Latest news with #SantaFeCommunityCollege
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Cities can fight back with guaranteed income programs
Mayors for a Guaranteed Income helped fund a pilot project at Santa Fe Community College. (Courtesy SFCC) If you are like me, you are still reeling from the news that the 'big beautiful bill' (which is unparalleled in its ugliness) received the necessary votes in the U.S. House and Senate, along with the president's signature. Although the U.S. Senate was close (and Dem senators all voted nay) what kind of madness is this? The very notion of passing legislation that dismantles Medicaid; blunts the effectiveness of nutritional assistance; and cuts funding to rural hospitals highlights the degree that a philosophy of philistine self-interest has infiltrated the current political climate. Trepidation over the fallout spreads nationwide. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says the bill 'will hit New Mexico hard' and state officials have outlined nightmarish scenarios in which more than 88,000 New Mexicans lose Medicaid and more than 58,000 to lose their Supplemental Assistance Program help. 'This is draconian,' Victor Pineda, executive director of the Center for Independent Living in Berkeley, California, which provides quality of life assistance to the disabled, reportedly said. 'The cuts are a direct hit to our ability to help people stay in their homes who will now be forced into homelessness or institutions.' In the meantime, what can help supplement the loss of basic services in underserved communities? What can cities and mayors do? For one thing: They can put more of their remaining resources toward expanding guaranteed income programs. In 2018, Mayor Michael Tubbs of Stockton, Calif. initiated the first guaranteed income program in the USA, which for two years gave $500 every month to 125 low-income residents. A study in the program's aftermath conducted by a team of independent researchers determined that the money significantly improved participants' mental health and financial standing. Tubbs then founded Mayors for Guaranteed Income (MGI), a network of committed cities that have sponsored pilot programs in cities including Madison, Wis.; Pittsburgh, Pa; New Orleans, La.; and Santa Fe, here in New Mexico. In 2021, with an MGI grant, Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber launched a pilot program that provided $400-per-month stipends to 100 young, low-income Santa Fe Community College students with child-caretaking responsibilities. A 2025 independent study again concluded that rather than fulfilling easy cliches — meaning the assumption the young grantees would waste the funds on alcohol or video games — participants experienced meaningful improvements in key takeaway areas 'This successful program directly addresses the fundamental problem that is holding New Mexico back: poverty.' said Mayor Webber, after the report was released. Today, more than 100 cities have sponsored direct cash payment programs that lasted one year (or preferably two years). In every case, most participants experienced admirable gains in food and housing security. In Santa Fe, participants experienced a 19 percentage point rise in full employment. But why should these results be surprising when 37% of Americans say they fear an unexpected $400 expense? A consistent extra few hundred (in lieu of having an empty bank account) can make a difference, a larger-than-expected step forward. For proponents, an important assurance is that guaranteed income programs come with 'no strings attached.' A family that needs money to pay for school supplies can choose this option; a recipient who knows that buying a car would be a valuable investment can save for that. Guaranteed income programs have been praised for having an 'entrepreneurial' spirit. But I believe the better word for them is 'self-empowering' in that they encourage the underprivileged to value themselves and invest in their own futures. These humble sums of cash directed without stipulations at crisis communities, including immigrant families, students or homeless youth, provide a measurable boost. Related programs stipulate the money is spent toward specific goals, like preventing homelessness. Funding for renters facing eviction is one of the most important ways cities, including Santa Fe, can potentially use targeted funds in a time when homelessness is at its highest level since the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development began keeping statistics in 2007. Here is the rub. These programs abet and enhance the social safety net. They cannot replace it. These programs are a tool: a necessary weapon. Times may become desperate. Cities must fight back.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How we're working with others to get out the vote
