This column is excerpted from Excellence in Action: A Periodic Newsletter from President William B. Conroy, which can be found on the NMSU World Wide Web site at http://www.nmsu.edu/ Administration/newsletter/

Freshman numbers continue to grow The largest class of new freshmen ever - 2,266 - enrolled at New Mexico State University's main campus this fall. It is the fourth consecutive year that the number of first-time freshmen has grown. This gratifying trend is due in part to the availability of scholarships-the state's Lottery Success Scholarship and a number of others offered by the university - that make a university education more accessible than ever for New Mexicans. The Lottery Scholarships are a bright spot, but there are other areas of higher education funding that concern me greatly. One of these is faculty salaries. NMSU and the other research universities in the state compete nationally for top-notch faculty members, and although we offer quality-of-life advantages that many richer universities cannot, our salary levels put us at a definite disadvantage. Last year, the mean salary for all faculty at NMSU was only 87.4 percent of the mean at 16 similar universities that the Commission on Higher Education has identified as our peers. Bringing salaries closer to the average will be a priority issue for the Council of University Presidents as the next legislative session approaches. We are fortunate to have world-class faculty members in our classrooms and laboratories now, but we must be more competitive to continue attracting and keeping faculty of this caliber. NMSU a 'hidden treasure' High school guidance counselors surveyed by the publisher of a national college guide ranked NMSU among the nation's "Hidden Treasures" and "Schools Representing the Best Value for Your Money." Editors of the Kaplan Newsweek College Catalog 2000 said they contacted about 4,500 guidance counselors from public and private high schools around the country for the survey. Schools recommended as "hidden treasures" are described as "terrific colleges that aren't as well known as they should be."

High on climbing

Photos by Meghann Dallin

Jason Ploss, at left and below, ascends NMSU's new climbing wall in the Activity Center's former Gymnastic Room. Ploss, a junior business student, is the climbing wall supervisor. He has been involved in climbing for six years. Holding the harness is Sean Brown, a sophomore biology student. The wall, designed for beginners to expert climbers, is 25 feet high and 33 feet wide. Student activity fees funded the $53,000 construction project. Toproping, leading and bouldering terrain are incorporated into the design. For more information contact Joe Fedak, assistant director of intramurals, at (505) 646-4139.

New buildings top wish list

NMSU is seeking $11.4 million in state funding next year for a Health and Social Services Building on the main campus and $1.25 million for the Dona Ana Branch Community College Border Area Satellite Facility in Sunland Park.

Other appropriation requests and priorities for fiscal year 2000-2001, by category:

Research and public service programs: Expansion requests include $450,000 to match a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to establish the Southwest and Border Cultures Institute, $415,000 to improve recruitment and retention of Native American Students, $300,000 to establish a Center for Energy Technologies and $90,000 for the Alliance for Under-represented Students.

Instruction and general programs: $400,000 for teacher preparation initiatives, $225,000 for a distance learning master's degree program in education, $200,000 for the New Mexico Prefreshman Engineering Program and $70,000 for KRWG-TV's student-produced News 22 program.

Constitutional programs: Expansion requests for the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service include $380,078 for the Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management Program, $438,800 for the Water Quality Program and $500,000 for the Clovis Science Center. The New Mexico Department of Agriculture is seeking a $205,000 increase for Soil and Water Conservation Districts, $100,000 for a marketing and development project and $70,000 to increase the inspection capabilities of the Entomology and Nursery Bureau.

Athletics programs: $300,000 to restore funding for gender equity.

NMSU also is supporting initiatives of the Council of Presidents, representing all the four-year public universities in the state, in such areas as improved employee compensation, enhanced formula funding for building renewal and replacement, equipment renewal and replacement, and libraries.

Karl Hill

Give 'em a hand

Students bask in applause for their giant hand in NMSU's 1999 Homecoming parade. Delta Zeta sorority and Delta Chi fraternity sponsored the eye-catching float. For other Homecoming photos turn to page 4.

Photo by Michael Kiernan