NMSU regents approve higher admissions standards
New Mexico State University’s admissions requirements will be going up.
The NMSU regents on Wednesday voted to increase the minimum grade-point average during high school to 2.75, up from 2.5, in the fall of 2016.
The regents conditioned their approval on NMSU also using a so-called “alternative pathway” allowing students who don’t meet the higher requirement to transfer to NMSU after attending community college and maintaining a GPA of at least 2.75.
Officials say they hope the move will help more students complete college while lowering their student debt if they don’t.
The University of New Mexico is expected to revisit a similar proposal that in the past has drawn fire for civil rights advocates.
Pablo A. Martinez, president of LULAC’s Las Cruces Council, said they are disappointed with the board’s decision.
“LULAC across the state is concerned this is going to affect Latino students in an adverse way across the state,” Martinez told ABC-7. “This will be a precursor to other universities enacting new requirements all over New Mexico. Tt greatly affects Hispanic students. This is putting the cart before the horse. I would support this measure if the local school districts had improved test scores. These are majority Hispanic schools. Over 90 percent in Gadsden, 80 percent in Hatch and 70 percent in Las Cruces. You’ve got a financially disadvantaged student in this area and now you are asking that student to have a 2.75 grade point average in get into NMSU. The university needs to work more with the all area school districts to make their enrollments successful.”
