REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FOLLOWING REPORT FROM SANTA FE WAS RECORDED BEFORE THIS YEAR'S NEW MEXICO ELECTION BALLOTS WERE PRINTED.

WHEN THE BALLOTS WERE PRINTED THE BOND ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED AS BOND 1, BOND 2 AND BOND 3 INSTEAD OF THE TRADITIONAL BOND A, BOND B AND BOND C. THEREFORE DURING THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION VIEWERS NEED TO BE AWARE OF THE LABELING CHANGE, FOR EXAMPLE BOND C WILL ACTUALLY BE BOND 3 ON >>LORENE: HELLO, I AM LORENE MILLS AND WELCOME TO REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

WE HAVE A VERY SOPHISTICATED LEVEL OF GUESTS TODAY.

WE HAVE DR. BECKY ROWLEY WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AN EXCELLENT INSTITUTION AND DR. JOE SHEPARD WHO IS PRESIDENT OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY, A JEWEL OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO.

I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>JOE: THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>>BECKY: YES, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>>LORENE: WELL, TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND FIRST AND THEN WE WILL GIVE THE REASON THAT WE'RE HERE.

TALK TO ME YOUR INSTITUTION, THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND HOW YOU GOT HERE.

>>BECKY: WELL, I AM ACTUALLY ORIGINALLY FROM SANTA FE.

MY FATHER WORKED FOR THE SUPREME COURT WHEN I WAS BORN AND THEN I GREW UP IN CLOVIS AND LIVED MOST OF MY LIFE IN CLOVIS UNTIL I WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE.

I CAME BACK THERE AND WORKED FOR CLOVIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR 25, 27 YEARS AS A FACULTY MEMBER IN ENGLISH AND THEN LATER AS THE ACADEMIC VICE PRESIDENT AND FINALLY AS PRESIDENT, I HAD MY EYE ON THIS JOB FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS, I KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO POST THE POSITION, AND I HAVE BEEN IN SANTA FE ALMOST THREE AND HALF YEARS AND I JUST LOVE IT.

IT IS A FANTASTIC INSTITUTION, A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY, I WORK WITH TERRIFIC PEOPLE, WE SERVE FANTASTIC STUDENTS.

IT IS A GREAT PLACE.

>>LORENE: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU REALLY DO SO WELL IS WHAT IS CALLED THE "TOWN TO GOWN" RELATIONSHIP, THE RELATIONSHIP OF SANTA FE WITH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE IS REALLY GOOD, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT.

AND ALSO, I KNOW THAT IT IS TRUE, OUR OTHER GUEST, DR. JOSEPH SHEPARD, WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY, YOU GUYS ARE LIKE A BEACON DOWN THERE, A SHINING LIGHT ON THE HILL AND THAT YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.

TELL US HOW YOU ENDED UP AT WESTERN AND WHAT WESTERN HAS TO OFFER.

>>JOE: WELL, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT THAT MANY OF US CALL IT, "THE HARVARD ON THE GILA," DOWN IN SILVER CITY AND IT IS TRULY A SPECIAL PLACE.

ONE OUT OF TWO OF OUR STUDENTS IS HISPANIC, ONE OUT OF TWO OF OUR STUDENTS IS ABOVE THE AGE OF 24.

ABOUT THREE OUT OF FOUR OF OUR STUDENTS IS A FIRST TIME IN COLLEGE TYPE STUDENT, MEANING NOBODY IN THEIR FAMILY EVER WENT TO SCHOOL, SO WE ARE PROVIDING THAT HOPE, WE ARE PROVIDING THAT EDUCATION, THAT OPPORTUNITY, BUT FOR US MANY WOULD NOT PERHAPS RECEIVE THAT ABILITY TO GO ONTO SCHOOL.

AND THEN OF COURSE WE WILL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OTHER ISSUES, BUT WE OFFER THE FULL RANGE OF BOTH THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE AND THE MASTER'S DEGREE, 72 PROGRAMS, NURSING, YOUR NATURAL SCIENCES AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

I AM GLAD YOU ASKED HOW I ENDED UP DOWN THERE, BECAUSE I WAS BORN AND RAISED, IF YOU OWN THE TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO, BUT ON THE ARIZONA SIDE.

>>BECKY: HOW OLD ARE YOU?

>>JOE: YEAH, EXACTLY.

I HIDE IT WELL.

