University History
The community of Silver City realized a long-time dream on February
11, 1893, when the Thirtieth Session of the Territorial Legislature of
New Mexico passed "An Act to Establish and Provide for the Maintenance
and Government of the Normal Schools of New Mexico." Silver City and Las
Vegas were chosen to be the locations of these teacher-training institutions.
This successfully culminated the efforts of many in Silver City, who had
attempted for years to convince the Territorial Legislature to approve
an institution of higher learning in Silver City.
A Board of Regents, appointed by Governor L. Bradford Prince, was given
the task of selecting a site for the school. On June 2, 1893, the Board
accepted Regent John W. Fleming's offer of 20 acres situated on a high
hill west of the community. This site allowed the institution to be visible
to all who came into town. On September 7, 1894, an impressive dedication
ceremony was held. Within the cornerstone laid by the officials and townspeople,
a copper box containing coins, magazines, and other items of the period
was placed. The military band of Fort Bayard provided appropriate music.
The first director was George Selby, an educator from Deming, who was
given the title of principal. He is remembered as the man who was given
the difficult task of developing curricula and providing instruction for
the first forty students.
With the departure of Selby, Charles M. Light became the principal.
He later became the first to be given the title of President. Professor
Light, a Doctor of Pedagogy, provided a needed air of stability for the
young institution and presided over substantial growth of the physical
plant, faculty, and student body. His tenure lasted until 1914.
It was during 1917 that Fleming Hall was completed to house a gymnasium
and Science Department. Today this building is the home of the WNMU Museum
which was established in 1974. In the early 1920's the New Mexico Normal
School became New Mexico State Teachers' College. Following World War I,
Dotson Field was constructed and named after an alumnus who died in the
war.
Near the end of the 1920's, Light Hall was completed to serve as an
auditorium, library and classroom facility. Although Graham Gymnasium was
started years earlier, it was not completed until 1936. During the Depression
of the 1930's there were numerous W.P.A. projects which brought improvements
to the campus. At the end of the 1930's a secondary school associated with
the college began operations in a new building on the east side of the
campus. Western High School was turned over to the Silver Consolidated
School District on July 1, 1960.
Although there was a delay in campus expansion during World War II,
the influx of many veterans following the war made it necessary to bring
temporary housing to the campus. The new housing was immediately dubbed
Veterans' Dormitory. In 1948 a College Cafeteria replaced the cafeteria
located in the basement of Ritch Hall. In 1949 the Mustang Field House
and swimming pool were completed. In 1979 the wish for an enclosed pool
was fulfilled. In 1954 the President's home was completed. Miller Library,
following the razing of "Old Main,'' was built in 1957 then
was completely remodeled in 1997, doubling its size. In 1966 the Fine
Arts Auditorium, the McCray Art Building, and the Parotti Music building
were finished. These buildings have added cultural opportunities for the
University and local community. Western New Mexico University received
its current name in 1963. The Phelps Dodge-Felix Martinez Buildings (1970),
Glaser Hall (1981) and the Juan Chacon Building (1983) reflect the fulfillment
of more recent needs of the University.
Enrollment at WNMU reflects the national profile
characterized by a high percentage of nontraditional students. The student
body numbers approximately 2500.
WNMU celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 1993. Exemplary teaching, quality
programs, and enhanced regional service characterize the University mission,
as WNMU moves into its second one hundred years.
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Mission Statement
Western New Mexico University serves the people of the State of New
Mexico and its surrounding areas as a comprehensive, regional, rural, public,
coeducational university. Its student body is diverse in age, culture,
language, and ethnic background. Teacher education continues to provide
the basic foundation of WNMU's programs. That focus has broadened to include
a range of certificate, associate, baccalaureate, and several graduate
programs which also meet the needs of students in allied health, arts and
sciences, business, and vocational education. All undergraduate degree
programs include a strong comprehensive general education requirement.
Excellence in teaching is a preeminent goal at Western New Mexico University.
