Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Mesalands Community College announced Thursday it has joined the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services, or CHESS.
CHESS, a nonprofit organization, will expand access to Mesalands’ programs to students elsewhere while opening more education possibilities for its local students.
Mesalands joins these CHESS colleges: Central New Mexico Community College, Clovis Community College, Northern New Mexico College, San Juan College, and Santa Fe Community College.
Together, the colleges are designing an enterprise resource planning and student information system that includes student services, finance, human resources, payroll and more. Each member college retains its independence and governance structure.
“Being a part of CHESS will exponentially increase our ability to serve Tucumcari, and beyond, in ways we only could have imagined on our own as a small, rural college,” Mesalands President Gregg Busch said.
Busch said participation in CHESS will allow students and employees to encounter the same interface more fully funded colleges can offer.
Additional benefits to CHESS membership include supporting a shorter time to degree completion and transfer, resulting in cost savings for students.
Busch is serving as a member of the CHESS board of directors. The college will begin its full participation as part of Wave 2 of the CHESS ERP implementation later this year.