By Mary Alice Murphy

Western New Mexico University is collaborating with the UNM School of Architecture and Planning in a four-way partnership to benefit four universities. The other two are Woodbury in San Diego, Calif., and the University of Arizona.

In town this week are UNM Dean and Professor in the UNM School of Architecture Geraldine Forbes-Isias and Professor Tim Castillo, also of UNM.

"The focus this year is for us to look at Silver City, do background analyses of all the systems of the city, including roads, water and topography," Forbes-Isias said. "We want to collaborate with Western to reposition the university and Silver City as a hub of art."

WNMU President Joseph Shepard said Western would love to have an architecture program. "But with the collaboration, we are not duplicating programs that we need. Why carry the expense, if UNM already has the program? We can expand this collaboration to symbiotic win-wins."

"We have 12 students, with eight from California and four from New Mexico," Castillo said.

"They have filmed the Big Ditch and other parts of town," Forbes-Isias said.

"We met with Sen. Howie Morales on Monday, with Kevin Cook of Freeport on Tuesday, and with Priscilla Lucero of the Council of Governments on Wednesday," Castillo said.

"Tim has deep roots here," Forbes-Isias said. "When you have someone from the community, it's an asset."

She said the program would repeat. "We're not just dropping in. We are doing background research on access places, the mines, recreational possibilities and a boutique art subculture. Next year, we want to move from the macro to the next level down. We have goals for several more summers. We are trying to advance applied research."