CNM, UNM Form Unprecedented Alliance to Serve Students

The CNM Governing Board and the UNM Board of Regents both approved a joint Memorandum of Agreement on Tuesday that has set the stage for a new era of higher education in New Mexico. The agreement between the state’s two largest postsecondary institutions will allow students more seamless access to the best services both institutions have to offer, which will increase student success.

The Memorandum of Agreement is the first of its kind for higher education institutions in New Mexico, but elsewhere it has become a national trend for better serving the needs of students while also streamlining higher education costs for students and taxpayers.

A short clip of the press conference announcing the agreement can be viewed here.

"In a nutshell, this agreement will allow students to take advantage of the best services both institutions have to offer,” CNM president Kathie Winograd said.  “It’s about students and improving the likelihood of their success by providing better educational opportunities with fewer barriers."

"In a state where graduation rates in high school and higher education are below average, this agreement can be a major step forward in addressing those issues and prompting more collaboration among all levels of education in the state.”

Among other initiatives in the agreement, CNM and UNM will work together to:

• Develop joint initiatives, such as dual-enrollment collaboration, gateway programs and 2+2 programs that will make it easier to attend CNM for the first two years of classes and then seamlessly transition to UNM.
• Embrace opportunities for creating seamless enrollment and financial aid processes.
• Provide selected shared services that will benefit students. There are plans that will allow CNM students to access UNM services, such as dorms, recreational services and student discounts.
• Share data to monitor and address student success issues.
• Develop a schedule of non-duplicated courses to meet the needs for the proposed joint-use Rio Rancho campus, with lower division courses offered through CNM and upper division and graduate courses offered by UNM.
• Jointly establish a comprehensive facilities master plan in Rio Rancho. The first instructional building is planned to be built and owned by CNM with planned course offerings from both institutions.