{Editorial by Editor Mary Alice Murphy to point out the positive things of Western New Mexico University to counter theLetters to the Editor pointing out the negative things. How about we focus on positivity? It makes one feel much better than stewing in  negativity.}

In contrast to the negative things about WNMU and its leadership that seem to be proliferating lately, including Letters of the Editor, this Editor looked for positive things about the campus that have occurred in the past few years.

Below the bulleted comments is a list of highlights:

Not included in the highlights is the fact that over the last year, the university has reviewed, revised and approved nearly all policies at the university.  

Leadership has initiated several proactive measures to include:

• A comprehensive review and update of all university policies to ensure they are aligned with applicable state guidelines and regulations;

• Implemented a more structured travel request procedure;

• Provided training to ensure adherence to revised travel and procurement procedures;

•Initiated an independent cost-benefit analysis of international initiatives; and

•Engaged an independent auditor to conduct a Special Audit of the concerns raised.

Within the past few years, several  improvements to the campus and operations include [Editor's Note: This came from a public university document.]:

ACADEMICS:

1) Officially designated by the state legislature as home to the New Mexico Center of Excellence for Early Childhood Education, WNMU leads the state in developing meaningful and culturally responsive approaches to early childhood education.

2) Each year, School of Business accounting students provide free tax preparation service for low-income members of the community.

 3) Regional hub for workforce training, WNMU provides in-demand training for those looking to earn a skill and enter the workforce as a welder, electrician or certified nursing assistant with training available at the Silver City main campus and both Deming locations.

4) WNMU leads in accessible and affordable education for rural health care and mental health care professionals through advanced MSW and RN to MSN programs that can be completed in as little as one year and are fully online for rural working professionals.

5) Mustang athletics operates an academic achievement center, providing student athletes areas to study, work on projects and receive one-on-one academic support among their peers.

    —Men's golf maintains the highest GPA among all NCAA Division II men's golf teams throughout the nation.

BEAUTIFICATION and IMPROVEMENTS:

1) Made possible through General Obligation Bond funding, WNMU recently completed the Harlan Hall/Fleming Hall commons outdoor space that includes outdoor learning spaces for natural sciences students, lighted pathways and landscaping.

2) Through continued voter support in 2018 and 2022, WNMU recently opened the newly constructed John Arthur and Janette Smith Educational Center in Deming, housing the university’s health sciences programs.

3) The centrally located Regents Square includes a water feature, additional areas for planting and a space for the student and local community to gather for concerts, art fairs and annual events like Jingle and Mingle and ¡Fiesta Latina!

ENROLLMENT AND RETENTION:

1) Over the past five years, first-year student enrollment has increased by an average of 57.4%, thanks in part to the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship. This transformative program continues to make education and training accessible to New Mexicans of all backgrounds, ages and walks of life.

2) With additional physical locations in Deming and Gallup and more than 400 online classes and 67 programs that can be completed 100% online, WNMU remains accessible, affordable and within reach.

3) WNMU is providing education and advanced training opportunities for working adults through the development and

4) implementation of tuition discounts for employees of Freeport-McMoRan across the globe and first responders from around the nation, providing greater affordability for those seeking advanced education and training.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY:

1) For more than a decade, WNMU has been awarded "clean audits" with no additional requirements from state or federal oversight bodies.

2) WNMU has maintained healthy reserves greater than the state required 3% with six of the last 12 years maintaining a reserve of 20% of instruction and general funding expenditures.

              —Healthy reserves have provided WNMU the ability to maintain staffing levels when state appropriations for higher education were reduced.

3) The University Foundation's total current assets have experienced continued growth of 172% in five years.

INTERNATIONAL REACH:

1)  WNMU has established a unique program that allows international students the opportunity to earn dual undergraduate degrees from both their home university and WNMU.

2)  Through a sustained effort toward cultivating a culturally vibrant and diverse student population through international agreements and partnerships, the university's international student enrollment has experienced continued growth of 181% during the previous five years.

3) Transfer agreements with major higher education institutions in Mexico provide students the opportunity to expand their worldviews, gain exposure into cross-cultural experiences and establish a foundation of personal cross-border success

LOCAL AND GLOBAL INITIATIVES:

!) With a continued commitment to addressing food insecurity within the WNMU community, the One Stop, with locations on the WNMU main campus and in the WNMU Deming Mimbres Learning Center, provides food, hygiene products and fresh produce in unlimited quantities to students and employees alike. - The One Stop experiences an average of 600 visits each month resulting in 5,000 visits between 2023 and August 2024.

2)  The university is leading the way in developing a Food Security & Sustainability Initiative that will provide fresh produce to students, free of charge, grown and cultivated on the university campus through sustainable approaches, working with the local and regional community.

3) As a continued good steward of the natural environment, WNMU is leading the way in working toward carbon neutrality by 2030. - Currently, 50% of the university’s energy is generated through carbon neutral sources including power from the PNM Solar Direct program, on campus photovoltaic panels that provide 15% of campus energy, as well as greater efficiency within buildings that have reduced annual energy consumption by 22%.

     — Since the installation of six electric vehicle charging ports, the university has provided 6.2 megawatt hours of clean power through 229 charging episodes, free of charge to the general public.

3)  WNMU has been designated as an official Tree Campus by the Arbor Day Foundation for its work in developing and fostering an urban forest on campus.

       _Through this initiative, the university has planted 50 large trees throughout campus with the goal of planting 20 new trees annually

NATIONALLY RANKED

1)  Master of Social Work: Consistently ranked first in the nation for best online program.

2)  Master of Business Administration (MBA) ranked in top 10 most affordable programs.

3)  The College of Education awarded an A+ in the science of teaching reading by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

4)  Ranked top in affordability for online education.

5)  Designated as "Military Friendly" three years running.

6)  Ranked top 34% as one of the best value universities for international students.