Schmidly: GRT crucial for UNM expansion

By Eric Maddy
The SCORE

The University of New Mexcio is unlikely to expand its Rio Rancho operations if a March 4 ballot proposal to dedicate 1/4 of a cent in additional gross receipt taxes is voted down, UNM President David Schmidly said Tuesday.

Speaking after a public forum at Rio Rancho Mid-High, Schmidly said "Without the infrastructure, I don't know how you're going to build this campus. We'll probably continue somewhere near the same effort we currently have, but we're not going to be able to come close to meeting the demand that's here unless this thing passes.

"I know how the voters feel about taxes, but I'd like to make a couple of points. This really is a pretty small tax, about $2.50 on $1,000. That's not trivial, but it's small relative to other taxes.

"What it could bring back in return as a result of helping this community grow is really substantial. And the kind of jobs that could come here - jobs that are much higher paying and could keep Rio Rancho kids here when they graduate.

"You have to take that long-term view. Yes, you've got to squeeze your family grapefruit a little more. It might mean one less trip to Starbucks a week. But long term, when your son or daughter graduates from high school, they're not going to have to pay that $200 a month for gas (to commute to Albuquerque)."

Schmidley and his staff will be making several appearances in Rio Rancho in an attempt to persuade voters. The Sandoval County Commission is scheduled to consider a resolution supporting the proposed tax at its meeting Thursday night and another community forum is set for he Mid-High at 11 a.m. Saturday.

School spokeswoman Susan McKinsey said UNM will spend close to $150,000, mostly in advertising, in an attempt to persuade voters. Central New Mexico Community College spent $250,000 last year in order to persuade voters to unify Rio Rancho into a central taxing district for its school.

CNM will partner with UNM on the project, with UNM operating a few classes in CNM's facility initially beginning January of 2010 if construction proceeds as scheduled. Smidley said New Mexico State has committed to offer some programs at the new educational center as well.

"This could be a model for higher education for all of New Mexico," Schmidly said.

Many in attendance were hoping to meet Marc Nigliazz, who was named by Schmidly earlier this week as the vice president in charge of Rio Rancho operations and branch academic affairs. Nigliazz, who missed the forum due to illness, assumes the role June 1.

He will coordinate UNM's branch campuses in Los Alamos, Valencia County, Taos and Gallup and will direct and manage the planning, development and implementation of all aspects of UNM's Rio Rancho campus.

Nigliazzo, a UNM alumnus, earning his doctorate in English language and literature while also holding a teaching assistantship. He has been president and chief executive officer of the Temple College District in Texas since 1995.

He held faculty positions at Adams State College, Odessa College, Boise State University, Del Mar College and Corpus Christi State University. He was director of freshman composition at Odessa; coordinator of developmental English at Boise State; director of the English language center, then chair of the Department of English, Philosophy and Reading at Del Mar; and vice president and dean of instruction at Galveston.
 
In 1991, he was named president of Galveston College and served in that capacity until his appointment at Temple College.

Nigliazzo's wife Lynn is the founder, artistic director and principal costumer for the Galveston Ballet. His family also includes daughter Caryn, an emergency clinician in Durango, Colo.

In an attempt to promote a pep-rally type atmosphere, the UNM  pep band played the school  fight song while cheerleaders performed. But most of the estimated 30 people were either UNM staff, media or Rio Rancho Public School officials who came to the meeting after their own school boundary board meeting.

Schmidly was introduced by Don Chalmers, a prominent Rio Rancho businessman who also serves on UNM's Board of Regents.

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