SENATE MEMORIAL 18

57th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2025

INTRODUCED BY

Pete Campos

 

 

 

 

 

A MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE SUCCESSES AND VISION OF NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY; ENCOURAGING THE LEGISLATURE TO SUPPORT NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS UNIVERSITY'S REQUEST FOR FUNDING FOR A MASTER PLAN TO MODERNIZE THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.

 

     WHEREAS, New Mexico highlands university is a public university in Las Vegas that was founded in 1893 and that has centers in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and Farmington; and

     WHEREAS, New Mexico highlands university's mission is to offer a high-quality education to students at all levels while fostering creativity, critical thinking and research, and the university's core values are excellence, diversity, accessibility and responsiveness; and

     WHEREAS, the university is accredited by the higher learning commission, and many of the university's programs have specialty accreditation, including: the school of education, which received full accreditation by the national council for accreditation of teacher education in 2012; the school of business, media and technology, which is accredited by the association of collegiate business schools and programs; the Facundo Valdez school of social work, which is accredited by the council on social work education; the school of social and behavioral sciences, which is accredited by the masters in psychology and counseling accreditation council; and the department of forestry, which is accredited by the society of American foresters and is the only forestry program accredited in New Mexico; and

     WHEREAS, the university is home to a center for excellence in social work, the Native American social work studies institute and the institute for culturally and linguistically responsive learning and teaching; and

     WHEREAS, the Calf canyon and Hermits peak fire in 2022, the largest and most destructive wildfire in New Mexico's history, had a negative impact on the university's students, and flooding in the area following the fire also had a negative impact on the university community and continues to impact water quality on the main campus; and

     WHEREAS, the university's vision is to be a premier comprehensive university; to transform lives and the community now and for generations to come; to foster a dynamic and inclusive academic environment in which students can thrive within and beyond the classroom; and to propel the university toward a future of growth, excellence and community engagement; and

     WHEREAS, the university is committed to increasing student enrollment on campus by cultivating an engaging and vibrant academic experience. A focus of this work will be to expand face-to-face instruction to ensure that the university's students benefit from personal interaction with faculty and peers and strengthen their academic and social connections; and

     WHEREAS, to attract top-tier student-athletes and enhance its competitive edge, the university plans to prioritize the renovation of its athletic facilities, which will provide students with state-of-the-art spaces for training and competition and will position the university as a premier institution for athletic and academic achievement; and

     WHEREAS, regarding student retention, the university's plan focuses on creating pathways for students to achieve long-term success by enhancing student engagement through terminal degree programs and implementing academic support systems and mentoring programs that foster persistence and academic excellence and that support students through graduation; and

     WHEREAS, another issue of importance for the university is ensuring the availability of good quality student housing, which is crucial to the university community's growth; and

     WHEREAS, the university plans to address the lack of adequate housing by constructing new multi-use facilities or renovating existing noncompliant buildings, which will provide safe, modern living spaces that support student well-being and academic success; and

     WHEREAS, to further enhance community engagement and meet housing needs, the university plans to explore the potential of utilizing university-owned property for new housing developments, which will not only address the demand for local housing but also foster a closer connection between the university and the surrounding community; and

     WHEREAS, to better serve its diverse student body, the university plans to invest in the modernization of student services through increasing the university's online presence, enhancing library technology and expanding the university's functional capacity, making it easier for students to interact with the university for all services, including enrollment, academic support, financial aid and career services; and

     WHEREAS, the university's plans and goals for continued growth and improvements will be implemented in part through completion of a master plan to modernize the university's main campus;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the successes and vision of New Mexico highlands university be recognized; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature be encouraged to support the university's request for one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to design and develop a master plan for the modernization of New Mexico highlands university's main campus; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the president of New Mexico highlands university, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate.

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