If voters had to decide today, we know who would be Santa Fe's next mayor. Congratulations, Mayor Undecided. We're behind you. Well, at least 58% of us are behind you. So goes the state of the 2025 local election. Council positions are on the ballot, but the flow of candidate announcements has been more of a trickle than a gush. The mayor's race is different. At least seven candidates are running for mayor, with others interested in this political dream of running the city — along with being criticized daily for doing so. An early poll — emphasis on the words 'early' and 'poll' — offers scientific proof that there is no science behind why so many mayoral candidates want a job that so few voters think they deserve. According to this poll, the leading choice is no choice — because 58% of the respondents said Undecided is their pick for mayor. Factor in Ranked Choice Voting — where voters must brush up on calculus AND become a Vegas (Nevada, mind you) expert on gaming theory — and it's unknown if the 'undervote,' 'overvote,' 'skipped ranking,' 'unused ranking,' 'duplicate ranking' and 'next ranked' will keep Undecided from a clear voter mandate. No wonder 'exhausted ballot' is another term you'll find in the city's Election Code. (If you have trouble sleeping, start with Chapter 9-1.7.) Add math to the mad that many voters feel — of citywide issues that seem to be on a constant repeat cycle — and this has the makings of a local election that feels like you're caught in traffic on North Guadalupe Street watching a dumpster fire involved in a train wreck. Jay Baker for mayor, anyone? In a real effort to nab a fake person, the city already has spent taxpayer dollars trying to find the fictional-ish Jay Baker. That's led to another city-induced lawsuit that future Mayor Undecided will need to deal with in another episode of As The City Different Turns. Let's put the snark and silliness aside. It's evident Santa Fe residents are concerned and curious about what November will bring with candidates and Ranked Choice Voting, especially in a mayoral field with many unknowns. This is one of many reasons why The Santa Fe New Mexican, KSFR Santa Fe Public Radio, KSWV Que Suave Radio and Santa Fe Community College are partnering extensively to educate voters about the 2025 local election. Any of us could have gone this alone. Instead, we've agreed to educate and empower voters on the issues, the candidates and Ranked Choice Voting. The election-content partnership — made available free for all — came together quickly because it fit all of our missions. This is a good group of locally owned and independent media outlets. Santa Fe Community College — which will host two forums — and KSFR are well-regarded public institutions with community service embedded in their combined résumé. KSWV brings a loyal audience and strong local ownership to this creative effort to reach voters across media delivery platforms. 'This great collaboration will ensure that our community members gain valuable insights into the election process and the individuals who may lead our city in the future,' Estevan Gonzales, owner of KSWV Que Suave Radio, said in the recent news release about the partnership. 'Trusted local coverage is journalism at its best.' Candidates and voters should save these dates for public forums in the Jemez Room at Santa Fe Community College's main campus: * 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3: City Council Candidate Forum * 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17: Mayoral Candidate Forum Look for announcements in the coming months, including how to watch the forums via livestream or on demand. Undecided could be a good starting point to revitalize trust and transparency in Santa Fe city government. Follow the coverage across KSFR, KSWV and The New Mexican. Join us for the September public forums at Santa Fe Community College. Ask questions, learn about issues and the candidates. And vote.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State awards $750,000 to six organizations to establish pre-apprenticeship programs
May 19—Broadband infrastructure and home energy auditing programs are set to get a boost at Santa Fe Community College thanks to federal funding. Officials with the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, or NMDWS, announced on Thursday that it has awarded $750,000 to six organizations so they can establish and deliver pre-apprenticeship opportunity programs, including the two at SFCC aimed at providing youth with training that could pave the way to well-paying careers in high-demand fields. NewSpace Nexus, Northern New Mexico College, Associated General Contractors of New Mexico, Associated Builders and Contractors Inc. NM Chapter, SFCC and STEM Boomerang LLC are the six organizations sharing a slice of the funding, officials said. The programs will provide students with hands-on training, instruction, mentorship and access to registered apprenticeship programs. The awardees will launch and expand pre-apprenticeship programs in the fields of semiconductor manufacturing, carpentry, construction, broadband, clean energy and high-performance computing. A driving goal of the programs, which will be implemented by the awarded organizations within a year, is to make New Mexico youth aware of potential career paths available in the state, said NMDWS Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair in a statement. "Pre-apprenticeship has become one of our most successful initiatives, with over 700 participants coming through the program in two years," Nair said. The awards are being funded by the U.S. Department of Labor through the "SAEF2" grant and administered by the NMDWS's "Building, Energizing, and Connecting through Apprenticeships," or BECA, program. "Pre-apprenticeship programs play a vital role in strengthening New Mexico's workforce pipeline," Carla Kugler, president and CEO of ABC New Mexico, said in a statement. "By investing in these initiatives, we're building a stronger, more inclusive workforce that meets the needs of our state's growing economy."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
