Colleges will voice concerns at legislative session

Eastern New Mexico University and Clovis Community College have a fight on their hands in this upcoming legislative session in Santa Fe.

ENMU President Steven Gamble says their primary concern is the security of the state lottery scholarship program while CCC President Becky Rowley says CCC stands with other two-year institutions in asking for additional funding for incentive measures.

"Our number one priority is to try and secure enough funding to make the lottery remain at 100 percent for the students," Gamble said.

Gamble said the possible cut to the depleting lottery scholarship fund would not affect the current school year but its effects would be felt in the years to follow.

Benna Sayyed: CMI staff photo

Eastern New Mexico University men's baseball assistant coach Matthew Sena, left, and other baseball team members discuss several concerns they hope ENMU officials will address in the state's legislative session starting Tuesday in Santa Fe. From the left are outfielder Bryan Pinocci, pitcher Brett Humphries, and pitcher Dylan Montano.

"Approximately 900 students in the spring will be on lottery scholarships and all of these students will take a cut in their financing if the lottery is reduced," Gamble said. "This could mean that a lottery student may have to come up with an additional $500 per semester. For a number of our students, that will be difficult for them to do."

Gamble said legislators are looking at reducing the 100 percent lottery scholarships to approximately 65 percent of tuition to compensate for a dwindling cash.

Although Rowley says CCC, like many two-year institutions, don't have as many lottery students as New Mexico universities, CCC supports some sort of revision to the lottery scholarships so the fund can remain solvent.

But, Rowley says, CCC supports a broader agenda that would increase the amount of money for performance measures at two-year institutions.

"There's a surplus in the state at this point," she said. "Everyone's grabbing for their share. Community colleges are asking that some of that extra money be put toward incentive measures so we have more completers."

Rowley says the more completers and graduates they have at CCC would help secure more funding for their institution.

"We're asking that more money be allocated toward higher education through those performances measures," Rowley said. "We're not asking for any extra capital outlay projects, just more money allocated to higher education in general."

ENMU however will be trying to get their slice of the surplus so they can have additional funding for the Jack Williamson Liberal Arts Building.

The university will receive $9 million from a successful general obligation bond proposal in the November election. The money is earmarked for renovating the building but ENMU is requesting an additional $5 million from the state Legislature.

Gamble added they're trying to secure funding for their on-campus television station KENW, to update its equipment.

And Gamble and Rowley promise to not forget about their employees, as they both said they'll push for pay increases.

"We're trying to secure whatever pay increase we can get for our people," Gamble said.

"State employees haven't gotten one since 2008; we'll support employee increases," Rowley added.