By CAROL A. CLARK
Publisher
Los Alamos Daily Post

The Los Alamos Daily Post has reviewed the UNM-Los Alamos bonds under consideration in this 2024 General Election. We believe they are important and successful passage will benefit students, teachers, staff and the community for years to come. We encourage voters to support these bonds.

UNM-LA cannot receive money from The University of New Mexico main campus in Albuquerque. UNM-LA’s financial resources come primarily from local and state funds. Particularly, it is a state requirement for UNM-LA to match 25% of state funding with local money for capital projects. The bonds under consideration in this election would fulfill this obligation.

The UNM-LA bonds will support much needed construction or remodeling of outdated buildings and utility facilities on the local campus.

Project examples include:

• To bring the campus up to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards;
• Replace leaking roofs;
• Update 1940s elementary school buildings for higher education needs;
• Upgrade IT systems and equipment for improved student learning; and 
• Modernize safety and energy efficiencies in buildings.

The $3 million of GO Bonds for campus improvement projects will increase property tax rates. The state will match the County’s $3 million in support with another $9 million, providing a total of $12 million to be used towards new capital improvement projects on the local campus.

To learn more about UNM-LA Bonds, including how much they will increase property tax rates, visit https://losalamos.unm.edu/about/go-bond/unmlabond-faq.html.

The other bond under consideration is Bond 3, also known as the GO Bond, which is on the ballot every other year and supports statewide education capital improvement projects. UNM-LA would receive $1 million of these bonds to be used towards existing capital improvement projects that haven’t been completed due to the increase of cost of raw materials and wages.

To learn more about Bond 3, visit investinbond3.com/faq/.

UNM-LA began its presence in Los Alamos in 1956 with the establishment of the UNM-Los Alamos Center for Graduate Studies. The Graduate Center has been in continuous operation since that time. It has a distinguished history of offering graduate degrees in scientific, engineering, management and health-related fields.

The first significant UNM undergraduate offerings in Los Alamos began with the establishment of the University of New Mexico Residence Center in Los Alamos in the fall of 1970. In 1973, the University of New Mexico Northern Branch College came into existence with Los Alamos as one of its campuses. In 1977, as a result of Legislative action, the UNM Northern Branch College was absorbed into Northern New Mexico Community College (NNMCC).

In 1980, after a local referendum and BEF and Legislative approval, the Los Alamos Branch Campus of the University of New Mexico was founded. It began operations on July 1, 1980, in the Little Valley School on Orange Street. The new director assumed his duties at that time, and several key NNMCC employees were transferred to the UNM-LA Branch College, which subsequently assumed the informal title of UNM Los Alamos, abbreviated UNM-LA.

In October 1980, the Branch campus moved from the Little Valley School to its present site at 4000 University Drive. In January 1981, the staff of UNM-LA assumed, under a contractual arrangement, the daily operations of the UNM-Los Alamos Center for Graduate Studies from the Training Office of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Director of the Graduate Center moved his office to UNM-LA.

During 1982-83, the UNM-LA facilities were remodeled and expanded. The new UNM-LA facility was dedicated on Jan. 6, 1984, by Gov. Toney Anaya. In 1989, Mesa Gymnasium was acquired from the Los Alamos Schools and was remodeled to provide additional classrooms. The new, sixth building was opened in spring 1990. The Learning Resource Center, an addition to the existing facility, was completed in early 1996. It houses the Library, Tutorial Center and the Adult Basic Education Program.

The remodeled Student Services Center was completed and opened in the summer of 2000. The graduate and upper divisions programs offered in Los Alamos are part of the University of New Mexico’s Extended University, the institutions distance education program.

To ensure UNM-LA continues to thrive, the Post encourages residents to vote for the bonds under consideration in the 2024 General Election. 

Early voting is underway and Election Day is Nov. 5. For more election information, click here.