will strive to achieve university status.”

In the meantime, Barcelo and Branch are asking the NM Legislature to pass SB-603, a misleading and costly name change. Every cent of false advertising and meaningless re-branding will be borne by tax payers and students, who are subject to yet another tuition hike after the February NNMC Board of Regents meeting.

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[i] “Northern New Mexico College is now a university,” T.S. Last (January 28, 2015) http://www.abqjournal.com/532997/abqnewsseeker/northern-new-mexico-college-is-now-a-university.html [ii] New Mexico Higher Education Department Report, showing NNMC’s status as a two- and four-year college. http://www.cpec.ca.gov/CompleteReports/ExternalDocuments/New_Mexico_Condition_HE_2005-2006.pdf

[iii] See “Faces of Those We’ve Lost,” http://www.nnmcstudygroup.org/blog/faces-of-those-we-have-lost and “Rash of resignations Plagues Northern New Mexico College,” The Rio Grande Sun, Ralph Chapoco (July 10, 2014) http://thenorthernissue.org/2014/07/09/a-rash-of-resignations-at-northern-new-mexico-college/

[iv] See “The academic equivalent of a corporate campaign,” The AAUP Academe Blog, Jonathan Rees (January 14, 2015) http://academeblog.org/2015/01/14/the-academic-equivalent-of-a-corporate-campaign/
and the link to a sampling of the media coverage in AAUP’s Academe Blog, Inside Higher Ed, The Journal North, New Mexico Watchdog, The Rio Grande Sun, The Santa Fe New Mexican, and the University Herald: http://www.nnmcstudygroup.org/media.html [v] “Northern New Mexico College is now a university,” T.S. Last (January 28, 2015) http://www.abqjournal.com/532997/abqnewsseeker/northern-new-mexico-college-is-now-a-university.html

Below: The beginning of the cost of re-branding

Note that much of the Northern New Mexico College promotional merchandise (that would need to be destroyed and replaced) has been paid for with Federal and State grant dollars. For instance, tens of thousands of dollars of branded Northern New Mexico College jumpdrives, water-bottles, t-shirts, lanyards, literature, stationary, business cards, pamphlets, brochures, notebooks, etc. have been paid for with Federal grants (for instance the Title V-Exito Grant). Such grants are meant to provide direct services to aid in student success. The additional cost of building signage, canvas panels, and remodeling has yet to be calculated. This month, the NM Legislative Finance Committee has requested such calculations from Mr. Domingo Sanchez, NNMC VP of Finance.

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Crunching the Numbers on President Barcelo's Leadership

1/13/2015

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As those in higher education are aware, one critical role for a college President is fundraising for the college. College Presidents have duties of vision and supervision, certainly, but one of their primary responsibilities is to bring additional funding to the institution. When hired in 2010, President Nancy "Rusty" Barcelo promised her fundraising skills, and even outlined a plan for the Northern Foundation to raise $18 million.

What have the years of Barcelo's leadership wrought? Can President Nancy “Rusty” Barcelo meaningfully demonstrate that she has grown the college, its enrollment, its services to students, its endowment, its academic offerings? Has Barcelo, during her presidency, secured funding for the college? As a matter of empirical fact, the answer to each of these questions is a resounding NO.

In 2014, the NNMC Study Group assembled a core group of accountants and a forensic auditor to conduct a financial analysis of NNMC for the years of Barcelo's presidency: 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. This analysis is based on public New Mexico State Audits from 2010 to 2013. The originals are available in full for download at http://www.nnmcstudygroup.org/budget.html and at the NM Office of the State Auditor website: "Audit Search" [top right] at http://www.saonm.org/audit_reports.

Our analysis found that the Audited Financial Statements show very clearly: 1) a decline in total revenue, 2) a decline in operating revenue, and 3) deep reductions in the college's net assets. Further, in four years, President Barcelo has turned previous surpluses into deficit.

NNMC's total revenue has been in decline under President Barcelo (beginning 2010). Declining tuition revenue (in spite of more than doubling tuition in three years) and declining revenue from state, local, and other grants and contracts make up for most of the loss of operating revenue. Non-operating revenue has held mostly due to State appropriations. (Click image for larger file.)

