Comparing the Contracts of Presidents at New Mexico’s Two-Year Institutes of Higher Learning
(Albuquerque) New Mexico’s Two-Year Institutes and their leaders have made headlines recently with the termination of President Ana “Cha” Guzmán by the School’s governing board. Regardless of the specific issues at stake, there is no doubt that a new President will be hired at the School.
In the interests of greater transparency, the Rio Grande Foundation has requested and posted online a useful comparison of the salary and benefits packages at the various independent, two-year institutes of higher learning around the state. Actual contract information along with brief analysis and comparison of the compensation packages is available now.
As Rio Grande Foundation President Paul Gessing explained, “When the board enters into negotiations on behalf of taxpayers and the public has a chance to weigh in, we believe that all parties, including the public, should have an understanding of the compensation packages available at similar schools around the state.”
These compensation packages might include a base salary, performance/retention bonuses, a car, a house, retirement contributions, and paid leave.
Each contract is posted below (please note the addendum for New Mexico Junior College)
Central New Mexico Community College (CNM);
New Mexico Junior College plus addendum
New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI);
After a close analysis of each contract, in terms of overall benefits, Gessing concluded, “The presidents of Mesalands, Luna, and NMMI are at the low end of the spectrum compensation-wise. The middle of the pack is represented by San JuanCommunity College and Santa FeCommunity College. The most generous packages are at CNM, Clovis, and New MexicoJunior College. Notably, however, CNM is by far the largest two-year institute in the state with a student population far bigger than any other similar school in the state.”