Northern New Mexico College

Northern New Mexico College is an American public college in Española, New Mexico.^[1]

History

Northern New Mexico College is a regional comprehensive college offering bachelor's, associate degrees and certificates, located in Española and El Rito, New Mexico.

Northern was founded in El Rito, New Mexico in 1909 as the Spanish American Normal School with the original mission of providing teacher training for the area's Spanish speakers.^[2] The College’s original mission and Constitutional charter makes Northern the first Hispanic-serving institution in the United States. Northern opened its Española campus in 1971 and expanded its mission to include technical vocational programs, eventually becoming the state's first designated community college.

In 2004, new legislation allowed Northern to offer a baccalaureate program in Elementary Education. In 2013, Northern applied for a change of mission from a two-year to a four-year college. Between 2014 and 2015, ten more baccalaureate programs were approved. The main campus is now in Española; the El Rito campus still operates.

Currently, in addition to over 35 associate and certificate programs, Northern offers bachelor’s degree programs in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Business Administration (Accounting, Management, and Project Management), Biology, Environmental Science, Electromechanical Engineering Technology and Information Engineering Technology, Integrated Studies in the Humanities and Social Sciences (with emphases in Psychology, Crime & Justice Studies, Humanities, Pueblo Indian Studies, and Self-Design), Mathematics, and Nursing (RN-BSN).

Northern primarily serves rural communities from within a 40-mile radius of its main campus in Española, New Mexico, including eight Native American pueblos, in one of the most underserved regions in the state.

Mission

MISSION: The mission of Northern New Mexico College is to ensure student success by providing access to affordable, community-based learning opportunities that meet the educational, cultural, and economic needs of the region.

Academics

Accreditation and demographics

Northern is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to grant associate's and bachelor's degrees.^[1] Its student body is predominantly Hispanic (74%) and is 38% male and 62% female.^[3] It is a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.^[4]

Additional accreditations include:^[5]

The Bachelor of Engineering in Information Engineering Technology Program is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) of ABET, www.abet.org 410.347.7700.

The Associate Degree Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, www.acenursing.org 404-975-5000.

The Bachelor in Nursing (RN-BSN) is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation (202) 887-6791.

The College of Business Administration's bachelor's and associate degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), www.acbsp.org 913-339-9356

The College of Education is accredited based on the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards from November 2016 to Spring 2023.

The College’s occupational courses are approved by the New Mexico State Department of Public Education; the Barbering, Cosmetology, and Nursing programs are approved by their respective state licensing boards.

Campuses

Española Campus, Administration Building on left.

• The primary campus in Española, consists of a 200-acre (810,000 m²) tract extending from U.S. Highway 84/285 to the banks of the Rio Grande. It is approximately 25 miles (40 km) north of Santa Fe.^[1]
• The El Rito campus is Northern's historical campus. It is 25 miles (40 km) north of Española.

Tuition

Tuition for New Mexico Residents is $135.85 per credit hour, up to 11 credits. $1630.00 total for 12-18 hours .

Non-Residents pay $504.74 per credit hour up to 11 credit hours, $6056.82 total for 12-18 credits.

Senior Citizens (65+) of New Mexico are charged $5.00 per credit for 1-5 credit hours or $135.85 per credit for 6-12 credit hours. ^[6]

Fees

Fees for all Students:^[7]

$62.70 per credit hour from 1-11 credits, $752.40 total for 12 to 18 credits

For a breakdown of general student fees: Where Do Student Fees Go?

Other Fees Include:

• Registration Fee (non-refundable; assessed each term): $29.26
• Late Registration Fee (non-refundable): $41.80
• Payment Plan Fee: $25.00
• Payment Plan Late Fee: $10.00
• Graduation Fee: $100.00 (one-time)

Governance

Northern New Mexico's president is Dr. Richard J. Bailey, Jr., and the members of the Board of Regents, who are appointed by the governor of New Mexico, are:^[8]

• Kevin Powers, President of the Board
• Robert Rhodes, PhD
• Damian Martinez, Esq.
• David "Chris" Ortega
• Joshua Martinez

Associated Students of Northern New Mexico College

The current president of ASNNMU is Francesca Romero.

Athletics

Northern New Mexico teams, called The Eagles, are part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), primarily competing as an Independent of the Association of Independent Institutions (AII). Men's sports include basketball, cross country and golf; while women's sports include basketball, cheer, cross country and golf.

The athletics department was launched in 2005. The Eagles began their first competitive men's and women's basketball seasons in 2009.^[9]

Notable alumni

• Phillip Archuleta, New Mexico state legislator^[10]
• Debbie Rodella, New Mexico state legislator^[11]

References

External links

• Northern New Mexico College website
• Northern New Mexico College athletics website