Initial surpluses in 2010, 2011, and 2012 resulted in growing Net Assets at the end of each year. However, this was reversed in 2013 and Net Assets were reduced due to the deficit that occurred in that year. (Click image for larger file)

Due to declining operating revenues NNMC’s operating loss [operating revenue less operating expenditure] has grown markedly since 2010. Indeed, NNMC's operating loss has nearly doubled since Barcelo assumed her presidency. (Click image for larger file.)

DECLINE IN REVENUE: Financial analysis shows that NNMC's total revenue has been in decline under President Barcelo (beginning 2010). Though the College sharply raised tuition in 2011, because of the corresponding decline in enrollment, there was a decline in tuition revenue. NNMC’s new President Nancy “Rusty” Barcelo, who was inaugurated fall of 2010, made more than doubling NNMC’s tuition one of her first major actions in power, and NNMC’s enrollment has not recovered since.

From the NNMC Fact Book (available at http://www.nnmcstudygroup.org/records.html) we note that the massive drop in enrollment (both full-time equivalent and headcount) is directly tied to Barcelo’s 2011 raising of tuition by over 50%—a move that gained the attention of the United States Department of Education. [i] By way of comparison, the year before Barcelo's decision to more than double tuition, NNMC’s enrollment trend was an increase of 18%. [ii] In 2013, NNMC had the lowest headcount of any New Mexico 4-year institution and enrollment continues to drop.[iii]

In addition, most of NNMC’s loss of operating revenue derives from the Administration’s inability to sustain state, local, and other grants and contracts. Sadly, our analysis for 2014 will show even greater grant losses. In 2014, NNMC lost its 40-year old Federal “High School Equivalency Program” (HEP) Grant, the first ever was awarded by the U.S. Department of Education in 1972. This grant was worth approximately $500,000 per year.[iv] Another key grant loss resulted when State Higher Education Department and the U.S. Department of Education Inspector General found that the NNMC Administration had improperly supplanted general operational funds with grant money in 2013. The Federal Department of Education required NNMC to provide reimbursement for unauthorized use of funds.[v] These were not the only losses of grant revenue in 2013 and 2014, but rather, well-documented examples supported by media accounts and direct information from granting agencies.

Indeed, under the leadership of Barcelo, NNMC Administrators have initiated a practice of “borrowing” hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Northern Foundation to cover basic operating expenses.[vi] Although the Northern Foundation is a 501c3 non-profit corporation, whose mission is to raise funds to support student scholarships, NNMC has dipped into the Northern Foundation to cover its institutional expenses.[vii] In July 2014, NNMC even “forgot” to repay the Northern Foundation $125,000 until the issue was under investigation by reporter Ralph Chapoco of The Rio Grande Sun. The relatively lenient terms of the loan—no interest charged on the principal, no collateral assigned to the loan to ensure repayment, and no late fees for failure to repay on time—may have been gained through VP of Advancement Ricky Serna’s relationship to the Northern Foundation’s Treasurer, Liddie Martinez. She is Serna’s aunt. In addition, NNMC President Barcelo is a voting member of the Northern Foundation. The issue of loans from the Foundation to the college was further compounded by the sudden and unexplained resignation of Gabrielle Amster, the Director of the Northern Foundation, in July 2014.[viii]

Fiscal analysis of Barcelo’s tenure clearly shows the downward spiral of NNMC’s total revenue, operating revenue, and net assets. In a paid advertisement in May 2014, President Barcelo wrote: “I understand that some are questioning the stability of the institution. Given recent publicity, I can understand how one might raise such questions, but I also recognize that much of the concern has been based on inaccurate information and misunderstanding … Sadly, misinformation and attacks obstruct opportunities to have civil conversations to address these important issues. This ultimately harms our community relationships and our ability to serve students.”[ix]

In that paid advertisement, President Barcelo avoided any discussion of real numbers, including the NM State Audit Reports from 2010 to 2013. President Nancy "Rusty" Barcelo instead attacked community leaders, concerned students, and committed members of NNMC’s faculty and staff as launching unfounded "attacks" and spreading “misinformation” and “inaccurate information.” We have therefore provided accurate fiscal information on President Barcelo’s tenure that supports the concerns that the community has been raising since Barcelo’s arrival.

