ENMU regents members to depart board

Friday's regular meeting of the Eastern New Mexico University Board of Regions marked a series of "lasts" for the board.

It was the last meeting at which Chancellor Patrice Caldwell attended as ENMU's chief executive. She will be replaced on Jan. 3 by James Johnston, who had been serving as interim president at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. Johnston attended Friday's meeting.

It was the last meeting for regents Chandler Head and Dan Patterson. Head is leaving as the student member of the board of regents because her term has expired. Patterson, who has served eight years as a regent, is retiring from the board.

Patterson said he was appointed to serve an uncompleted term, then elected in his own right. Regent President Lance Pyle said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will appoint Patterson's and Head's replacements.

Patterson was appointed to replace Regent Brett Leach, who died before his term was completed.

The board also voted to grant Caldwell president emeritus status. The resolution the board approved recognized Caldwell's guidance of the university through the COVID-19 pandemic with "calming leadership,: her establishment of a unified approach to seeking legislative funds by all three ENMU campuses in Portales, Roswell and Ruidoso, her dedication to "openness, transparency and mutual respect" with legislators, other state officials college leaders from all over New Mexico, and her attendance at student events and happenings at Cannon Air Force Base and Clovis and Portales.

The board also elected its officers for next year. Regent Phillip Bustos was elected president, replacing Regent Lance Pyle in that position. Regent Trish Ruiz was elected vice president, replacing Bustos, and the student who will replace Head will serve as secretary, the board decided.

In other matters Friday, the regents:

• Discussed a proposal to raise tuition and fees by 5% starting with the fall of the 2023-24 school year. Acting Chief Financial Officer Tony Major told the board the increase does not match inflation, but federal COVID-19 relief funds and greater-than-expected reserves could cover the remaining costs. Major said the proposal was presented Friday, even though the regents will not make a decision on the proposed increase until January. Regents asked about the impact of new opportunity scholarships, which Major said apply to tuition and general fees but not other fees or book costs.

• Extended winter break by one day at the start and one day at the end. Winter break begins Dec. 22 and ends Jan. 3, the board decided on Friday. Caldwell said the change provides for statutory days off to accommodate holidays that fall on weekends Christmas Eve, which falls on Saturday, and New Year's Eve, which also falls on Saturday.

• Heard a progress report on establishing a Master of Social Work degree at ENMJ. Jamie Laurenz, vice president of academic affairs, told the regents that while eastern New Mexico's need for additional social workers is recognized, "time and effort" are still required to get approval from a graduate school council, a panel of college presidents, and others before the New Mexico Higher Education Department grants its approval. Laurenz said he expects some resistance from other colleges that have master's programs in social work. Ruiz joined other regents in calling the complexity of the process "insane," especially with unmet demand for social workers in schools increasing, but she said she is glad to see progress being made. expanding due to

• Heard from Major that ENMU is still working toward a $9 million solar energy project for the campus despite the higher education department's rejection of the university's proposal. Since then, Major noted, interest rates have risen, and ENMU's power usage has decreased. Patterson said the rejection is frustrating, considering the time the proposal has been on the table and the state's goal of getting the state "off oil and gas."