BUT MY FAMILY WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH.

WE OWNED THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER, BUCKEYE VALLEY NEW S, AND I LOVED THE SOUTHWEST AND MY CAREER TOOK ME ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND ACTUALLY DOWN INTO MEXICO.

AND WHEN I WAS IN FLORIDA, WHERE I MOST RECENTLY WAS ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO, I HAD BEEN OUT A LITTLE OVER A DECADE, I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING IN THE SOUTHWEST, I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING SMALL AND SOME PLACE WHERE I CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

MY "WHY" REALLY IS THOSE FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS, THOSE STUDENTS, THEY ARE NOT THE ONES WHO TYPICALLY WOULD GO OFF TO A HARVARD IN THE EAST OR ANY PLACE LIKE THAT.

WE SERVE THEM AND IT IS JUST SUCH A DELIGHT TO WATCH THEIR LIVES CHANGE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, GENERATIONS CHANGE AND THAT'S WHAT I AM ALL ABOUT AND THAT IS WHAT THAT UNIVERSITY IS ABOUT.

>>LORENE: WELL, WELL BEAUTIFULLY SAID, BEAUTIFULLY SAID.

WELL ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN KEEP LIKE EDUCATION IS TO BRING OUT INTO THE LIGHT, EDUCARE WE CAN KEEP DOING THAT AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE STATE AND THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE, HELP FUND OUR INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, TWO YEAR AND FOUR YEAR.

SO I AM HOPING, THERE IS AN ELECTION COMING UP AND THERE ARE SOME BONDS, GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS, COMING UP.

SO WOULD ONE OF YOU LIKE TO EDUCATE US ALL ON WHAT IS A GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND AND WHAT IS IT USED FOR?

>>JOE: I WILL LET DR. ROWLEY TAKE THE EASY QUESTIONS.

>>BECKY: HE ALWAYS GIVES ME THE EASY QUESTIONS.

NO, THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND COMES BEFORE THE VOTERS EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS, IN EVEN NUMBERED YEARS, FOR EDUCATION IT FUNDS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND IN SOME RARE CASES SOME NEW CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.

ALL THESE PROJECTS HAVE TO BE VETTED BEFORE A COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF PEOPLE FROM THE HIGHER EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, THE LEGISLATIVE FINANCE COMMITTEE, SO WE CAN'T JUST STICK PROJECTS ON THAT LIST, WE HAVE TO JUSTIFY WHAT WE WANT TO DO.

THE FUNDING IS LOOKED AT VERY CAREFULLY AND WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE TRUE NEED.

THEY PACKAGE THE BOND SO THAT THERE ARE PROJECTS IN VIRTUALLY EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE, SO THIS IS NOT A BOND THAT WILL JUST BENEFIT THE RIO GRANDE CORRIDOR, IT WILL BENEFIT EVERY PLACE THAT HAS A TWO YEAR OR FOUR YEAR COLLEGE.

FOR MANY COLLEGES THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND IS ALMOST THE ONLY WAY THAT THEY CAN HAVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT.

THERE ISN'T A LOT OF FUNDING IN THE COMMUNITY AND SO THIS BOND MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF WHETHER THEY CAN JUST KEEP UP WITH FIXING ROOFS AND PARKING LOTS AND UPGRADING ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

AND THEN MANY NEW PROJECTS EMERGE THROUGH THIS PATHWAY, TOO.

THERE ARE SOME GREAT PROJECTS ON THIS LIST, THE PROJECTS AT UNM AND AT THE HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, CNM HAS A NEW TRADES BUILDING.

I THINK ANOTHER ONE OF OUR COLLEGES HAS A NEW TRADES BUILDING SO WE CAN'T REALLY GROW AND DEVELOP AND EVEN MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE AS A SAFE AND THRIVING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WITHOUT THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.

AND THIS BOND IS THE TOTAL OF THE PACKAGE WOULD BE, IS A LITTLE OVER $250 MILLION DOLLARS STATEWIDE.

THERE IS NO TAX INCREASE, IT WILL CREATE APPROXIMATELY 2,000 CONSTRUCTION JOBS IN THE BEGINNING, SO THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE DEVELOPING PLANS, ARCHITECTS, ARCHITECTURAL STAFF, CONSTRUCTION PEOPLE TO BUILD THESE PROJECTS, IT IS A MAJOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PIECE FOR THE STATE, TOO.

