Quarterly luncheon covers ag, athletics

Following an update from New Mexico State University employees at the Ag 50's Tuesday luncheon, Chairman Sid Strebeck had the perfect summation.

CNJ staff photo: Kevin Wilson

New Mexico State University President Barbara Couture addresses Ag 50 members during the group's quarterly luncheon Tuesday at Alltech.

"This conversation is a reminder," Strebeck said, "everything in New Mexico revolves around agriculture or athletics."

Both were discussed in detail during the quarterly luncheon held by the group, an agricultural offshoot of the Clovis-Curry County Chamber of Commerce.

Barbara Couture, president of New Mexico State University — dubbed "THE New Mexico State University" by accompanying athletics staff — was the featured guest at the luncheon held at Alltech.

Couture said the last few years have been a challenge for the university, but said she has touted the college from Las Cruces to Washington, D.C., on its virtues as the only land-grant university in the state and the only land-grant university in the nation that is also a Hispanic Serving Institution.

The designation makes the school eligible for grant opportunities, but Couture said it's a population that must be served for the future of the agricultural industry.

"If we're not educating the Hispanic population in our field," Couture said, "it's going to be difficult for us to do business, frankly."

She reported that the university received its first funding increase from the Legislature since 2009, which helps the college keep open science centers in Clovis and Tucumcari and extension offices across the state.

The funding led to budget increases that allowed NMSU to hold all of its extension offices, though Couture said some positions have been left vacant and current workers have been transitioned into other positions to avoid cutting jobs.

However, the luncheon took a sharp turn towards athletics after Max Best asked about NMSU's future as a member of the Western Athletic Conference.

While Couture and Athletic Director McKinley Boston were upfront about the circumstances, they admitted it's too difficult to say where NMSU will be in the next few years.

"The changes in athletic conferences are being dominated by money, pure and simple," Couture said, noting desires to land television rights contracts. "Some is greed and some is need."

Couture is the president of the board of directors for the WAC, and said the conference either has to grow, merge with another conference or have serious discussions over whether it can be a football conference.

Boston echoed Couture's sentiments.

"We don't know where the ball is going to land, honestly," Boston said. "We're working extremely hard as ADs, and finding the consultants in the business to get the best information possible."

The work requires not just recruiting members, but keeping current members committed to a conference that will celebrate its 50th birthday in July. The WAC is losing Fresno State, Hawaii and Nevada, and is replacing them with the University of Denver, Seattle University, UT-Arlington, UT-San Antonio and Texas State. Boise State is also joining in 2013-14, but will participate in football as a member of the Big East Conference.

The shuffling isn't lost on any WAC members.

"They're very straightforward," Couture said. "They do tell us when they get invitations. But every school is looking at two scenarios; one is with the WAC, another is in a different configuration. You can be sure New Mexico State University is looking at both."

The host of meeting, Alltech, makes animal health and nutrition products. Its Clovis location is one of 15 in North America.

The Clovis location is mainly a distribution hub for Kentucky-based Alltech, New Mexico Territory Sales Manager Aaron Dehaan said, but it does produce a protein source fed to livestock.