Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

ENMU has unusually high turnover

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University is reporting an unusually large loss of faculty in the past semester due to the New Mexico economy and lack of commitment to a small town.

Retiring President Steven Gamble said the university lost 12 faculty members this past semester, a number higher than he is used to seeing.

“We always have some that leave but this is by far the most I have seen in my 16 years,” Gamble said.

He said the primary issue is compensation. ENMU’s budget was recently cut $3.9 million, which is preventing the institution from providing faculty with competitive pay, Gamble said.

“Right now, any time we can come up with something for our faculty salaries, no matter how little, we give it,” Gamble said. “But recently we have been having to do things we don’t want to do, we have no choice.”

These circumstances involve raising tuition 7.5 percent and not putting as much into the salaries as they want.

ENMU Department of Theatre and Digital Filmmaking Chairman Neil Rutland said Portales is not every candidate’s dream location.

“Like anywhere else, Portales is not everyone’s forever home,” Rutland said. “But just because they leave does not mean they are not glad they came.”

The theatre and digital filmmaking department is bringing candidates to the campus to fill an empty digital filmmaking position, a process Rutland called “fantastic.” Though he said he struggles truly seeing what each applicant can do based solely on their resume.

“You can’t totally see what they know and what they have been through,” Rutland said.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean Mary Ayala said she has lost faculty members due to “natural circumstances.”

“I would say that a good chunk of our openings this year corresponded to anticipated retirements of people who had been here for a fruitful, robust career,” Ayala said.

She said several new hires are people returning to ENMU, happily at that.

“In a couple of cases, faculty left for really good opportunities to advance that wouldn’t have been possible in our small program here and we are happy for them and wish them luck,” Ayala said.

 
 
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