N.M. Moratorium on School Construction

SOCORRO, N.M. – Presidents from New Mexico’s public colleges and universities have agreed to a two-year moratorium on the construction of any additional branch buildings and campuses, announced governor Susana Martinez at a press conference at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

The governor said that while every student in New Mexico interested in earning an advanced degree should have affordable opportunities available, the rapid expansion of branch campuses in the state in recent years requires analysis for whether significant duplication of degree programs is occurring in parts of New Mexico and the cost to taxpayers that it may be causing.

"This moratorium will help us to strike the right balance between providing accessibility to higher education programs and ensuring that taxpayers are not on the hook for unnecessary expansion," said the governor.

Higher Education Secretary Jose Garcia and leaders or representatives from several college and university organizations each signed the moratorium, including the New Mexico Council of University Presidents, the New Mexico Independent Community Colleges and the New Mexico Association of Community Colleges.

The state’s higher education system includes seven publicly funded four-year universities, ten branch campuses, and eight community colleges serving a population of about 2.1 million people, according to the governor’s office.

Numbers from the state’s Department of Higher Education show that New Mexico taxpayers spend approximately $52,000 on each college graduate.

While the state’s current funding formula rewards building expansion, estimates show the additional cost of new buildings and facilities can run as high as $4 million each year.

"By implementing this moratorium, we can save significant taxpayer dollars over the next two years as we study our funding formula and determine the most effective way to continue to offer our college students a world-class education," Martinez said.