The University encourages the exchange of ideas; fosters the cultural,
emotional, intellectual, physical, and social growth of students; nurtures
a lasting appreciation of learning; encourages increased relationships
with people of diverse backgrounds; and furthers an appreciation for the
benefits and opportunities derived from community involvement. WNMU, through
advanced technology and telecommunications, creates opportunities for its
students, the faculty and staff, and the communities it serves to participate
more fully in educational efforts which provide access to information and
outreach to the global community.
WNMU recognizes as a strength the multilingual, multicultural population
of the region and state and accepts the responsibility to be particularly
mindful and supportive of the unique opportunities afforded by this diversity.
The University aspires to promote increased access to all levels of education
and to help people better understand and appreciate diversity, tolerance
and cooperation. The University is committed to help preserve and enhance
the rich cultural heritage of the region it serves and to broaden its student
diversity by reaching out to students from other states and nations.
WNMU values the contributions of its faculty, staff, and students and
is committed to their professional growth and personal enrichment. Faculty
and staff encourage student success by providing quality educational opportunities
that are affordable and accessible. The University supports innovative
and scholarly work, promotes integrity and equity in its dealings with
people, actively pursues accreditation by recognized national and regional
accreditation agencies, and seeks continual improvement of institutional
management practices and processes.
WNMU works diligently to maintain fiscal and ethical integrity in its
activities, to provide for the future educational needs of the people of
Southwestern New Mexico, and to build a collaborative relationship with
its constituencies. The University addresses the educational, cultural,
community, and economic development needs of the region through its library,
museum, gallery, fine arts center theater, and through supportive partnerships
with community and educational organizations, business, industry, and local
governments.
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Accreditation and Standing
WNMU is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and
Schools, (30 N. La Salle, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602 312-263-0456) and
by the New Mexico State Board of Education for offering undergraduate and
graduate work. Western New Mexico University, through its Department of
Business, Economics and Public Administration, is nationally accredited
by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs to offer
the following business degrees:
• Bachelor of Business Administration degree with an emphases in Accounting
and Business Management.
• Master of Business Administration degree.
WNMU is also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of
Teacher Education (NCATE). It also enjoys national accreditation for its nursing,
social work, occupational therapy assistant, and economic development
course/institute. The Child Development Center is nationally accredited.
WNMU is also a member of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher
Education, the American Association of University Women, the American Association
of State Colleges and Universities, the Hispanic Association of Colleges
and Universities, the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs,
and The American Library Association.
University Setting
WNMU is located in the mountain community of Silver
City, population
15,000, which serves as the marketing and financial center for a vast four-county
area extending west to Arizona and south to Mexico.
Located in the foothills of the Mogollon Mountains and the Black Range
at an elevation of 6000 feet, Silver City has a climate that is dry, mild,
and invigorating. The Gila National Forest provides opportunities for backpacking,
camping, hunting, and fishing. Within the forest are hiking trails and
Indian ruins, including the famous Gila Cliff Dwellings. Hot springs and
ghost towns are nearby. The area is popular with rockhounds and is still
panned for gold.
The town is far enough removed from large urban centers to permit tranquillity
and a sense of freedom, yet close enough to the metropolitan areas of Las
Cruces, El Paso, Juarez, Albuquerque, Tucson, and Phoenix to enjoy their
advantages.
Silver City is served by commuter air to Albuquerque and other cities
in the neighboring states, and by a van shuttle service to the El Paso airport.
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J. Cloyd Miller Library
MILLER
LIBRARY was completely remodeled in 1997, doubling its size.
Named for University President J. Cloyd Miller (President 1952-1962),
the library is adjacent to the newly built Student Memorial Center.
The library is open 81 hour per week when classes are in session ,
with additional hours during final exams.
Library services include reference, interlibrary loan, library instruction,
and collection development. The
library offers photocopy machines, microfilm reader-printers, 16 research
terminals with connection to the World Wide Web, and machines for the hearing-
and sight-impaired.
The three units within the library
are: Public Services (reference,
interlibrary loan, periodicals, government documents, circulation); Technical
Services (acquisitions, cataloging, and processing); and Outreach Services
and Technology (instructional technologies and media collection).
