Chamber of Commerce luncheon features WNMU's Shepard 090122

: Category: Front Page News Front Page News; Published: 18 September 2022 18 September 2022

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Romeo Cruz handed out recognitions to individuals, agencies and organizations that have benefited the community in various ways over the summer.

Cruz presented Bruce Ashburn of PNM a recognition of sponsorship of the Fourth of July Festival.

No one was present from the Town of Silver City to receive the recognition for sponsorship.

Ansel Walters of the Lion's Club received recognition for the members faithfully volunteering each year to line up the parade for the annual Fourth of July Parade.

Jim and Debbie Nennich of W&N Enterprises accepted recognition for their sponsorship.

Sabrina Pack accepted recognition for SkyWest for sponsorship.

Rob Kirker of R&D Fire accepted recognition for sponsorship.

He also recognized Benjamin Lee for volunteering to help with the parade and festival, but Lee did not attend to receive the recognition.

Cruz thanked the Order of the Eastern Star for providing lunch.

For Fourth of July Parade entries, Cruz awarded the best vehicle entry to John Griswold; the best walking group to Silver Schools Superintendent William Hawkins for the Silver High School Band; and best float to Freeport-McMoRan Strategic Community Development Manager Laura Phelps for the company's entry.

Cruz introduced the guest speaker, Western New Mexico University President Joseph Shepard.

"I've been here 11 years now," Shepard said. "This community has changed and evolved for the better and better. Back when I was hired, I said I would be here for five years. I said no president stays for longer than 10 years, and yet, here I am. I love the community; I love the hiking; I love the Gila. This area has that magic.

"People like yourselves keep me grounded," he continued. "The chamber supports businesses, and you support each other. Let's shop here. Let's keep our resources here and our friendships here. We at the university support our faculty and staff, and our students. We in the community have had a bad habit of making disparaging comments about the separation of the university and the community. I now see the vibrancy of both and the interactions."

Shepard reported the university had 4,400 students this fall. "During Covid, we dropped to 2,700, so I'm glad to see the students come back."

"The university is public friendly," he said. "We have planted more than 500 trees.

"The main question is how can you continue to help out?" Shepard posed the question. "We benefit from Bond C, if you want to support higher education. In other states, the legislatures give out the funding. But our sole source of capital outlay for us in New Mexico is through Bond C. It provides funding for buildings—construction, maintenance and repair. If Bond C passes, we will receive $4.2 million. We are planning a new building in Deming for the Deming Learning Center, which will promote nursing. We are educating our nurses for throughout the state."

He said a portion of the bond funding would go toward repairing the leaking roof on Graham Gym.

"We went up College Ave. and put all the electric lines underground and planted lots of trees," Shepard said. "Separate from this bond issue, behind Harlan Hall there is a dinky parking lot. We have decided to make it an educational project. Freeport has donated some big boulders, and we're going to landscape it. The top layer will be Douglas fir, the second layer grasses and juniper, and the third layer a playa like near Lordsburg. The professors can take students out to the area to talk about ecology. It will also be another place to walk on campus. This is more than just fixing a retaining wall. The funding will be supplemented by the severance bond.

"With Bond C, we can do all these improvements, but taxes do not go up," Shepard emphasized. "We will have all the benefits, without increasing taxes. I ask for your support. But whatever your decision, I want you to vote."

He said the university is working toward being carbon neutral by 2025. "Within the next month or two, 75 percent of our energy usage will be renewable. We are putting solar on our parking lots, with about $2 million to go. We did a groundbreaking for a new softball field. Putting in artificial turf saves 1.5 million gallons of water a year. Water is always a challenge in this region. Along with the football field turf, we will be saving 3 million gallons of water. Not only do we educate people, but we want to be practitioners of that example of education. We are doing it because it's the right thing to do. When we are paying $0 for energy, we can do more for students. We will continue to plant trees. Part of the ecosystem are the swallows that build nests on our buildings. We thought we wanted to try to stop them. But wait—we need to coexist, so we will only clean up nests that are directly over doors. We clean them up every year to keep out the mites. We increase our opportunities with irrigation, so the swallows have mud for their nests. We're showing how to create an ecosystem."

Shepard said another change being made is that most universities have classes that start only in August, "but we will have classes that start in October. Education should be the same as buying bread in a grocery store, starting when you want it to start. We also want a vocational school. We also want to create a new early childhood education center. At the last chamber meeting the university got a rebate check from PNM for $73,000. That didn't get me here, but you gave me a megaphone today, and I'm here. I hope I can have another decade here."

Bruce Ashburn of PNM said he wanted it known that the university saves 651 kilowatts per hour a year, saving 213,000 gallons of water. "It's enough electricity saved to power 96 homes."

Shepard also noted that every light bulb in the university is now an LED, saving energy and costs.

Ted Presler, chamber member, asked if the university could contribute to more carts for the Great Race. Shepard liked the idea.

Lori Rogers, chamber member, asked how the university is being mindful of taxpayer money. "What do you do day-to-day to save taxpayer money? And my second question is how do you have multiple times to start courses?"

Shepard said the university is always mindful of saving electricity, including putting lights on sensors, so they go off if no one is there. "We save money for things that are greater than self. For the Deming Learning Center, it will cost $700 a square foot, and we pay attention to the materials that we use. As for the entry into courses, we, for instance have social work classes in the summer that are four weeks or six weeks. It's a bit complex the multi-entry technology, but there are already universities doing it."

He noted that many of their students live on campus in the residence halls but take 100 percent of their courses online. "They want flexibility, so they can get up later, for instance. Less than 60 percent are online or online/hybrid for labs, for instance. The rest of the courses are in person."

Ashburn said he was impressed the university was seeing such strong growth.

Shepard said education is becoming a commodity—an English class is an English class. "Universities have to differentiate by how we treat people. Marketing is important. Our second resource is training professors and staff on how to treat people. We hired someone from the Ritz Carlton to teach how to go the extra mile, but we still have challenges. Call us if you're interested in attending WNMU or go online and fill out an application to start in October. When you call, within one to two weeks you should be admitted and registered, so you can start sooner. If you are a New Mexican resident and want to go to college, your tuition and most fees are paid for. I thank you for your support. It's your university, not my university. Our job is more than degrees. We are a museum; we are activities and athletics; we are a fine arts center; we are community."

Cruz said the chamber has new members, including the Gaffney Oglesby Marine Corps League Detachment 1328. Gary Gibson, commandant, said the organization is not only Marines. "We honor all veterans. We serve at more than 170 funerals a year of those who served in all branches of the military. We will hold our annual Marine Corps Birthday at the university on Nov. 10."

"The chamber is bringing back its banquet, scheduled for Dec. 1," Cruz said. "We will make local awards. Nominations are due by the end of October. We want to celebrate the community."

Ashburn said the chamber board is asking for nominations for board membership, and applications are online.

Several announcements were made for events that have already been held.

Kim Clark announced the Grant County Fair to be held in Cliff at the Fairgrounds Sept. 21-24.

Rogers said she had wellness products at a discount. She also gives a class on therapy for kids, on Zoom or Facebook live streaming.

Presler said the Southwest Word Fiesta would hold its 10th event next year, but on Sept. 19, "Walking with Herb," a golf comedy filmed in Las Cruces and Artesia, would be shown from 6:30-9:30 at Light Hall on the WNMU campus.

Cruz also promoted the Conference Center, as a "beautiful facility, if you want to hold an event." Call the chamber at 575-538-3785.

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Chamber of Commerce luncheon features WNMU's Shepard 090122

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