Home › News › Local
Voters asked to OK Central New Mexico Community College expansion
Photo by Charlotte Hill CobbTribune
Tribune
Map of proposed addition to CNM boundary.
Voting details
The Bernalillo County Clerk's Office sent out ballots in Sandoval and Bernalillo counties asking people to vote on expanding Central New Mexico Community College district boundaries to include all of the Rio Rancho Public Schools District. Here's some information for voters:
Who's eligible: Every registered voter within the Rio Rancho Public Schools and Albuquerque Public Schools districts will receive a ballot in the mail, said CNM spokeswoman Samantha Bousliman.
Importance of the election:
• People in the CNM district, which includes Albuquerque, Corrales and southern Rio Rancho, are voting to allow northern Rio Rancho to join the district.
• People in Rio Rancho are voting to impose a property tax and join the CNM district, Bousliman said.
If you didn't receive a ballot: Contact the Bernalillo County Clerk's Office at 468-1291 or go to Bernalillo County Clerk.
Deadline to turn in ballots: Ballots must be received by the Bernalillo County Clerk or Sandoval County Clerk by 7 p.m. Nov. 15.
Sources: Bernalillo County Clerk's Office and CNM
More Local
- ABQTrib.com to remain available
- Former Marine to serve two years in jail for killing Albuquerque robber
- Wilson-Pearce battle for U.S. Senate exemplifies party's disparity
MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES
-
ABQTrib.com to remain available
08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008 -
Congressman is indicted
08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Series of attacks target Green Zone
08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Iran is defying U.N., agency says
08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Waterboarding approval probed
08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008
TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*
- Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
- Is Rome Burning?
- Ominous Skies
- The Road to Invalidation
- Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.
STORY TOOLS
SHARE THIS STORY [?]
Central New Mexico Community college officials are asking residents in Bernalillo County and Sandoval County to answer one simple - but important - question.
Should CNM expand to include all of the Rio Rancho Public Schools district?
The Bernalillo County Clerk's Office has sent out 350,000 ballots to voters in Bernalillo County and about 25,000 ballots in Sandoval County, asking them to vote yes or no on the proposed expansion.
"If the election is a success, CNM will immediately implement plans to build a CNM campus at the Rio Rancho City Center in northern Rio Rancho," said Brad Moore, a CNM spokesman.
The community college has 40 acres of land at the site of the Rio Rancho City Center. It also has set aside $20 million to construct the first building, said CNM President Katharine Winograd.
She said CNM could have a building for the new campus as early as January 2010.
"We are saying to citizens, `Your comment has an immediate payoff with $20 million,' " Winograd said.
CNM officials say the expansion needs a majority from two separate groups - voters within Albuquerque Public Schools boundaries and those within Rio Rancho who also are voting on a property tax.
Winograd says a new campus in Rio Rancho would benefit CNM and the University of New Mexico.
"One of the things unique about what we're doing, we're not only presenting an opportunity for CNM to be there. It provides an opportunity for citizens of Rio Rancho to have CNM and UNM there at the same time," she said.
On Aug. 14, Winograd and UNM President David Schmidly signed a collaboration agreement calling for initiatives such as dual enrollments and "gateway" programs - in which CNM students get some of the same benefits as UNM students.
Part of the agreement would also allow CNM and UNM to establish a Rio Rancho campus, built and owned by the community college.
Winograd said CNM and UNM will implement their "2 plus 2" program where students can complete courses at CNM that will count toward graduation at UNM.
"What's unique is that we are going forward with the collaboration of the university that is forward thinking for the state of New Mexico," she said. "We are hoping citizens realize the richness of that collaboration."
Bousliman said the CNM land is adjacent to UNM land near Rio Rancho's new city center. CNM officials intend to provide space to UNM until the university has a building available.
Schmidly said the new campus would benefit the city of Rio Rancho.
"Rio Rancho is the fastest growing community in New Mexico," he said. "Having higher education in a community contributes to its growth and quality of life in the community."
Right now there is vacant land in Rio Rancho waiting for voters' approval.
Moore said CNM acquired the 40 acres of land from UNM and the state Land Office. UNM has more than 300 acres of land adjacent to the CNM property.
Winograd said the new expansion of CNM is important for two reasons:
"One is, the citizens of Rio Rancho really deserve a campus in their community," she said. "It's a growing community. The other thing is, it's an access issue at a time when gas prices are going up. To be able to access education in that location is a significant thing for Rio Rancho."