Library resources include over 120,000 books, 950 periodical titles,
over 500,000 titles in microfilm, 1500 maps, and over 5,000 government documents.
Miller Library is a partial Federal Government Depository. Special collections, including the Juan Chacon papers, are
held in the Treasure Room.
The library catalog is fully
automated and can be accessed from off-campus via the library’s Web page.
The library has access to major research databases such as OCLC
FirstSearch, Bell & Howell ProQuest Direct, InfoTrack Health Reference
Center Academic, ABI/Inform, and NewsBank.
Resources not owned by Miller Library can be obtained through
interlibrary loan.
The Outreach Services and Technology
unit supports university distance-learning programs and courses, houses the
media collection, and coordinates general media and audiovisual needs on campus.
Outreach Services and Technology provides: videoconferencing over a dedicated
T1 line; Web-based tools for online course development; digital video (DV)
editing and production equipment; high-resolution film and slide scanning
and digital-to-analog film printing; video and audio duplication services;
videotaping services; and multimedia software for CD-ROM production. Outreach
Services and Technology houses the videotape and CD collection (2,350 items)
and provides three classrooms for instruction, videotaping, C-band downlinking,
fixed digital Ku-band downlinking, and multimedia playback. Outreach Services
and Technology is open 64 hours per week and by appointment.
WNMU Museum
Founded in 1974, the university museum is located in Fleming Hall. Fleming
Hall was built between 1916 and 1917 as a gymnasium and science department
for the Normal School. The museum features both permanent collections of
historic and prehistoric southwestern cultures and various traveling exhibits.
Permanent exhibits and collections include the internationally famous
Eisele Collection of Pottery and Artifacts, one of the largest collections
of Mimbres pottery and artifacts on permanent display in the world. This
major collection includes approximately 600 pieces of prehistoric pottery
and 50 pieces of prehistoric basketry and footwear dating back to A.D.
200. Other permanent exhibits and collections include historic photographs
and memorabilia documenting the history and evolution of the university,
the O.C. Hinman and John Harlan Photography Collections featuring historical
photographs taken in southwestern New Mexico and surrounding mining district,
and the WS Ranch Site Collection of Mogollon Indian artifacts. New acquisitions
(1996, 1997) include the Geneva Back Collection of María Martinez
and San Ildefonso Tradition Pottery and the Margaret Kelly Collection of
Navajo rugs.
Activities at the museum include Elderhostel courses on Mimbres archaeology,
a school loan service of archaeological activity kits, various lectures
and courses, tours for all age groups, tours for schools, and courses on
museum education. The museum also has an extensive traveling exhibit schedule
focusing on American cultures. The traveling exhibits are funded by yearly
student fees.
The museum is a member of the American Association of Museums, the Mountain-Plains
Museum Association, the New Mexico Association of Museums, the Association
of College and University Museums and Galleries, and the Council for Museum
Anthropology. The museum is open from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday through
Friday and from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 A.M. Saturday and Sunday. Admission
is free.
Information Technology
The
Information Technology (IT)
department at Western New Mexico University is responsible for planning, designing,
implementing and managing the computing, networking and communications services
available on campus. Our strategies are dynamic and responsive to student
and faculty needs to address expanding technologies and its use in education.
Our specialized labs located throughout the main campus support basic services
such as word processing, internet connectivity/email access and multi-media
software systems. We additionally provide equipment to accommodate students
with special needs while supporting specialized hardware and applications
such as desktop publishing enhanced by scanners, digital cameras, digitizing
tablets and color laser printing.
In
conjunction with our academic commitment, management of the administrative
computing environment is the second primary responsibility of IT. WNMU’s approximately
40 administrative and instructional support departments are provided with
technical advice, training, and hardware/software support across all systems.
IT
provides university members with assistance via ‘Help Desk’ assistance located
in the IT ‘main’ office (Chino Bldg.) and in our Academic Lab. The Academic
Lab is staffed six days per week and technicians are available to assist our
students and faculty. The IT technicians and consultants, who support/address
service requests for university equipment, offer quick troubleshooting assistance
for software and some hardware issues. IT Consultants work with all faculty
and administrative personnel to meet the specific training needs of each individual,
group or department so that university members can use the full functionality
of the administrative computing environment.
