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As per tradition during the first meeting of the calendar year, the Western New Mexico University Board of Regents spent time communicating with state legislators, including Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, during their Thursday assembly over Zoom. They also agreed on the university presidents performance goals, voted to extend regent Janice Baca Argabrights term as the board Secretary/Treasurer until a new board is constituted, and approved the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Audit Report and the Fiscal Year 2021 Quarter 2 Financial Certification.

When you are at the legislative session, its really a place for someone like me to listennot talkand understand what your priorities are, Gov. Lujan Grisham said. New Mexico was successful in quashing the virus, largely thanks to higher education. You led in terms of figuring out ways to serve your students and faculty.

The governor praised WNMU President Dr. Joseph Shepard for compelling the states colleges and universities into collective action. Higher education came to the table early making sure their outcomes would be higher and helped us figure out a whole new education design. That was Joe Shepard. That was very powerful and that did not happen across the country. You all are something really special, she said.

Regent Chair Jerry Walz, who is completing his service after a dozen years on the board, said, We have not just been sitting around waiting for COVID-19 to pass. Weve been focused on our recruiting efforts and continue to compete for students not only on the local levels but on an international scale.

Echoing the chairs sentiments, Vice Chair of the board Dr. Mary Hotvedt said, Western New Mexico University has been using this time to think outside the box about how to make our university even greater as we emerge from this pandemic.

Acting Cabinet Secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department Stephanie Rodriguez briefed the board on legislation intended to support students in obtaining degrees and certificates through initiatives like the Opportunity Scholarship, also encouraging leadership to apply for available funding, particularly in the realm of early childhood education a field which she said WNMU has a premier focus on.

District 28 Senator Siah Correa Hemphill discussed her familys legacy of attending WNMU and expressed gratitude for the institutions compassion when she needed to take a break from her masters program.

District 39 Representative Luis M. Terrazas said, Im thankful I can reach out to Dr. Shepard when I have a question.

Legislative Finance Committee Director David Abbey noted themes emerging from the meetings conversation: family, business and political relationships. Its been a tough budget time in the past year procedurally and politically and financially. We presented a recommended budget with a cost of living adjustment of 1.5%. I dont need to tell the university about the consequences of falling behind in compensation in terms of retention and recruitment, he said.

What were seeing in the legislative session this year is a more supportive tone for higher education, said Kathy Ulibarri of New Mexico Independent Community Colleges.

Executive Director of the New Mexico Council of University Presidents Marc. H. Saavedra told the board that, with the leadership of Dr. Shepard, the group has developed a unified approach in their work with the legislature. He discussed the two budget recommendations on the table: the executive recommendation and Legislative Finance Committee recommendation, the latter of which he said looks more favorable for higher education. President Shepard has done an amazing job of advocating for higher education all around. He has been diligent and used great diplomacy in terms of how hes expressed where were at, Saavedra said.

Progressing to their agenda items, the regents addressed the proposed performance goals for Dr. Shepard, who explained, Its the board saying to the president, This is what we want you to accomplish, and well be evaluating you on this instrument.

The item was approved unanimously.

WNMU Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Jack Crocker presented two faculty members for sabbatical, recommending sculpture professor Michael Metcalf and math and computer science professor Dr. Nancy Livingston.

Metcalfs proposal outlined his intentions to design and fabricate a strategically placed entry sculpture on campus. During a 2006-07 sabbatical/leave-of-absence, he created two 30-foot tall sculptures for the City of Albuquerque, and over the last 15 years, he has designed and fabricated five large scale, publicly and privately commissioned sculptures. In this one-semester sabbatical, Metcalf plans to create a 30-foot outdoor site-specific sculpture for WNMU. I care passionately about WNMU and want to create a work that captures the WNMU experience. I will collaborate with students and faculty to gain student quotes about their WNMU experience and the ALAS program. Theses student quotes will be incorporated into the pillars that define the sculpture and suspend the earth form boulder in a tenuous way. The form implies the complexities of our current civilization and our students (spire forms) are the ones to carry the future burdens, he wrote. I plan to use durable materials such as stainless steel, bronze, and granite to create a lasting work that will serve the university and stimulate students for the next 100 years.

During her requested sabbatical leave, Dr. Livingston wishes to accomplish three interdisciplinary objectives: WNMU Cliff Swallow Research, Java Programming Study, and Data Science with Python Study.

She began a cross-disciplinary study of the Southwestern Cliff Swallow in late 2019 and, with university support, installed data logging sensors at nesting locations across campus. These sensors collected daily nesting location temperature, humidity and light values for the entire 2020 nesting season. Dr. Livingston and students supported through New Mexico AMP funding documented the birds with photographs and video footage. Along with studies completed by other university employees and students plus data collected by the Silver City Audubon Society, there is multivariate data to organize, synthesize and analyze, which Dr. Livingston plans to do using opensource statistical programming environment R and RStudio. Though I was attempting to complete this project in my free time, as it was a completely voluntary effort on my part, I have discovered that it is impossible for me to complete during my working semesters. These annual visitors are part of the universitys history, culture and future, and are thus important to document, she said.

In anticipation of the retirement of both WNMU computer science professors, Dr. Livingston aims to become qualified in teaching the Java programming courses. Also seeing the increasing importance of handling large data sets and gleaning correct information from the data and the related job opportunities for graduates skilled in this area, Dr. Livingston is going to be working toward establishing a new masters program in data science.

Discussing the results of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Audit was auditor Chris Garner from Patillo, Brown and Hill. First describing the firms responsibility under U.S. and Government auditing standards, he said, We give whats called reasonable assurance. We state the financial statements are fairly presented without our standards. We have to communicate significant matters that come to our attention. If we come across anything, were required to report that as a finding. We issued an unmodified opinion. This is the highest level of assurance that we can give, he said.

Garners presentation showed that the university financial records are being maintained in good order. Our overall opinion was an unmodifiedor cleanfinding, he said.

WNMU Faculty Senate President Dr. Sue McFeaters said that the faculty body is working with Dr. Shepard and Dr. Crocker to strategize from an academic standpoint how faculty can be part of increasing enrollment.

In his report to the board, WNMU Staff Senate President Michael Acosta said, The pandemic has allowed us to identify certain weaknesses and allowed us to increase improvements. Some of those things are how we interact between faculty and staff.

Associated Students of WNMU President described how students are working to maximize their student fees and stay as engaged as possible while most of their education is online. Weve been creating a safe campus by promoting the protocols and guidelines we need to follow, she said, noting that many students remaining on campus are athletes, who also follow rigorous screening and testing regimens.

Dr. Shepard advised the board that fewer students are enrolled at WNMU this spring, amounting to a 7% drop. The silver lining is theyre taking more classes. Were only down about 1% in credit hours, he said.

Announcing a goal to increase enrollment to 4,000 students by fall of 2022, Dr. Shepard said, I will be looking for ways to incentivize and reach that goal. If we all pitch in and help, that would lift us up substantially, he said. We think this is actually a promising time, because well have some one-time money to invest over the next two years.

The university president concluded his report saying, Were off to a great start this semester, as difficult as its been.

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WNMU Board of Regents Virtually Sits Down With Legislators, Governor - WNMU News