Forced to cut $10 million from budget, NMSU might consolidate colleges
(Editor's note: Scroll down to see which majors will be affected by the proposal.)
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- Facing a multi-million dollar budget shortfall, New Mexico State University might consider consolidating colleges to save money.
"We need to look very carefully at the budget," explained Carol Parker, the university's provost.
Under the proposal, the College of Education would be consolidated with the College of Health and Social Services. The new college would also add eleven majors from the College of Arts and Sciences.
"We are working hard to be as efficient as we can," Parker told ABC-7. "Our major goal is to always reduce administrative overhead to make sure that we are investing in the core academic mission."
"I think it's a horrible idea," said Professor Jamie Bronstein, who has worked at the university for 24 years.
She criticized the regents' decision to hire a chancellor and president with a combined $950,000 in salary when the university previously had the two roles combined in a position that made $350,000.
"You cannot pretend that you're concerned about saving money when you're one of the fat cats sitting at the top of this very hierarchical pyramid," Bronstein said.
Parker told ABC-7 there had been talks about consolidating the colleges in the past, but the budget shortfall from the pandemic made the university's cost cutting strategies more urgent.
"It is our goal to avoid any loss of jobs and we're waiting to see the full picture financially," Parker said.
According to the university, the new college would combine these majors and specialties:
- AFROTC
- Anthropology
- Communication studies
- Criminal justice
- Education
- Geography
- Government
- Interdisciplinary studies
- Journalism and media studies
- Military science
- Nursing
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Social Work
- Sociology