Our
Mission Statement:
The
Information Technology (IT) department at Western New Mexico University fosters
communication between University Students, Faculty, Staff, and Alumni by implementing
the computing and communication systems at WNMU and providing the technical
leadership and support for said systems.
We support the University’s Mission and Vision for evolving and implementing its technology
· by collaborating with the University’s long-range planning,
· by providing technical support to activities related to academic and administrative technologies,
· by advocating the University’s initiatives to facilitate and strengthen teaching, learning, and research for pedagogical innovation.
We strive to create a supportive and comprehensive environment wherein we can achieve professional goals, job satisfaction, and improvement in technical skills so that our technical capabilities meet the changing needs of our clients and so that we can prepare for proposing changes and upgrades to current systems.
We will work professionally and proactively with diligence and integrity to be worthy of the trust placed in us by those we serve.
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Continuing Education
The Department of Continuing Education is WNMU's lifelong learning organization.
Programs in Continuing Education make the university accessible to the
community, providing opportunities for intellectual growth and stimulation
to all age groups. The fundamental principles that guide Continuing Education
programs are flexibility, responsiveness and quality.
Program staff collaborate with local industry, government agencies,
K-12 educational systems and community groups to design and present training
programs focused on workforce development. Flexible programming is used
to enable students to earn university credits in a time and format that
fits busy schedules.
Programs under the auspices of Continuing Education include the WNMU-Deming
Learning Center and WNMU-Truth or Consequences Learning Center, offering
academic programs and non-credit courses to communities somewhat distant
from the main campus. Staff in Continuing Education, in partnership with
the WNMU Expressive Arts Department, invite performing and studio artists
to provide unique workshops for university students and community members.
A series of children's summer programs include Red Cross certified swimming
lessons, computer "camps," drama programs, yoga, and arts and crafts classes.
Additional activities include the following:
The Borderlands Institute was established in 1997 to foster educational
and cultural interchange among WNMU and several universities in Mexico.
Intensive Spanish and English language courses, and "semester elsewhere"
opportunities are scheduled throughout the year.
Elderhostel is a non profit organization providing high quality, affordable
educational opportunities for mature adults. Elderhostel activities support
the belief that learning is a lifelong process, and that sharing ideas,
challenges and experiences is rewarding at every life stage.
The Early Childhood Training Institute is a cooperative arrangement
with the WNMU Child Development Center. The institute offers training programs
for early child care providers and educators.
Preschool/Child Development Center
The WNMU Preschool/Child
Development Center is committed to creating an environment that fosters
respect and appreciation for the uniqueness of each child and family. The
Center believes the curriculum should enhance the child's awareness of social
justice. The preeminent goal is to build awareness, respect, sensitivity and
appreciation for diversity that cuts across gender, class, race, culture,
language and exceptionally. The curriculum reflects congruency among school,
child and the family structure; it is child-centered, and developmentally
appropriate.
The Center is accredited by the National Academy of Early Childhood
Programs. It provides a developmentally age-appropriate environment in
an educational setting for children ages six weeks to five years; a laboratory
site for students to observe young children for required course work; a
quality model early care program for the community, where teachers and
staff in the program are well-qualified and trained; an inclusive childcare
program that promotes continuity of care by insuring that the child's day
is uninterrupted from 9-11 a.m., insuring continuous laboratory site experiences
as well; a family service component which includes an onsite family facilitator,
parenting classes, and support groups.
The program follows the seven New Mexico Early Childhood competencies:
child growth, development and learning; health, safety and nutrition; family
and community collaboration; developmentally appropriate content; learning
environment and curriculum implementation; assessment of children and program;
professionalism.
The Center is located in Sechler Hall and is
open from 7:45 am. to 4:30 p.m. Evening childcare is offered to children,
two to eight years of age, of WNMU students attending classes between 5:00
and 9:30 p.m. First priority is given to children of full-time WNMU students,
then to part-time students, then to children of staff, faculty and community
members. Cost is based on number of hours of childcare.
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