>>JOE: I WANT TO JUMP IN IF YOU DON'T MIND.

IF WE LOOK AT THIS BOND DIFFERENTLY THAN OTHER STATES BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF VIEWERS AND LISTENERS WHO COME FROM OTHER STATES THAT HANDLE THIS DIFFERENTLY.

THIS IS HOW HIGHER EDUCATION IN TERMS OF THE BUILDING COMPONENT IS FINANCED, IT IS THROUGH THIS GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.

FOR EXAMPLE, AT WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY, WE DON'T GET ANY MONEY FROM THE TAXPAYERS, DIRECTLY, IN SILVER CITY.

ALL OUR MONEY COMES FROM THE STATE AND THE LARGEST CHUNK OF IT COMES FROM THIS PARTICULAR PASSAGE.

AND YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME VIEWERS AND LISTENERS WHO MIGHT SAY, "WELL, WHY, I DON'T HAVE ANY CHILDREN, I AM NOT GOING OFF TO HIGHER EDUCATION, WHY SHOULD I SUPPORT THIS?"

AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS YOUR LIFESTYLE MATTERS.

AND THE WAY WE BOOST THE ECONOMY, THE WAY WE BOOST NEW MEXICO IS WE EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATIONS.

THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE SOME STUDENTS WHO ARE IN THEIR 70S WHO ARE GOING TO MY UNIVERSITY BECAUSE THEY WANT THAT LIFELONG LEARNING.

THIS BOND AND ITS PASSAGE BENEFITS THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

SO IT IS MORE THAN JUST SIMPLY SAYING, WELL, LET'S FIX A ROOF OR FIX A BUILDING.

IT LITERALLY IS HOW WE FUND HIGHER EDUCATION IN OUR PARTICULAR STATE AND IT IS A MESSAGE OF WHAT WE VALUE AS A STATE.

DO WE VALUE EDUCATION, DO WE VALUE HIGHER EDUCATION AND THIS BOND IN MANY WAYS IS SYMBOLMATIC OF THAT.

>>LORENE: WELL, I AM SITTING HERE THINKING HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE BOTH OF YOU AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THIS.

AND THE OTHER THING I AM THINKING IS THAT NEW MEXICANS HAVE ALWAYS STEPPED UP FOR EDUCATION, THERE IS A CORE VALUE IN THIS STATE OF EDUCATION AND I AM GLAD YOU MENTIONED THAT IT IS NOT JUST THE ACTUAL, PHYSICAL STRUCTURES, IT IS THE WHOLE PROCESS THAT IS ENHANCED SHOULD THESE BONDS PASS.

WOULD EITHER OF YOU LIKE TO TELL ME, THERE ARE SEVERAL GO BONDS, THERE IS ONE FOR BOOKS, I THINK THAT IS BOND B.

ONE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, WHICH IS BOND C. SO THIS IS COMING UP IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTION THAT IS WHY I REALLY WANT PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO EARLY VOTE IN OCTOBER TO REMEMBER THESE BONDS AS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE NEW MEXICO.

BUT ARE THERE OTHER GO BONDS ON THE BALLOT, HAVE YOU LOOKED UP THAT FAR AHEAD?

>>JOE: THERE NORMALLY ARE ABOUT FOUR BONDS ON THE BALLOT.

WE FOCUS OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE WE ARE IN HIGHER EDUCATION ON BOND C. AND I WANT TO REPEAT WHAT DR. ROWLEY NOTED AND THAT IS IF THIS BOND PASSES, THERE IS NO TAX INCREASE.

SO IF I AM SITTING IN MY HOUSE AND I AM WORRIED, WOW, AS YOU SHOULD BE, I AM WORRIED ABOUT A RECESSION, I AM WORRIED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN ECONOMICALLY TO NEW MEXICO, TO MY POCKETBOOK, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE SHOULD THIS PASS.

AND WHY IS THAT?

THE REASON IS BECAUSE EVERY TWO YEARS WE GO THROUGH THIS BOND ELECTION, THAT IS HOW WE FUND THINGS AS I MENTIONED BEFORE.

SO THAT MEANS 10 YEARS AGO OR WHENEVER IT WAS, ANOTHER BOND WAS PASSED BY THOSE VOTERS BACK THEN THAT IS NOW COMING OFF YOUR TAX ROLLS.

