Wonderful news: the New Mexico Department of Higher Education has not passed the proposed 2014-2015 budget submitted by the Administration and Board of Northern New Mexico College. The petition of over 700 signatures has forced increasing scrutiny on the fiscal decision-making at the college. This is important as in June, adjunct instructors (by far the majority of instructional employees at NNMC) were shorted one-third of their paychecks when the college could not make its last payroll of the fiscal year. Those instructors will have to wait until fiscal year 2014-2015 (late July) to be paid their full, contracted wages. In addition, in the last month, some employees at the college have been given 3-month contracts to sign (rather than their usual 12-month contracts). This indicates that the finances of NNMC are in far worse shape than previously expected. Yet, as evidence of their malfeasance, the NNMC Administration and Board are trying to push through a $16 million no-bid dormitory project though enrollment has been steadily decreasing. Your voice of concern has been heard by the New Mexico Department of Higher Education and our elected state representatives. Please continue to encourage your networks, family, and friends to sign the petition that will likely have higher numbers than NNMC will have in enrolled students this fall. Your insistence that our state leaders take a close look at the management of our college may save it! For more information on the issues at the college, you may visit the Northern New Mexico College Study Group at: http://nnmcstudygroup.weebly.com/ In addition, the media has covered the issues at NNMC extensively. Ralph Chapoco, Education Reporter at the Rio Grande Sun will be writing a story on this petition and those who have elected to sign it. If you are interested in providing a comment or your perspective, you can reach him by emailing him or sending him a text message at: (760) 814-1046 or rchapoco@riograndesun.com We thank you again for your support! We are NNMC.