UPDATE (8:31 p.m.)

Officials from Mesaland Community College report that a vote of “no confidence” was recorded against both the President, Gregory T. Busch, and the Board of Trustees of Mesalands Community College.

A press release from the college states that the faculty senate voted 16 to 0, with one abstaining, that they have “no confidence in President Busch’s leadership.” The faculty senate voted 16 to 0, with one abstaining, “that they have no confidence in the Board of Trustees.”

The staff senate at the college voted 29 to 0, with two abstaining, saying that “they have no confidence in President Busch’s leadership” and voted 30 to 0 that “they have no confidence in the Board of Trustees.”

A special meeting of the Mesdalands Community College Board of Trustees is going to be held Thursday, Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. MST. The public comment form can be found here.

Original Story

TUCUMCARI, N.M. (KAMR/KCIT) — Officials with Mesalands Community College announced that the college’s chief executive staff unanimously voted in favor of “no confidence” in relation to Gregory T. Busch, the current president of Mesalands Community College.

According to a news release from the college, Mesalands Community College reported that it has spent “150% over the allotted appropriations, against the requests of multiple Chief Financial Officers.” This comes after the New Mexico Higher Education Department placed the college under the Enhanced Fiscal Oversight Program due to the following “risk factors:”

• Inadequate Financial Control System;
• Weakened Unrestricted Cash Position;
• Oustanding Audits (FY21 and FY22);
• Failure to Comply with Law or Regulation Related to Capital Projects;
• Request for Advanced State Funding or Emergency Loan.

Officials said the chief executive staff has been working to create a financial solvency plan, which requires an emergency meeting with the college’s Board of Trustees. The college claims that Busch has been directed to call an emergency meeting, which has not yet been completed.

The release claims that chief executive staff was “forbidden to communicate” with the board, at risk of losing their jobs. Officials said that the chief executive team of the college will host a staff/faculty meeting “at the risk of termination.”

“It is for the benefit of the students, staff, and faculty this vote took place. Mesalands Community College reported significant financial hardships and is in the process of determining what kinds of emergency measures can be taken to improve solvency and keep the school on a sustainable financial footing,” the release said. “…The no-confidence vote sighted an inability to communicate to the College and the community about the College`s financial situation… Mesalands Community College has had a history of high completion rates and a reputation for leading the way in student success. The Chief Executive staff believe the College can recover from these unfortunate setbacks with hard work and sacrifice for the benefit of the students.”

MyHighPlains.com has reached out to Busch surrounding this vote, and the story will be updated if he returns the request for comment.