Funding Will Repair and Renovate Facilities at 33 Public Institutions Without Tax Increase
SANTA FE, NM – Voters have approved $156 million for critical safety and infrastructure improvements at New Mexico’s 33 public colleges, universities, and special schools via General Obligation Bond C for higher education.
During the November 3 election, 65 percent of voters approved the measure, which is set to create about 1,500 new jobs in construction, architecture and related fields in 23 cities and 21 counties across New Mexico in the upcoming year. The funding will allow colleges, universities and schools to repair and renovate their facilities, improve safety and update their technology.
“The passage of BOND C by an overwhelming majority of voters speaks to the importance of our colleges and universities to communities across the state,” Acting Higher Education Secretary Stephanie Rodriguez said. “I thank voters, the GO Bond C campaign committee, and our higher education leaders and partners for ensuring that student safety and success remains at the forefront in New Mexico.”
Key projects funded by GO Bond C include $30 million for a Nursing and Population Health building at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, and $21 million to renovate and replace science and engineering facilities for agricultural research and an information technology building at New State University in Las Cruces.
The New Mexico Higher Education Department oversees and approves all capital projects and construction at the state’s public colleges and universities, and recommended the projects to be funded via the GO Bond. The recommendations follow an extensive review process led by the agency to evaluate and prioritize projects by highest area of need and quality of the proposal. The projects will address critical health and safety issues, ensure campuses are ADA and code compliant, and preserve aging campus facilities statewide, while others will provide necessary equipment and facilities to support instruction, research, and workforce training.
In even-numbered years, capital projects for higher education are funded via general obligation bonds dependent upon voter approval, while in odd-numbered years, capital projects are funded via severance tax bonds repaid by revenue from taxes on oil, gas, coal, and natural resources, dependent upon approval by the legislature.
The following projects will be funded by GO Bond C for higher education in 2021:
- Central New Mexico Community College: Plan, design, construct, equip, furnish, and equip and for infrastructure and site improvements at the Student Services Center Main Campus ($13 million).
- Clovis Community College: Plan, design, construct, repair and replace roofs, and parking lots ($1.75 million).
- Diné College: Plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, and equip the Shiprock Agricultural Multipurpose Center for South Campus ($1.3 million).
- Eastern New Mexico University – Main Campus: Plan, design, construct, upgrade, and equip critical safety upgrades campus wide in Portales, and plan, design, construct, renovate, repair, and equip Watson Hall.
- Eastern New Mexico University – Roswell: Plan, design, construct, and equip video surveillance systems and lighting ($1.8 million).
- Eastern New Mexico University – Ruidoso: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip infrastructure improvements ($1.5 million).
- Institute of American Indian Arts: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip infrastructure, and for other infrastructure upgrades ($700,000).
- Luna Community College: Plan, design, construct and replace heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems ($1 million).
- Mesalands Community College: Plan, design, construct, and renovate the central student services center ($400,000).
- Navajo Technical University: Plan, design, construct, and renovate the central student services center ($1.4 million).
- New Mexico Highlands University: Plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, and equip Singer Hall ($7 million).
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech): Plan, design, construct, furnish, and equip Kelly Hall ($10 million).
- New Mexico Junior College: Plan, design, construct, renovate, repair, and equip security controls, building vestibules, sidewalks, tunnels and shade structures. Plan, design, construct, renovate, repair, and equip Watson Hall ($4 million).
- New Mexico Military Institute: Plan, design, construct, renovate roofs at Wilson Hall, Godfrey Athletic Center, Toles Learning Center, and for barracks bathrooms ($3 million).
- New Mexico School for the Deaf: Plan, design, renovate, furnish, and equip dining hall ($5.3 million).
- New Mexico School for the Blind: Plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, and equip the Tapia building ($938,967).
- New Mexico State University – Main Campus: Plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, and equip improvements to science and engineering facilities for agricultural research, including abatement and demolition. Plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, and equip information technology infrastructure upgrades and a new infrastructure and information technology building ($21 million).
- New Mexico State University – Alamogordo: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and repair duct work and boiler feed lines in classroom buildings. Plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, and equip the physical plant building ($1.8 million).
- New Mexico State University – Carlsbad: Plan, design, construct, furnish, and equip campus wide infrastructure, and parking lot and site improvements including roofs and accessibility compliance ($1.5 million).
- Doña Ana Community College: Plan, design, construct, furnish, and equip a creative campus media building and to plan design, construct, furnish, equip, repair, and renovate classroom improvements, security and surveillance site infrastructure, exterior locks and lighting, and information technology upgrades ($1.86 million).
- New Mexico State University – Grants: Plan, design, construct, furnish, and equip upgrades, including exterior stucco and site improvements, to Martinez Hall ($1.3 million).
- New Mexico State University – Agricultural Centers Statewide: Plan, design, construct, renovate, furnish, and equip improvements including abatement and demolition ($3 million).
- Northern New Mexico College: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and improve infrastructure, drainage, and storm water systems ($2.5 million).
- San Juan College: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip infrastructure improvements ($3.5 million).
- Santa Fe Community College: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip infrastructure improvements including fencing and stucco ($2 million).
- Santa Fe Indian School: Improve safety through renovating the entry boundary fencing and improve storm drainage to avoid flooding on campus ($700,000).
- Southwest Indian Polytechnic Institute: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip infrastructure improvements ($1 million).
- University of New Mexico – Main Campus: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip infrastructure upgrades including wireless internet ($13.2 million).
- University of New Mexico – Health Sciences Center: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip a nursing and population health building ($30 million).
- University of New Mexico – Gallup: Plan, design, furnish, and equip renovations campuswide, including renovations to existing center for career technologies facility ($3 million).
- University of New Mexico – Los Alamos: Plan, design, construct, and renovate the workforce development and career technical education laboratory ($1.7 million).
- University of New Mexico – Valencia: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip fire safety infrastructure upgrades ($1.5 million).
- University of New Mexico – Taos: Plan, design, and construct site improvements, including roadways and parking lots, at the Klauer Campus ($2 million).
- Western New Mexico University: Plan, design, construct, renovate, and equip the Harlan and Fleming commons area and for other improvements including demolition and abatement ($4 million).
For more information about how GO Bond C for higher education will impact New Mexico, visit www.bondc4nm.com.