ENMU to seek $6.4 million in research and public service funds

Jun. 6—Eastern New Mexico University will seek funding totaling $6.4 million in research and public service funds from the New Mexico Higher Education and the New Mexico Legislature for the fiscal year 2025.

ENMU regents approved the request at Saturday's board meeting.

The bulk of the proposed request consists of nearly $3.9 million that regents intend to seek to fund student athletics. The board voted to ask for a 15% raise above the $3.4 million funding provided from HED and legislative sources in the current year for student athletics.

For other research and public service programs, the regents approved requesting a 10% raise for fiscal year 2025 over funding granted by HED and legislative sources in the current fiscal year. Fiscal 2025 begins July 1, 2024 and ends on June 30, 2025.

Regent Lance Pyle proposed that ENMU ask for a 15% raise for athletic programs after administrators had proposed seeking a 10% increase.

Pyle said athletic programs "are what brings students to the campus," and that's the main reason to increase athletic funding by a higher percentage than other programs.

Pyle put the 15% increase request for athletics funding into a motion along with the 10% increases for other research and public interest programs, which all five regents voted to adopt.

Other research and public interest funding requests include about $1.3 million to operate KENW public broadcasting television and radio programs, along with hands-on training for students; $356,000 to expand nursing programs, including scholarships and stipends for PhD-level instructors; $236,500 for supplemental instruction, tutoring and academic and career exploration workshops for at-risk student; and $200,000 to expand teacher education programs, among others.

Tony Major, ENMU's vice president of business affairs, said the requests may change as more is learned about expectations for state tax revenues before the 2024 New Mexico Legislature begins in January.

Regents on Saturday also approved a memorandum of understanding with HED that will allow the university to use $9 million to enhance social work education programs.

Jamie Laurenz, ENMU's vice president of academic affairs, told the regents the funds will be used to start a master's degree program in social work, encourage growth in the ENMU bachelor's degree programs in social work, fund internships for social work students and promote the success of community partnerships.

The regents on Saturday also approved replacement of heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for the main level of Greyhound Arena, where offices and classrooms are located, at an estimated cost of $430,000.

About $211,000 of that will come from state sources and $219,000 will come from ENMU institutional reserve funds, Major said.

Major said the current HVAC systems at the arena have reached the end of their useful life.

In other matters Saturday:

— Regents approved a resolution honoring the memory of Duane Ryan, who established the KENW broadcast stations and managed them as part of his 55-year career at ENMU. Ryan died on April 6 at age 91.

— President and Chancellor James Johnston reported occupation in campus housing increased this year to 408, compared to last year's 307 as recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

— Johnston also reported that ENMU is the only school in New Mexico to be recognized as a top Veteran Friendly School by U.S. Veterans and Veteran.com.

— Phillip Bustos, regents president, asked why there seems to be a significant reduction in student enrollment in spring semesters. Laurenz said many students will say "It's not you, it's me," blaming personal reasons for leaving. Others, he said, will go home to community colleges, but a surprising number do not continue higher education.

— Bustos also asked why ENMU in May received, 1,492 applications and accepted 700 applicants, but only 179 actually enrolled. Johnston responded that many students have also applied to "flagship" schools like the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University and were waiting to see if those colleges would accept them. "We're often a second choice," Johnston said, "so there's a delay."