AND SO THIS IS SIMPLY JUST REPLACING THAT SO THAT YOUR TAXES DO NOT GO UP AND I HAVE TO EMPHASIZE THAT.

THE OTHER PIECE THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE IS I MENTION ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE VALUE OF HAVING THE RIGHT FACILITIES.

WE RECENTLY HAD COVID AND WITH THAT PANDEMIC, A LOT OF US AND MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES ENDED UP TAKING THEIR CLASSES ONLINE AND WE THINK, THEN WHY DO YOU NEED BUILDINGS, I MEAN CAN'T WE DO ALL THIS ONLINE.

A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THAT TO KEEP IN MIND.

FIRST OF ALL, THE ANSWER TO THAT IS NO BECAUSE UNIVERSITIES AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES SERVICE THEIR REGIONS AND THEIR AREAS.

THEY ARE MORE THAN JUST A UNIVERSITY GRANTING A DEGREE, THEY ARE CULTURAL CENTERS.

FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE A FINE ARTS BUILDING AND THE COMMUNITY COMES AND THEY LISTEN TO CONCERTS AND THEY WATCH PLAYS AND THAT SORT OF THING.

I HAVE A MUSEUM OF THE LARGEST POTTERY COLLECTION IN THE UNITED STATES OF THE MIMBRES POTTERY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS.

>>LORENE: THE OTHER THING THAT IS SO IMPORTANT AND BY THE WAY WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH DR. BECKY ROWLEY OF SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND DR. JOSEPH SHEPARD OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY, THE OTHER THING THAT CAN'T BE OVERLOOKED IS THAT THE INTERACTION STUDENT TO STUDENT AND THE CONVERSATIONS THAT GO ON, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES THEY LEARN AS MUCH FROM EACH OTHER FROM WHAT EACH OTHER KNOW OR DON'T KNOW AS THEY DO FROM THE EXPERIENCE.

SO THE WHOLE MIX OF HIGHER ED AND THE WHOLE HAVING LUNCH TOGETHER, COMING FROM DIFFERENT CLASSES AND TALKING ABOUT, I MEAN IT IS THE MOST FERTILE BREEDING GROUND FOR IDEAS AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO GO TO ZOOM-A-RAMA FOREVER.

>>BECKY: AND THAT IS WHAT OUR STUDENTS TELL US, TOO.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NOTICED THAT SOME STUDENTS DO LIKE THE CONVENIENCE OF ONLINE, BUT A LOT OF THE FACILITIES THAT WE ARE ASKING FOR THE FUNDING TO RENOVATE ARE SPECIALIZED INSTRUCTIONAL SPACES, SO YOU KNOW AS JOE SAID, THERE ARE FINE ART SPACES, THERE ARE TRADE SPACES, THERE ARE HEALTHCARE SPACES.

>>LORENE: MUSIC.

>>BECKY: ALL OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE TAUGHT IN LABORATORY SPACES.

>>LORENE: YES.

SO THIS ONE PARTICULAR BOND IS GOING TO GO TO HELP FUND A CHILDREN'S PSYCHIATRIC CENTER, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE NEED SO MUCH.

LOOK WHAT THE KIDS HAVE BEEN THROUGH WITH THE PANDEMIC AND WITH MASKS AND IT HAS BEEN A REALLY HARD TIME TO BE A KID, ESPECIALLY A KID TRYING TO LEARN LANGUAGE WHEN YOU ONLY SEE ONE OR TWO FACES OF YOUR FAMILY.

EVERYONE ELSE, YOU LEARN HOW EXPRESSIVE THE EYES ARE, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL THE CUES THAT A KID NEEDS TO LEARN TO COMMUNICATE, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS PROJECT?

>>JOE: WELL, FOR EXAMPLE, AT WESTERN, THIS BOND IF IT PASSES, WE WILL RECEIVE SOMEWHERE AROUND $4.2 MILLION DOLLARS.

TWO MILLION OF THAT IS GOING TO OUR LEARNING CENTER DOWN IN DEMING.

WE ARE BUILDING A NEW HEALTH PROFESSION CENTER SO THAT IS NURSES, PHLEBOTOMISTS, PHARMACEUTICAL TECHS IN LUNA COUNTY AND HIDALGO COUNTY NEXT DOOR, ON THE MAIN CAMPUS, OF COURSE, IS GOING TOWARD WE HAVE A ROOF WHICH IS ACTUALLY FALLING APART, THE CONCRETE IS FALLING OFF OF IT, SO IT IS GOING TO REPAIR THAT.

