College president optimistic, however veto lawsuit goes

CLOVIS — Clovis Community College officials are awaiting a ruling on a court battle between the state’s legislative and executive branches, with CCC President Becky Rowley optimistic regardless of the ruling.

The New Mexico Legislature contends in the suit — which the New Mexico Supreme Court will hear May 15 — that Gov. Susana Martinez overstepped her authority by zeroing out higher education funding in the upcoming state budget.

“The lawsuit essentially states,” Rowley told the college’s board of trustees Tuesday, “that the governor does not have the constitutional authority to de-fund an entire branch of the government.” She was referring to Martinez veto of funding for the recent legislative session.

Martinez has said higher education will be funded, and that legislators need to have a special session to iron out their differences.

If the legislature wins the lawsuit, the veto will be invalidated and return funding for higher education in the state. If the court rules in favor of the governor’s office, a special session will be required.

Whatever happens, Rowley said, “(New Mexico) revenue adjustments for gross receipts tax and oil revenue are higher than expected,” said Rowley. Therefore, in the event that the Supreme Court rules in favor of Martinez’s veto, funding from higher education may be filled from that higher tax and oil revenue.

In other business at the meeting:

• The board recognized Faculty National Institute of Staff and Organizational Development Award winners. The Excellence Awards Ceremony will be held in conjunction with annual NISOD meeting in Austin this month.

This year’s recipients include Emilee Neiman, Instructor in English; and Caroline Popescu, Instructor in Nursing.

• The board passed the spring graduation list, which includes 341 students receiving associate degrees, certificates of completion, or certificates of achievement.

CCC Commencement Ceremonies will be held at 6 p.m. May 12 at the Clovis Civic Center, with Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham acting as commencement address speaker. Pinnings are 6 p.m. May 11 for radiology tech students and 11 a.m. May 12 for nursing students, also at the civic center.

• The trustees voted to pass adjustments for the 2017-2018 academic year course catalog.

• The board passed the adjustments to the tuition waver policy. This policy allows for CCC employees to have their tuition waived for up to four credit hours. The waiver can also be applied to other approved institutions. The policy now requires a year of employment before using the off-campus waiver.

The waiver is good for up to double CCC’s tuition in-district rates. Tuition waivers must first apply to CCC courses if the employee is enrolled in multiple schools, and would not be funded after the budgeted amount for the waiver is exhausted.

• The CCC five-year Capital Projects plan was unanimously approved. The college is required to submit this plan every five years to the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration as a part of the Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plan (ICIP).

Capital improvements on the plan include repairs and replacements for the roofs and parking lots of CCC campus-wide as well as lighting, alarms, and sprinkler systems over the next five years.

• Roof repairs were unanimously approved by the board to be presented in June to the faculty committee under the general obligation bond.

“These projects are based off master plans from 2015,” said Tom Drake, CCC Vice President for Administration and Government Relations. “They are well thought out.”

• A $1.5 million parking lot project request was unanimously approved by the board.

“Parking lots are expensive,” said Rowley said, “but this will include everything.”