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[i] “Ed Dept calls out colleges that hiked tuition by 50 percent,” 30 June, 2011. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/ed-dept-calls-colleges-hiked-tuition-50-percent-183248263.html For more media coverage of the tuition hike, see: http://nnmcstudygroup.weebly.com/news.html —scroll to bottom

[ii] NNMC 2010 Fact Book, p. 7 http://205.166.231.30/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/NNMC-Fact-Book-2010.pdf Also full text of NNMC 2010 Fact Book below.

[iii] See New Mexico Higher Education Department’s “enrollment data for 2013: http://www.hed.state.nm.us/uploads/files/Data%20Research/Enrollment/Fall%20Enrollment%202013%20updated.pdf

[iv] See full story on NNMC’s loss of the federal HEP Grant in 2014 at: http://www.nnmcstudygroup.org/blog/nnmc-to-lose-million-dollar-federal-grant-after-40-continuous-years

[v] See “NNMC Regents Deny Retaliation,” Albuquerque Journal 4 May, 2014. http://www.abqjournal.com/393168/news/nnmc-regents-deny-retaliation.html [vi] See “Northern New Mexico College ‘Forgot’ to Pay Loan to Foundation,” originally published by The Rio Grande Sun, 28 August, 2014, reprinted by The Northern Issue at: http://thenorthernissue.org/2014/09/06/northern-new-mexico-college-forgot-to-pay-loan-to-foundation/

[vii] For more on the Northern Foundation, 501c3, see: http://nnmc.edu/wordpress/?page_id=4479

[viii] See “The Faces of Those We Have Lost” at http://www.nnmcstudygroup.org/blog/faces-of-those-we-have-lost

[ix] See “A Look at NNMC Changes” by Nancy “Rusty” Barcelo 9 May 2014, Journal North http://www.abqjournal.com/396897/north/a-look-at-nnmc-changes.html

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NNMC DORMS: indefinite hold

7/17/2014

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On July 15th, the New Mexico Board of Finance met, with two items on their agenda, which are critical to Northern New Mexico College and Española Valley/ New Mexico taxpayers.

NNMC Administration and Board Members requested a $16M “Systems Improvement” Revenue Bond to, at long last, begin their feverishly pursued Student Housing Construction Project.

Demonstrating a level of transparency unknown to NNMC’s Board of Regents, the New Mexico Board of Finance makes video and audio of every meeting available online. You may access the July 15th meeting in full at http://governor-nm.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1557 (Northern New Mexico College’s presentation is the last of the day and begins at 5:37 and continues until the meeting adjourns at 6:21. All quotes from the meeting in time brackets.)

The members of the NM Board of Finance firmly questioned NNMC President Nancy “Rusty” Barceló, Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Ricky Serna, Vice-President for Finance and Administration Domingo Sanchez, and the President of Monument Construction Timothy R. Pitcher.[i] Pitcher’s company is located in Indianapolis, Indiana, so the NNMC Study Group hopes that Mr. Pitcher had other business in Northern New Mexico—maybe golf—that can justify his unsuccessful trip to win approval of public bonds to construct dormitories for NNMC. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves…

The New Mexico Board of Finance refused to vote to pass the requested revenue bond for the student housing construction project. In the last few awkward, uncomfortable minutes of the meeting, not a single member of the Board of Finance would put forward a motion to vote on the NNMC requested bonds and construction [6:19-6:21]. Because no member of the Board would put forth a motion to approve the bonds, the ill-conceived, no-bid project was finally defeated. Or at least shelved, deferred, tabled… indefinitely.

In denying the schemes of NNMC President Barceló and her Board of Regents, the New Mexico Board of Finance scored a win for current NNMC students, who have seen their tuition increase by more than double in three years as programs, services, instruction and faculty have been cut. The New Mexico Board of Finance also scored a win for New Mexico taxpayers, who have watched as Northern New Mexico College has squandered our hard-earned money while President Barceló and her Executive Team, including Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Ricky Serna and Vice-President for Finance and Administration Domingo Sanchez have sent our college into a steady decline.