BUT, MEANWHILE, DR. ROWLEY, YOU CAN SHARE WHAT IS HAPPENING AT SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

>>BECKY: OUR PROJECT IS FOR $2.3 MILLION DOLLARS AND IT IS HVAC UPGRADES.

AND SO YOU KNOW THOSE THINGS HAVE TO BE REPLACED FREQUENTLY ANYWAY, BUT NOW THAT WE HAVE HAD COVID THERE ARE SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS AND HVAC SYSTEMS THAT HAVE TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT AND SO WE ARE REPLACING THOSE WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF AIR HANDLERS THAT WILL HAVE A HIGHER CONCENTRATION OF OUTSIDE AIR.

>>LORENE: AND THE KIND OF PERHAPS FILTER WHICH IS FINE ENOUGH TO TRAP A VIRUS, WHO KNOWS.

>>JOE: WELL AS WELL AS ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

>>BECKY: RIGHT.

>>JOE: TURNING OUR CAMPUS MORE INTO CARBON NEUTRAL, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY.

THESE ARE THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES, AT MY CAMPUS I HAVE HVACS THAT ARE 20, 30, 40 YEARS OLD.

NOW WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS BOND, INSTITUTIONS LIKE MINE, INSTITUTIONS LIKE PRESIDENT ROWLEY'S, WE CAN CHANGE THAT.

WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND MOVE OUR INSTITUTIONS INTO A MORE RESPONSIBLE ECOLOGICAL PRESENCE AND SENSE OF BEING.

>>LORENE: AND ALSO, IF THE CLIMATE IS INDEED CHANGING, THOSE FACILITIES, THOSE CAPABILITIES, ARE GOING TO BE MUCH MORE NECESSARY.

HOW MANY OF US HAVE EVER BEEN IN A HOT TEMPORARY BUILDING IN 100 DEGREES PRAYING FOR AIR CONDITIONING, SO THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY USEFUL AND THEN THE PROJECT AT THE UNM HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER FOR THE CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH.

>>BECKY: THAT IS A CRITICAL PROJECT, I MEAN THAT WILL HAVE STATEWIDE RAMIFICATIONS.

YOU KNOW ALL OF US HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AMONG OUR STUDENTS, OUR YOUNGER STUDENTS ESPECIALLY.

OUR COLLEAGUES AND PUBLIC EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAVE DEFINITELY SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE FOR EVEN YOUNGER STUDENTS.

AND WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF IT IS PANDEMIC RELATED BUT THERE ARE EVEN ISSUES OUTSIDE THE PANDEMIC THAT HAVE CERTAINLY MADE THOSE NUMBERS INCREASE AND UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING, IT IS JUST GOING TO GET WORSE.

NEW MEXICO HAS HISTORICALLY HAD A LACK OF SERVICES IN THIS AREA, SO THIS IS REALLY NEEDED.

>>LORENE: THERE IS SO MUCH THAT IS NEEDED.

BUT YOU ARE SUCH ARTICULATE SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THIS, SO WHAT WOULD BE YOUR FIVE MINUTE, TWO MINUTE, ELEVATOR SPEECH FOR PEOPLE AND ALSO WE HAVE TO REMIND EVERYONE THIS ELECTION DAY IS NOVEMBER 8, BUT YOU CAN START EARLY VOTING IN OCTOBER, A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE TO EARLY VOTE.

THAT IS WHY I WANTED TO GET YOU ON THE RECORD EARLY TO REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT THIS.

SO GIVE US YOUR... >>JOE: WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY PRESIDENT CAN EVER DO SOMETHING IN TWO MINUTES.

>>LORENE: I KNOW, WHAT WAS I THINKING.

>>JOE: I KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, BUT TO THAT POINT, A COUPLE OF THINGS REAL QUICKLY.

YOU KNOW NEW MEXICO HAS HISTORICALLY STRUGGLED WITH EDUCATION FOR A WHOLE HOST OF REASONS.

WE ARE A LARGE STATE, HARD TO GET THE NECESSARY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THAT GEOGRAPHIC AREA, WE ARE AN IMPOVERISHED STATE.

