Serving the High Plains

Chairman of MCC board of trustees resigns

The chairman of the Mesalands Community College board of trustees stepped down last week after serving for 31 years as a member, citing the college’s financial turmoil.

Jim Streetman stated in his March 1 resignation letter to acting Mesalands president Allen Moss that he was retiring and that he also was resigning from the college’s foundation, both effective immediately.

“I have determined that as a result of the current financial challenges facing Mesalands it is in the Colleges (sic) best interest to have new leadership on the board,” he wrote.

Streetman stated in his letter he first served on the board when the college was initially called Tucumcari Area Vocational School and “have always done what is best for Mesalands.”

He asked anyone from the college or board to contact him if he could be of assistance.

Streetman and the board had been criticized by the college’s executive staff and other employees for a lack of oversight over the college’s poor finances.

A recent letter by New Mexico Higher Education Department Cabinet Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez criticized Streetman’s lack of transparency regarding the college’s foundation, his conflict of interest with the board and the foundation, and his being directly involved in personnel decisions at Mesalands. (See other story in this edition.)

A phone message to Streetman requesting comment was not returned.

In early February, Mesalands officials, faculty and staff approved no-confidence votes against its current president, Gregory Busch, after they learned the college was in dire financial condition.

Busch took a medical leave of absence after the votes, citing complications from COVID-19 and Parkinson’s disease.

Messages left by the Quay County Sun to Busch’s cellphone were not returned.

The college’s faculty and staff senates also issued no-confidence votes against the board of trustees.

The Mesalands board since has adopted a solvency plan that cuts many employees’ pay, eliminates low-enrollment programs and makes other cost-cutting measures. The college at one point had only enough money to cover one more payroll period.

Moss said at a Quay County Commission meeting last week that Mesalands has requested $2 million in emergency state funds to get through the current fiscal year that ends in June and have a “minimal” cash cushion for the start of the next fiscal year.

 
 
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