The final of five candidates for UNM Gallup Campus CEO, Dr. Carols Ayala, spoke in an open forum at the Student Services and Technology Center Oct. 25.

Ayala currently serves as the Dean of Education at the California State University at Sonoma, a position he has held since 2011.

“As dean I focused on our accreditation process,” Ayala said.  “There are 23 campuses at California State University, the largest in the country.  We as a unit have become a political force.”

Sharing his motivation for teaching, Ayala explained during his early years he accepted a teaching position in Calexico, Calif., a town on U.S.-Mexican border, where the temperature easily exceeds 100 degrees...

Visiting the University of New Mexico, Gallup campus last week, Dr. James Malm wants to bring his 25 years of higher learning career to Gallup.

He currently serves as a professor at the Colorado State University in Greenwood Village, Colo., where he teaches both undergraduate and graduate management courses.

“In many universities there are declines in enrollment and revenue,” Malm said before the search committee on Oct. 20.  “We are facing it all over the country in big external forces with no control over them.”

From 2000 to 2015, the growth rate in colleges and universities nationwide was 32 percent, explained Malm, due to a global economic recession.

“So many people...

SANTA FE – Education Secretary-Designate Christopher Ruszkowski announced Ivonne Orozco as the 2018 New Mexico Teacher of the Year Oct. 24. Orozco is a Spanish teacher in grades 8-12 at the Public Academy for the Performing Arts in Albuquerque. Ruszkowski joined students, staff, and Orozco’s family to surprise her with the award.

“Mrs. Orozco represents the very best of our teachers across the state,” said Ruszkowski. “Her innovation in teaching and passion for her students extends far beyond the scope of the classroom, as she is a fierce advocate for all of her students. We are proud to have her represent New Mexico’s educators.”

Orozco was among 14 semi-finalists...

Manipulation of interest rates hurt NM businesses, not for profits

SANTA FE – Attorney General Hector Balderas announced $1,362,709 million settlement with Deutsche Bank for fraudulent conduct involving the manipulation of LIBOR Oct. 25.

This is a benchmark interest rate that affects financial instruments worth trillions of dollars and has a widespread impact on global markets and consumers. The vast majority of the settlement will go to the New Mexico Finance Authority and the Office of the Attorney General’s expert’s opinion is that this will fully compensate NMFA and other entities in New Mexico for their losses.

“We have recovered over a million dollars for the critical...