THIS IS OUR WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, THIS IS THE CITIZENS WAY TO DIRECTLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IT IS NOT UP TO MY BOARD OF REGENTS, IT IS NOT UP TO THE LEGISLATURE, IT IS NOW IN THE HANDS OF THE VERY PEOPLE WHO SHOULD MAKE THAT DECISION.

AND IF ANYTHING, MY MESSAGE IS GO VOTE.

NOW YOU MAY NOT VOTE FOR BOND C, I WANT YOU TO, I HOPE YOU SUPPORT EDUCATION, I HOPE YOU SUPPORT IT WITH A PASSION THAT I HAVE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WANT YOU TO DO YOUR DEMOCRATIC THING AND GO VOTE, THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU.

>>JOE: THE SECOND PIECE TO THAT IS, IS THAT OUR STATE AND WE HAVEN'T TALKED MUCH ABOUT IT, OUR STATE RECENTLY PASSED A THING CALLED THE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP AND WHAT THAT NOW MEANS IS ANY NEW MEXICAN, ANY NEW MEXICAN, YOU COULD BE 55, YOU COULD BE 18.

ANY NEW MEXICAN CAN NOW GO TO COLLEGE AND NOT HAVE TO PAY TUITION, THAT'S HUGE.

NO OTHER STATE, NO OTHER STATE IN THE UNION IS DOING THAT.

SO THIS COUPLED WITH THE CAPITAL OUTLAY PIECE, CRITICAL TO OUR HIGHER EDUCATION.

>>LORENE: THANK YOU.

HE HAS TAKEN SOME OF YOUR TIME.

>>BECKY: I REALIZE THAT, THAT'S OKAY, I AM USED TO THAT.

BUT I WILL ECHO WHAT DR. SHEPARD SAID ABOUT VOTING BECAUSE THAT IS THE CRITICAL PIECE.

REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE NO TAX INCREASES HERE AND THAT THIS BOND DOES IMPACT EVERY CORNER OF NEW MEXICO AND FOR MANY, MANY OTHER COLLEGES THAT ARE ON THIS LIST, THIS IS THEIR ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE THE FUNDING IS NOT THERE FROM OTHER RESOURCES.

SO AS DR. SHEPARD SAID, WE REALLY DO DEPEND UPON THE VOTERS.

>>LORENE: HOW LUCKY I AM TO HAVE SUCH ARTICULATE EDUCATORS.

OUR GUESTS TODAY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS ARE DR. BECKY ROWLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE SANTA FE COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND DR. JOSEPH SHEPARD, PRESIDENT OF WESTERN NEW MEXICO UNIVERSITY.

AND OUR GUEST NOW IS DR. MAURICIO TOHEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>>MAURICIO: MY HONOR TO BE HERE.

>>LORENE: YOU HAVE DONE SO MUCH, TELL US WHAT YOUR POSITION IN LIFE IS.

BUT ALSO SOME OF YOUR BACKGROUND, ALSO I COULDN'T HAVE WRITTEN ALL THE HONORS THAT YOU HAVE GOTTEN SO TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

>>MAURICIO: CURRENTLY I AM THE CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO AND I SERVE AS CHIEF FOR UNM HOSPITAL IN BEHAVIORAL CARE.

>>LORENE: WOW, GREAT, GREAT.

I NOTICE YOU HAVE MANY DEGREES, A DOCTORATE, A DOCTOR OF PUBLIC HEALTH, THAT WAS INTRIGUING TO ME.

AND YOU HAVE A SPECIAL FELLOWSHIP IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL WHERE YOU STUDIED PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY, WHAT IS PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY?

>>MAURICIO: WELL IT IS THE USE OF MEDICATIONS FOR PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS.

>>LORENE: VERY, VERY HELPFUL, VERY HELPFUL.

AND YOU WERE AT SAN ANTONIO, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER, YOU WERE IN CHARGE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOOD AND ANXIETY DISORDERS, YOU ARE SO NEEDED.

THANK YOU AND SOME OF THE HONORS.

PLEASE DON'T BE SHY.

>>MAURICIO: I THINK THE HONORS WOULD BE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO.

TO ME THAT IS MY MAIN HONOR, BUT IT ALWAYS MAKES MY WORK SO REWARDING.

>>LORENE: WELL, YOU ARE A CLASS ACT AND I DIDN'T WRITE THEM DOWN BECAUSE THERE WERE THREE PAGES OF THEM.

SO YOU HAVE MORE AWARDS AND HONORS THAN I HAVE SEEN.