We might imagine the deep embarrassment—even humiliation—that must be felt by Barceló et. al. after years of confident and premature announcements of their new dorms on campus: “Northern New Mexico College will open its first residence hall on the Española campus in Fall 2015,” boasts the College website.[ii] Indeed, NNMC Men’s Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Ryan Cordova has been recruiting student athletes to Northern assuring full on-campus accommodations. Will those students and their families receive an apology for NNMC’s disingenuous promises?

How were the NNMC Administrators and NNMC Board of Regents able to so confidently—if ineffectually—argue their case to the New Mexico Board of Finance?

At the May 22, 2014 NNMC Board of Regents Meeting, NNMC Board Members Michael Branch (owner, Branch Realty, Santa Fe), Kevin Powers (retired, investment banking, Albuquerque), Alfred Herrera (retired, New Mexico Public Education Department, Española) and Rosario “Chayo” Garcia (agent, New York Life Insurance Company, Española) voted unanimously to allow Paul Cassidy of RBC Capital Markets and Peter L. Franklin of Santa Fe’s Modrall, Sperling, Roehl, Harris & Sisk, P.A. Law Firm—to act as agents of NNMC—pursuing funding for the multimillion dollar, no-bid dorm project.[iii] The NNMC Board of Regents approved this though Franklin explained that this funding strategy "describes the security for the bonds” as “basically the College's system’s revenues, basically all the revenue that the college earns or takes in.” [iv]

When Board Secretary Herrera, asked if this meant Northern was pledging the dorms themselves and the dorm revenue as security (aka collateral) Peter Franklin clarified that the guarantee of the debt was not a guarantee using the project itself, but instead the NNMC Board of Regents was seeking to pledge

           [E]ssentially all the College’s assets. All the College’s revenues and assets.
           This is not a project revenue financing where all you’re pledging is the
           revenue generated by the student housing. Um… would be nice if it could
           be that, but… I… the problem is it won’t… Well, I shouldn’t get into that…”

When pressed further by Regent Branch on guaranteeing the debt incurred by building the dorms, attorney Franklin responded, “All I guarantee is that… I got out of bed this morning and here I am.”

Paul Cassidy explained that the tax-exempt bonds would be “a fixed-rate debt that can’t be refinanced for ten years.” Thus, the terms the current NNMC Board Members vote for would be set in stone for at least a decade. No matter, let’s not worry about the details! Cassidy continued assuring the Board Members, “I think the keys, though, to the project are getting State Board of Finance approval. Once you have State Board of Finance Approval and NMFA Board approval on the loan, your consultants on the construction side can get started.”

But when the New Mexico Board of Finance met this week they not only did not approve the project, they strongly questioned the proposal. Issues included:

Dropping student enrollment [5:43, 5:55];
NNMC’s proposed student housing project receiving Moody’s lowest investment grade rating [5:47];
A needs survey that was poorly designed and “unrealistic” [6:01];
No forward-thinking budget to operate the student housing [6:03-6:05]; and,
Intentionally leaving summer revenues out of the proposal [6:11].

Further, the New Mexico Board of Finance was clearly disturbed by the $978,000 in fees charged by Monument Construction for “student housing study,” “student housing survey,” “financial analysis,” and “market analysis” [6:06-6:08]. Yes, close to one-million dollars in fees to—as a member of the New Mexico Board of Finance put it—“[do] the study to show need for housing… and you’ll build it?” [6:09]. Yes, NNMC’s Administration agreed to pay just under one-million dollars of our taxes to Monument Construction, which studied the need for the student housing they would be building.

Followers of NNMC may recall that this April, President Barceló’s Administration insisted on cutting three programs , 7-10 full-time staff and instructors (tenured professors among them), and eliminating our Child Development Center to make up a $250,000 shortfall in their budget. The cuts to student instruction, faculty, staff and child care equal approximately one-quarter of the fees paid to Monument to study the needs for its own services. President Barceló released a paid advertisement that read in part “Considering the closure of any program is a difficult and unfortunate task, but one that is sometimes necessary in order to preserve our College.” [v] Meanwhile, her administration paid approximately four times that amount to Monument Construction.

