Day one of Southeast New Mexico College Board of Trustees Candidate Forum

New Mexico State University in Carlsbad co-sponsored a live forum featuring candidates for the District 1, District 2 and District 3 seats of the Southeast New Mexico College Board of Trustees on Tuesday.

An election for the board of trustees is part of NMSU-C's transition to the independent college SENMC. The event was co-sponsored by AAUW and the Carlsbad Current-Argus.

The forum was the first of a two-day event to allow candidates the chance to answer questions submitted by teachers, staff and students at the college and the Carlsbad public. The second live forum featuring candidates from District 4 and District 5 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 7. It will be shared via www.currentargus.com and via the university's Facebook page.

More:Replay: Southeast NM Community College board forum

The election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 2, and the transition is expected to be completed by fall 2022.

More:Southeast New Mexico College Board of Trustees: Meet the candidates

The forum was broadcast live on NMSU-C's Facebook page. Here are some of the highlights that were discussed:

Politics in college

Eddy County Sheriff Mark Cage from District 1 and former NMSU-C professor William Murrill from District 2 said that politics should not play a role in making decisions for Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC). 

"I know that some folks know I am a very outspoken sheriff," Cage said. "I've demonstrated my ability to wear many different hats and first and foremost I care about people."

Malaga rancher Doris Bruton Carleton, from District 1, said she has had a record of being a-political during her service on the Carlsbad Municipal School Board.

"I served in a non-partisan way and I received endorsements from a political party that I was not affiliated with and I took that as a very high honor," Carleton.

Pastor at the first Christian Church in Carlsbad David Rogers and family nurse practitioner Cherry Tiffany Frintz, from District 3, pointed to their records of working without political influence.

Frintz said her role in healthcare is that of an advocate and she is willing to advocate for students of staff of the college in the same way.

"I understand that I am supposed to listen twice as much as I am supposed to speak," Frintz said.

Rogers said he saw a diverse set of political ideas as a sociology and history professor and often used them to encourage critical thinking among his students.

"I am very grateful that by law this is a nonpartisan position," Rogers said

College tuition

NMSU-Carlsbad students submitted questions to ask the board. One student questioned candidates about what they would do to ensure college tuition is fair and reasonable.

Rogers said he wants the value and quality of the education to align with the cost.

"There needs to be an assurance of quality," Rogers said. "I think it's responsible and fair for the students to know when they get that piece of paper it really means something...I do not like the idea of getting a degree and having to mortgage your life to pay student loans," Rogers said.

Rogers, Carleton and Frintz pointed to the possibility of expanding funding sources such as foundations, scholarships and grants as options to help students afford college.

Frintz said she understands students' concerns with tuition from her experience as a nursing student. She said the college already has one of the most affordable tuitions in the state and she hopes to maintain that in the future.

"Right now we are sitting at $74 per credit hour and that is lower than the other branches in Doña Ana, Grants and Alamogordo," Frintz said. "You look at Las Cruces and it's $252 per credit hour."

Cage said he also understands students' concerns with student loans and does not want students of SENMC college to experience debt.

"We want to keep everything reasonable," Cage said.

Murrill said his goal will be to keep tuition as low as possible to avoid high student loans.

Improving communication

Teachers asked if members of the board are willing to meet with them before making important decisions for the college.

Carleton said she thinks it is imperative to meet with different groups in the college before making these choices.

"I think getting representative input from all fazes of the college is an extremely important thing to have a smooth running campus," Carleton said

Carleton and Cage said while it is important to meet with students and staff before making decisions, it is important to avoid a rolling quorum.

"Sometimes as a board member you have to make decisions not everybody likes. On the other side, input from stakeholders is crucial," Cage said.

Students also asked if the board would be able to offer better communication with the school administration, teachers and students.

"Just in asking that question it tells me there's been communication breakdown," Frintz said. "I think the first place to start would be to sit down with everyone and find out what's going on."

Frintz said she thinks it is important to understand what happened in the past so those same mistakes that lead to a lack of communication don't happen again.

"Communication is the best way to keep problems from escalating," Murrill said.

Rogers said an issue with large organizations like NMSU-C is the way different departments run independently from each other and don't always know what the other is doing.

"One if the things I would find most important is to make sure different departments are working collaboratively," Rogers said.

More:Higher Learning Commission discusses transition to SENMC

Vocational and nursing programs

Murrill, Carleton, Cage and Rogers all said they would like to see the college offer more trade and technical degrees or certifications.

"I am still in favor of high education but some people are not designed to go to a four-year college," Murril said. 

Carleton said she would like to see expansions for vocational programs that train electricians, plumbers, auto mechanics and information technology. She said she would also like to introduce athletics programs and a new mascot to the college.

Fritz expressed concern about a need for nursing instructors and limits on enrollment into the college's nursing program.

"Let me tell you, I want to be there for you guys," Frtiz said to a nursing student during the forum. "I can't even imagine what you are going through right now with the challenges of COVID."

Pay for teachers and staff

Teachers also asked what the candidates can do to improve their salaries and attract new educators.

Murrill and Carleton suggested looking into pay rates of neighboring states and counties and offering similar incentives to gain and retain teachers.

Cage also said the college needs to form a competitive pay structure for faculty and staff.

Rogers and Frintz said it is important to take the cost of living in Eddy County into account for teachers' salaries. Rogers said he even considers looking into housing options for teachers.

Frintz said it will be important for the board to look at salaries from local industries and use those as a template for the college's pay.

Student housing

NMSU-C Interim President Dr. Andrew Nwanne told the Current-Argus building a dorm would be one of the college's top priorities after its transition.

Rogers, Cage and Frintz noted that the college's infrastructure is an important part of their five-year vision for the college.

"I would like to see some opportunity for the development of on-campus housing and the opportunity got us to develop more structured programs," Rogers said.

"Long term we have to build dorms. We need to get affordable housing," Cage said.

Claudia Silva is a reporter from the UNM  Local Reporting Fellowship. She can be reached at csilva2@currentargus.com, by phone at (575) 628-5506 or on Twitter @thewatchpup.