BUT YOUR FOCUS HAS BEEN ON EPIDEMIOLOGY, THE OUTCOME AND TREATMENT OF BIPOLAR AND PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS.

YOU HAVE WRITTEN OVER 350 PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES, 30,000 ACADEMIC CITATIONS, COAUTHORED OR AUTHORED FIVE BOOKS.

SO, I HAVE INVITED YOU HERE TO TALK ABOUT A WONDERFUL PROJECT THAT IS HAPPENING AT UNM HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER WHICH IS THE CHILDREN'S PSYCHIATRIC CENTER.

CAN YOU TELL US FIRST OF ALL WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OUR OWN BIPOLAR AND PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS AND HOW WE CAN APPLY ALL THIS MENTAL HEALTH STUDIES IN OUR OWN LIFE.

BUT THEN, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE KIDS, IT IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PROJECT.

SO THAT'S HALF AN HOUR'S WORTH OF QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU.

>>MAURICIO: WELL I AM A PSYCHIATRIST AND AS YOU MENTIONED, AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST, AND I HAVE A DEGREE IN PUBLIC HEALTH.

SO FOR ME HAVING THAT TRAINING HELPS ME DO MY JOB NOW WHICH IS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

SO AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE PAST I HAVE DONE RESEARCH IN BIPOLAR DISORDERS BUT NOW AS THE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT I HAVE TO OVERSEE ALL PSYCHIATRIC CONDITIONS AND REALLY MY JOB IS TO SUPPORT THE FACULTY IN THE DEPARTMENT.

IT IS NOT MY WORK, IT IS THE WORK THAT THEY DO WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND I ALSO SEE PATIENTS, YOU MIGHT SEE THAT RIGHT NOW I AM DRESSED IN SCRUBS.

THE REASON WHY I AM DRESSED LIKE THIS IS BECAUSE I ALSO DO MY SHIFTS AT THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY CENTER.

SO I SEE PATIENTS THERE INCLUDING CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS.

>>LORENE: SO THE LAY PERSON FEELS THAT DUE TO THE PANDEMIC EVERYTHING IS WORSE.

IS MENTAL HEALTH WORSE?

>>MAURICIO: WELL AS EVERYTHING IN LIFE THERE IS GOOD AND BAD, MOSTLY IT IS BAD, BUT THERE IS SOME GOOD THINGS AND WHY DON'T WE START WITH THE GOOD THINGS.

THE SILVER LINING OF THE COVID PANDEMIC IS THAT WE NOW FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE USING VIRTUAL VISITS AND THAT HAS BEEN GREAT FOR PATIENTS.

WE HAVE SEEN THAT WHEN PATIENTS HAVE AN APPOINTMENT THROUGH VIRTUAL THE NO-SHOWS HAVE DECREASED DRAMATICALLY.

AND YOU MENTIONED CHILDREN AND FOR CHILD PSYCHIATRIC CARE, VIRTUAL HAS ALSO BEEN VERY HELPFUL BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE HOUSEHOLD SO YOU CAN TALK AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE SIGNIFICANT OTHER, THE PARENTS, THE SIBLINGS, SO THAT HAS BEEN QUITE HELPFUL, SO THAT IS WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT THE PANDEMIC.

BUT IT HAS REALLY BEEN VERY HARD ON EVERYBODY AND ACTUALLY INCLUDING CHILDREN.

WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE OF DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AND THE NUMBERS ARE THERE THAT SHOW THAT, BUT WE ALSO SEE THAT AT THE PSYCHIATRIC EMERGENCY SERVICE, WE SEE MORE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS COME TO THE PSYCH EMERGENCY SERVICE NOW THAN WE DID BEFORE AND MANY OF THEM WHO NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS ARE NOW EXPERIENCING DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND SUICIDAL THOUGHTS.

>>LORENE: WELL WE ARE SPEAKING TODAY WITH DR. MAURICIO TOHEN, WHICH LEADS US EXACTLY TO WHY YOU ARE GOING TO BE BUILDING OR CREATING THIS CHILDREN'S PSYCHIATRIC CENTER BECAUSE AS YOU DESCRIBED THE NEED IS REALLY GREAT.

SO TELL US ABOUT WHERE IT IS AND WHAT IT IS GOING TO OFFER THESE CHILDREN.