New Mexico Governor Martinez ended the New Mexico Board of Finance meeting with a compassionate understatement, “We need more time in viewing the stability of the institution” [6:03]. Another Board of Finance Member said simply, as if to a child, “Thank you for coming to talk to us. Good luck.”

So what will NNMC’s Administration and Board of Regents do next? Will they abandon the ill-advised, no-bid student housing plan? Will they concoct another multimillion dollar scheme? (Board member Branch has often shared his deep longing for more capital projects and a memorial at El Rito.) Will they be chastened by their own embarrassing display at the New Mexico Board of Finance? Will President Barceló think less of her “legacy “of bronze plaques on stucco and at long last concentrate on serving the instructional needs of our students? Will the Board be reminded of the main mission of our public educational institution?

When the NNMC Board met today (Thursday, July 17th) the Residence Hall update was less than one-minute long, and made no mention of the concerns of the New Mexico Board of Finance and the Board of Finance’s refusal to vote on passage of a $16M “Systems Improvement” Revenue Bond and the Student Housing Construction Project for NNMC. Vice-President of Finance Sanchez said instead--"It is still a work in progress.”

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[i] See Monument’s website at: http://www.monumentllc.net/about.html

[ii] Publicity and postcards distributed by NNMC Communications and Marketing: http://nnmc.edu/gallery/student-housing-northern

[iii] More information at: https://www.rbccm.com/municipalfinance/cid-259461.html and http://www.modrall.com/plf

[iv] All direct quotes that follow are from the May 22, 2014 Northern New Mexico College Board of Regents meeting (full audio and video recording available from the NNMC Study Group upon request).

[v] President Barceló’s full statement available at: http://205.166.231.30/wordpress/?p=13076

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barcelo presidency: instruction not a priority

6/21/2014

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The NNMC Office of Institutional Advancement prepared a small 2013 Fact Book that demonstrates several key components of the Barceló Administration that have contributed to the College’s decline. As seen above, INSTRUCTION constitutes less than 30% of institutional expenditures, while “Institution Support” and “Other Core Expenses” (read = Administrative) make up 54% of all NNMC expenditures.[i]

In addition, the Fact Book shows 162 full-time Administrators and Staff to a mere 57 full-time faculty.[ii] Indeed, in President Barceló first year in office 23 full-time Administrative and staff positions were added while instructors were furloughed.[iii]

Northern’s dismal graduation rate of 15% (even lower for Hispanic students at this “Hispanic Serving Institution” at 12%) is quite likely due to the decision to deprioritize instruction.[iv] In addition, the paltry 3% dedicated to Academic Support demonstrates this Administration’s commitment to student success. President Barceló’s Administration spent fully 18 times more on themselves than on Academic Support for students.

From the Fact Book (full text below) we also note that a massive drop in enrollment (both full-time equivalent and headcount) is directly tied to the 2011 rise in tuition of over 50%—a move that gained the attention of the United States Department of Education.[v] By way of comparison, the year before Barceló's more than doubling tuition, the enrollment trend was an increase of 18%.[vi] NNMC’s new President Nancy “Rusty” Barceló, who was inaugurated fall of 2010, made more than doubling NNMC’s tuition one of her first major actions in power, our enrollment has not recovered since.

In October of 2010, President Barceló threw herself a flashy three-day inauguration celebration— the first in the history of our more unassuming twenty NNMC Presidents.[vii] During her inauguration, the Santa Fe Examiner reported that Barceló explained that if she “were to choose between community and hierarchy, she made it clear that she’s for community.”[viii]

Yet by the NNMC Administration’s own reports and measures, such as the 2013 Fact Book, the priorities of Barceló’s Administration have—since her first days in office—been demonstrably to the benefit of NNMC's hierarchy and to the detriment of our community.
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[i] NNMC 2013 Fact Book, p.6.

[ii] Ibid, p.4.

