According to Inland’s Web site the real estate company “intends to acquire existing special use facilities, which are then leased to the government, or to a private company engaged by the government to operate the property.” After starting up in 2005 as primarily a shopping mall developer Inland began to purchase land to build prisons that it would lease to the government.
The sale to Inland, of course, still requires legislative approval and, according to a report in the Santa Fe New Mexican, Highlands University President Jim Fries is concerned that the deal would cost the state more in the long run.
SFR has not yet heard back from representatives from Inland or the College of Santa Fe but will update the story as soon as more information becomes available.
On Friday SFR caught up with state Representative Danice Picraux to discuss HB 577, the bill that would allow the state to take over the College of Santa Fe. Having passed both the House Education Committee and the House Appropriations and Finance Committee the bill moves to a vote on the house floor, which at this time is tentatively scheduled for Monday, March 2.
Interview conducted by SFR Arts and Culture Editor (an adjunct faculty member at CSF) Patricia Sauthoff.
Interview shot and edited by SFR Staff Writer Dave Maass.
The College of Santa passed through the House Finance and Appropriations Committee this evening and now moves its way to a full House vote sometime in the next few weeks.
Students seem optimistic bur realistic. On its Facebook fan page CSF is asking alumns if they would fly to New Mexico to celebrate the school if it were to close its doors. With so much up in the air it seems that many are planning a departure from the College regardless of the outcome [disclaimer: I am an adjunct faculty at CSF and have had multiple students from my current class express their transfer plans].
Whether the bill passes the House or not CSF as it currently exists will cease as of late-May when faculty and staff are let go for good. If Highlands, or another university, takes over that institution will have to rehire staff and faculty and will be forced to scramble over the summer to set up a fall semester.
Some 50 students and a few faculty from the College of Santa Fe sit, waiting for HB 577 to reach the House Appropriations and Finance Committee. As the House debates the myrad issues on its plate students, who trickle in in pairs every few minutes, discuss their options if the committee doesn’t approve the bill. Many have already applied to other schools or are currently finishing applications in the midst of trying to save their school.
But what that school will look like is up in the air because the College of Santa Fe is struggling to pay its bills through the end of the semester. With a $3 million deficit school officials have cut back staff hours and are in talks with faculty about how to proceed with the semester. Letters have now gone out to faculty and staff informing them that May 22 will be the last day.
When HB 577 was approved by the House Education Committee SFR spoke with Highland’s President Jim Fries, who has been spotted around the Roundhouse today but is not currently waiting with students to learn the school’s fate, about how Highlands would take on the current faculty and staff at the College. Though Fries seemed optimistic that Highlands would be able to retain “key faculty” at that time the situation remains bogged down in legislation.
Today’s committee hearing was scheduled to begin at 1:30 pm but has been held up by votes on the House floor. Bill sponsor and Appropriations and Finance Committee Deputy Chairman Luciano “Lucky” Varela and committee vice chairman Danice Picraux, who teaches courses at CSF’s Albuquerque campus, leans more heavily democratic than the previous committee, though Abuquerque and southern New Mexico seems to be the hard sell for this bill.
If the school were to close the students, staff and faculty are concerned that Santa Fe’s economy, which thus far has been less affected than other areas of the country by the economic resession, will take a hit. Many students from out of state attend CSF, bringing money from various parts of the country to Santa Fe and surrounding areas.
SFR spoke with the press contact on the House floor about 4 pm and was told that the committee may reconveine on Sunday morning at 9 am given the length of today’s meeting.
SFR regrets that we will be unable to continue coverage of tonights committee hearing as Patricia Sauthoff is also an adjunct faculty memeber at the College of Santa Fe and has a class scheduled for tonight.
Meanwhile, CSF students wait, with the odd sountrack of Bob Marley filling the committee room and lightening the tension that hangs in the air.
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