>>MAURICIO: YES, WELL IT IS STILL BEING PLANNED AND THE LOCATION WOULD BE IN THE SAME CAMPUS AND THIS IS THE CHILDREN'S PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL IS GOING TO BE POSSIBLE, THANKS TO OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE STATE.

SO IT IS GOING TO BE FUNDED BY THE STATE AND BY UNM.

IT IS STILL NOT THERE, IT STILL HAS TO BE APPROVED.

>>LORENE: WELL ONE OF THE IMPORTANT THINGS IS THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND THAT WILL FUND THIS, THAT WE ALL BE VOTING ON IN NOVEMBER OR IF WE'RE EARLY VOTING IN OCTOBER.

AND I DOUBT THAT IT WILL BE TURNED DOWN BECAUSE THE NEED IS SO POIGNANT, SO DESPERATE.

AND ALSO, THE PEOPLE OF NEW MEXICO REALLY SUPPORT THEIR CHILDREN AND CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH IS ABOUT THE THING THAT NEEDS MORE SUPPORT THAN ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES FOOD AND LODGING AND EDUCATION OF COURSE.

SO WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT YOU WILL BE DOING THERE?

>>MAURICIO: WELL AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS IS FOR THE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS OF NEW MEXICO.

WE DESPERATELY NEED IT.

I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK OF PSYCHIATRIC CARE AS A CONTINUUM, YOU HAVE THE ACUTE HOSPITAL BUT THAT IS JUST PART OF IT AND THAT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH, ALTHOUGH TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE HOSPITAL, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT THAT IS JUST PART OF THE CARE.

THE CARE SHOULD BE OUTPATIENT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE GOAL IS TO KEEP CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.

SO TO DO THAT WE NEED OUTPATIENT SERVICES AND THEN THERE IS WHAT WE CALL INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OF CARE WHERE THE PATIENT IS NOT REALLY ABLE TO BE AT HOME BUT DOES NOT NEED AN ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC CARE, SO THEN WE HAVE PARTIALHOSPITAL, WE HAVE A HALF DAY HOSPITAL AND THEN UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS ALSO SOME CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WHO NEED A LONG TERM CARE BUT NOT IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL.

IT IS IN A RESIDENTIAL PLACE, SO IT'S A CONTINUUM SO WHAT WE WANT, AS I MENTIONED, IS AVOID HOSPITALIZATION, BUT WE ALSO WANT THE HOSPITAL TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT, THOSE WHO NEED ACUTE CARE AND IT IS PROBLEMATIC AND AGAIN THINKING AS A CONTINUUM, THOSE PATIENTS WHO NEED LONG TERM CARE SHOULD GO TO RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THAT RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT, THOSE PATIENTS ARE OCCUPYING BEDS OF PATIENTS WHO NEED THE ACUTE CARE AND NOT THE LONG-TERM CARE.

>>LORENE: YOU EXPLAIN IT SO BEAUTIFULLY.

I WANT YOU, WHEN THE BOND PASSES AND THE PSYCHIATRIC CENTER OPENS, I WANT YOU TO COME BACK, WE WILL DO A WHOLE SHOW ABOUT IT WHEN IT IS HAPPENING.

OUR GUEST TODAY IS MAURICIO TOHEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>>MAURICIO: THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND WE HOPE IT PASSES.

>>LORENE: NEW MEXICANS LOVE KIDS AND THE NEED IS SO GREAT AS YOU SO BEAUTIFULLY DESCRIBED.

THANK YOU.

AND I AM LORENE MILLS, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU OUR AUDIENCE FOR BEING WITH US TODAY ON REPORT FROM SANTA FE .

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, A REMINDER.

IN THE PRECEDING REPORT FROM SANTA FE WHICH WAS RECORDED BEFORE THIS YEAR'S NEW MEXICO ELECTION BALLOTS WERE PRINTED, WHEN THE BALLOTS WERE PRINTED THE BOND ISSUES WERE IDENTIFIED AS BOND 1, BOND 2 AND BOND 3.

THEREFORE, VIEWERS NEED TO REMEMBER THE LABELING CHANGE WHEN THEY VOTE IN THIS YEAR'S ELECTION.

FOR EXAMPLE, BOND C WILL ACTUALLY BE BOND 3 ON THIS REPORT FROM SANTA FE IS MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY GRANTS FROM THE NEW MEXICO MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, A BETTER NEW MEXICO THROUGH BETTER CITIES AND FROM