Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Mesalands Community College received word last week it will receive a $2 million endowment for the college’s forthcoming nursing program.
Shannon Fries, the college’s director of nursing, told the Mesalands board of trustees during its Aug. 23 meeting she was informed that day about the endowment from the New Mexico Higher Education Department.
Mesalands President Gregg Busch smiled broadly during the videoconference meeting as he repeated the sum of $2 million.
The endowment will be used for nursing faculty salaries, according to a Mesalands news release several days later.
Fries spoke in the news release about the challenges faced by New Mexico’s healthcare system.
“The state of New Mexico has a nursing shortage of approximately 6,200 nurses. Most hospitals are running on up to a 50% travel nurse workforce,” she said, noting the COVID-19 pandemic added pressure to an already strained system.
The college last month learned it also would receive a $700,000 state grant to help launch the program, with $500,000 of that to purchase materials to build the nursing education center and $200,000 in annual recurring funds for salaries for faculty.
The nursing program is awaiting accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission after an on-site visit by agency officials, likely in October.
Josh McVey, vice president of public relations, has stated the college’s plan is to launch its nursing program by spring 2023.
Offering a nursing program had been a goal with the last two presidents at Mesalands.
Busch also said the college had been granted Perkins Act funding for its technical programs for the first time in at least 10 years. The Perkins Act first was authorized in 1984 to expand and modernize federal support for vocational and technical education at the secondary and postsecondary level.
Busch said based on projections, Mesalands would have the largest enrollment in its history this fall. He said the college is still awaiting data from dual enrollment and inmate courses before that final number is confirmed.
The president also said University HQ ranked Mesalands as No. 2 as the best associate’s degree school in New Mexico, and CNBC ranked Mesalands ninth among all colleges in the U.S.
— Nick Busch, Stephen Edwards and Nate Glaspie, faculty members and coaches of the college’s new e-sports team, said seven players are part of the squad, with seven more ready to sign. Busch, who is the president’s son, said he anticipates the team might have 21 members by fall, including Genny Gallegos, the first sanctioned e-sports athlete in New Mexico.
Edwards said Mesalands was one of five colleges to receive an award of six high-end gaming computers and components with a total value of $23,000 from prominent chipmaker AMD.
— The board approved a purchase requisition to install a new roof on Building A for $172,961.85. Jim Morgan, chief of campus operations, said transfers from several funds will cover most of the cost, but about $51,000 still will be required from the general fund. The current roof dates to 2003, he said.
— Morgan said six air conditioning units on campus have failed and will need to be replaced for almost $76,000. He said that will be covered by the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund.
— The board approved purchase requisitions of $45,872.98 and $65,025 with EAB Global of Washington, D.C., through February 2024 for its Navigate student-support software. Those purchases will be covered by coronavirus relief funds.
— Mary Beth Busch, senior executive director for the Center for Workforce Development and President Busch’s spouse, said the college’s new CDL program will “grow quickly” because Mesalands recently was approved as a testing site for such licenses.
— The board approved Busch, chief financial officer Blanca Pauliukevicius and chief of staff Duane Brooks as signatories for the college’s New Mexico Bank & Trust checking account.
— McVey said New Mexico Magazine soon would feature the college’s silversmithing and cowboy arts program. He said USA Today also would publish a feature about Mesalands’ paleontology program.
— Busch introduced new staff members: Paul Moss as interim athletic director; Allyssa Zukevich as interim director of disability services and human resources; Zane Mahanna as a studio art faculty member; and Zoe Traeschner as Mesalands Dinosaur Museum aide.
— The board held for a closed executive session for about 70 minutes with Busch, Brooks and Russell Irby, senior executive director of human resources, to discuss limited personnel matters, litigation or real-estate transactions. No action was taken when open session resumed.