[iii] For Administrative and Staff full-time positions comparison, see NNMC 2010 Fact Book, p. 3 at: http://205.166.231.30/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/NNMC-Fact-Book-2010.pdf Also full text of NNMC 2010 Fact Book below.For media coverage on the furloughs, see: http://nnmcstudygroup.weebly.com/news.html —scroll to bottom

[iv] From the National Center of Education Statistics: http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/InstitutionProfile.aspx?unitId=acb3b3abb0b3

[v] “Ed Dept calls out colleges that hiked tuition by 50 percent,” 30 June, 2011. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/ed-dept-calls-colleges-hiked-tuition-50-percent-183248263.html For more media coverage of the tuition hike, see: http://nnmcstudygroup.weebly.com/news.html —scroll to bottom

[vi] NNMC 2010 Fact Book, p. 7 http://205.166.231.30/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/NNMC-Fact-Book-2010.pdf Also full text of NNMC 2010 Fact Book below.

[vii] See full schedule of 3-day Barceló inauguration at: http://www.malcs.org/2010/10/president-rusty-barcelo/

[viii] “Inauguration for New President at Northern New Mexico College,” 2 November 2010 http://www.examiner.com/article/inauguration-for-new-president-at-northern-new-mexico-college

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false advertising: a master class

6/20/2014

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A shamelessly deceptive announcement has been released by NNMC President Nancy “Rusty” Barceló’s Administration. It terms NNMC “the best value in New Mexico.”[i] We at The Northern New Mexico College Study Group believe the advertising of NNMC as the “best value” in New Mexico higher education invites scrutiny.

When considering the value of education for our children, families, community members, we must consider both the dollar amount as well as the programs and services offered. As a “value,” NNMC has raised tuition from $41 per credit hour just three years ago to $169 per credit hour when factoring in additional fees assessed. In addition, NNMC's President and Executive Team recommended a raise in tuition for 2014-2015, which the community and students strongly organized against (as seen in extensive media coverage).[ii] Further, the vast majority of NNMC students are Associate’s Degree seeking students and NNMC has the highest tuition for Associate Degrees in Northern New Mexico. Indeed, Santa Fe Community College's (SFCC) out-of-state tuition is less than NNMC's tuition for in-state students. SFCC students pay $98 a credit hour while NNMC students pay approximately $169 per credit hour (based on $2,030 per semester with 12 credit hours, seen on the announcement[iii]).
“Best value in New Mexico?”

New Mexico Highlands University has fifty-seven undergraduate majors and twenty-four graduate programs in the Schools of Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, and Social Work.[iv]

Eastern New Mexico University offers sixty total Associate’s, Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, (twenty-two of those are graduate degrees) in the College of Business, the College of Education and Technology, the College of Fine Arts and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.[v] ENMU also has two additional branch campuses.

Western New Mexico University offers forty-six Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, and the College of Health and Human Services, and eight Master’s degrees.[vi]

New Mexico State University has the Colleges of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, Arts & Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering, Health & Social Services, and the Honors College with over 100 majors. Its Graduate School awards forty-six Master’s degrees.[vii] NMSU also has four branch campuses.

The University of New Mexico, the state’s flagship university, has more than 200 undergraduate degree programs in the University College, School of Public Administration, College of Fine Arts College of Arts & Sciences, Anderson School of Management, College of Education, School of Engineering, School of Law, School of Architecture and Planning, University Libraries and Learning Sciences, School of Medicine, College of Nursing, and the College of Pharmacy. The University of New Mexico, with five branch campuses throughout the state, offers over 100 graduate and professional degrees.

By comparison, Northern New Mexico College does not offer even the most basic and critical programs to serve our community; such as, majors in Ethnic Studies, Chicana/o Studies, Communications and Journalism, Creative Writing, Criminal Justice, History, Physics, Political Science, Public Health, Social Work, Spanish (Spanish classes are not taught past the 200-level), Women Studies, and so many more that are simply a given at every other New Mexico institution of higher learning. NNMC has no Bachelor’s degrees in Music, Art, or Film, though the first Bachelor's program in the Fine Arts Department (Jazz Studies) was recently accredited. In the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Language & Letters Department, there is a single Bachelor’s degree offered—the Bachelor of Integrated Studies. Northern offers three Bachelor of Science degrees in Biology, Environmental Science, and General Math. Our College of Business is unaccredited[viii], our College of Education is unaccredited[ix], our Department of Engineering is unaccredited,[x] and our College of Nursing does not have national accreditation.[xi] Further, this year our Career Tech programs were cut, as was Radiography. Northern is also not accredited to grant graduate degrees or graduate certificates of any kind.[xii]

