ENMU plans new student academic services building

Eastern New Mexico University is gearing up to start a big project in creating a new Student Academic Services Building on campus.

The ENMU Board of Regents met via telephone Wednesday and approved the (up to) $35 million project on a unanimous vote.

The current SAS is building on campus is across from the Administration Building at the edge of the campus along U.S. 70 and West Second Street. It used to serve as the campus union building.

According to James Johnston, ENMU System Chancellor and President of the Portales campus, the current SAS building will stay where it’s at. It will be repurposed and used for other operations that aren’t known yet.

“The current building was not designed originally to serve this purpose,” Johnston told The News. “To better serve students and provide the services needed today like testing, counseling, advising, financial aid, etc., a modern building and one specifically designed for the purpose is necessary.”

A 2020 General Obligation bond for $9 million will get the project off the ground, Johnston said.

Tony Major, vice president of Business Affairs and chief financial officer, told regents ENMU was granted a maximum allowable construction cost of just under $27 million from the state.

With other things to consider like furniture, fixtures, and equipment, Major said the total cost will be just below $35 million.

“Last year, we were able to get a supplemental request approved of $12 million from the state,” Major said. “So, that’s $21 million (with the $9 million from the GO bond).”

Major said the other $14 million would come from institutional reserves, but they’ve proposed an $8 million supplement with this year’s request to the Legislature.

“We’re hopeful we’ll get that,” Major said. That would leave $6 million in reserves instead.

Construction for the new SAS building is scheduled to start later this fall, and the completion time is estimated to take around 14-16 months.