Dear editor,

In response to Mr. Milligan's letter concerning the anti-donation clause of the constitution and for clarification to your readers, Western New Mexico University is not providing any donation to the Chamber or any other organization. Rather the university is exchanging services and receiving a substantial benefit from those agencies located in Watts Hall. The Chamber, along with the other entities in Watts Hall, provides to the university support via mailings, marketing, promotion, counsel, consulting in the areas of their expertise, providing economic development of which the university is a beneficiary and other ad hoc jobs to the university in exchange for locating them within Watts Hall. All of which are relevant to our mission and of which we can identify an appreciable benefit. We have sought in the past, legal counsel on similar matters and this is in line with that legal counsel.

Sincerely,

Joe Shepard
President,
Western New Mexico University