With the limited resources provided to NNMC instructors and professors, critical thinking skills are still central to education. The claim by the NNMC Administration that Northern is “the best value in New Mexico” might be more precisely stated, “NNMC: We do less with more.” The Administration of President Nancy “Rusty” Barceló has insisted on becoming a 4-Year Comprehensive Institution, yet when compared to other 4-year institutions in New Mexico, NNMC simply does not provide equal education or services. Thus, for good reason, in 2013, NNMC had the lowest headcount of any of these 4-year institutions and enrollment continues to drop.[xiii] In addition, compared to 2-year community colleges such as Central New Mexico Community College and Santa Fe Community College, NNMC has fewer course offerings and less diverse course offerings at a higher price.

Shame on Northern for insulting the intelligence of our community and our students by raising tuition, reducing instruction, faculty and services and then calling this a “value.” In the Española Valley, over 20% of our residents live below the poverty line.[xiv] The extraction of tax dollars, tuition and fees from our community—while cutting programs, instruction, faculty, and student services—does not equal a value in any sense of the word.

With leadership that appreciated, respected, was responsible to, indeed, valued students over slick marketing, we might see developments and growth in degree programs and increases in enrollment. Instead, under this Administration, we have seen the converse. We hope one day to have an Administration and Board of Regents that believes our community deserves educational opportunities equal to other communities in New Mexico, rather than an Administration and Board of Regents that trades in false advertising and in shrinking our access to higher education.
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[i] See full announcement at: http://nnmc.edu/news/northern-best-value-new-mexico

[ii] See media coverage of tuition hikes at: http://nnmcstudygroup.weebly.com/news.html

[iii] “Currently, full-time resident students pay $2,030 per semester in tuition and general fees,” http://nnmc.edu/news/northern-best-value-new-mexico

[iv] See degree and course offerings at: https://www.nmhu.edu/academics/index.aspx

[v] See degree and course offerings at: http://www.enmu.edu/degrees.shtml

[vi] See degree and course offerings at: http://wnmu.edu/degrees/

[vii]See degree and course offerings at: http://www.nmsu.edu/

[viii] See: http://business.nnmc.edu/page/business-administration

[ix] See: http://education.nnmc.edu/page/college-education

[x] See; http://engr.nnmc.edu/department-engineering

[xi] See statement on accreditation at: http://health.nnmc.edu/adn-home

[xii] See New Mexico Higher Education Department’s “Post-Secondary Report:” http://www.hed.state.nm.us/uploads/files/Data%20Research/Graduation%20Rates%20and%20Degree%20Production/NM%20Postsecondary%20AY%2011%20-%2012%20Degree%20Production%20by%20STEMH.pdf as well as NNMC’s program offerings: http://site.nnmc.edu/colleges-and-departments

[xiii] See New Mexico Higher Education Department’s “enrollment data for 2013: http://www.hed.state.nm.us/uploads/files/Data%20Research/Enrollment/Fall%20Enrollment%202013%20updated.pdf

[xiv] See comprehensive population data at: http://www.city-data.com/county/Rio_Arriba_County-NM.html

Student Statement for 10 credit hours or three classes (note number of "fees" assessed)

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Board of regents meeting at Branch realty tuesday, February 24th, 5pm

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Below: The beginning of the cost of re-branding

Crunching the Numbers on President Barcelo's Leadership

NNMC DORMS: indefinite hold

barcelo presidency: instruction not a priority

false advertising: a master class

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Feb NNMC Regents Agenda

Archives

Categories

Board of regents meeting at Branch realty tuesday, February 24th, 5pm

NNMC has NOt Attained University Status

﻿Below: The beginning of the cost of re-branding ﻿

Crunching the Numbers on President Barcelo's Leadership

NNMC DORMS: indefinite hold

barcelo presidency: instruction not a priority

false advertising: a master class

New Mexico Legislature on SB-603 NNMC Name Change Bill

Feb NNMC Regents Agenda

Archives

Categories

Below: The beginning of the cost of re-branding