40 years in, Santa Fe Community College renews aim to graduate students
The first time Joanna Johnston arrived on Santa Fe Community College's campus, she wasn't sure where to find the front door. It was about 2012, and Johnston was interested in pursuing higher education — but busy with a full-time job and hesitant. As a first-generation college student, she wasn't sure how to get started. "I left, and I came back, and then I left. I was too scared to ask how to even enroll," Johnston recalled. "My journey here took a very long time." After more than a decade of effort, Johnston, 43, will graduate Saturday with an associate degree in human services. Johnston said her experience epitomizes what's so special about Santa Fe Community College, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year: College staff are committed to ensuring students not only make it through the door but chart a path toward success — a focus that will persist, said college President Becky Rowley. "Once I committed to my education, SFCC really committed to me back," Johnston said. 051225_GC_SFCCGrad01rgb.jpg Joanna Johnston helps stock the shelves of SFCC's Campus Cupboard, which provides free snacks and meals to students, faculty and staff, on Monday. After more than a decade of effort, Johnston, 43, will graduate Saturday with an associate degree in human services. A focus on student support Andrew Lovato has been at Santa Fe Community College since its earliest years. Since the 1980s, he has taught classes on public speaking and guitar, among other subjects. Lovato estimated he has taught more than 1,000 students to play the guitar and listened to several thousand more student speeches. When Lovato first started teaching at the college, it had no campus. Instead, he taught classes across the city, including in portables at Santa Fe High School and borrowed classrooms at New Mexico School for the Deaf. Since its earliest days, though, Lovato said the college has grown into "an integral part of Santa Fe." "It reaches so many segments of our city's population, everything from high school students taking supplementary courses ... to senior citizens," Lovato said. He added, "Every possible generation and segment of our city has probably had some kind of connection with the community college." The college's role is "really multifaceted," Rowley said. For some, it provides a great fitness center or continuing education options geared toward personal enrichment, such as art and music classes. But the college's "central role" is to meet the region's workforce needs, Rowley said. Members of this year's graduating class, which includes nearly 550 students ranging in age from 16 to 84, are likely to fill some much-needed jobs. SFCC data shows this year's most popular associate degrees are in early childhood education and nursing, and the most popular certificates are in early childhood development, community health work and phlebotomy — drawing blood. But to ensure Santa Fe has the workforce it needs, students have to graduate. 051525_GC_SFCCGrad02rgb.jpg Estevan Roybal-Anaya, degree audit technician, shakes hands with Alexandra Romero as graduates practice receiving their diplomas during a Thursday rehearsal at the Santa Fe Community College. The Opportunity Scholarship helps get students in the door. It pays for up to 100% of tuition for New Mexico residents at two- and four-year public colleges pursuing higher education later in life. That has increased first-time college enrollment in the state, but it's still tough for the state's institutions to keep students in college after they enroll. Only about half the students who start pursuing a bachelor's degree in New Mexico finish it, according to analysis by the Legislative Finance Committee. Just three out of 10 graduate in four years. As such, student retention — not just student enrollment — has become "a much more visible priority" throughout the state, Rowley said. "The way that we're measured by the Legislature is really helping students get into the workforce ... have better jobs and meet the training and education needs in Santa Fe and the surrounding area," she said. Attached to SFCC's $68 million allocation for fiscal year 2026 are several performance measures, including requirements that 35% of first-time, full-time students complete an academic program within 150% of standard graduation time and 60% of first-time, full-time freshmen be retained to the third semester. That means maintaining student support services, making sure students have access to tutoring, counseling, a food pantry and other resources on campus. In recent years, SFCC has focused in particular on better supporting the roughly 40% of SFCC students who are also parents. The college is now implementing online tools to help better identify students struggling in class and connect them with resources, Rowley added. "We have to prioritize all the kinds of outreach that we can do in terms of connecting with students in their classes really early on," the college president said. "You can't wait until a student has not shown up for six weeks or not turned in a bunch of assignments." As Rowley looks toward the college's future, she plans to focus on programs that will allow students to get in, get out and get better opportunities that add value to Santa Fe and surrounding communities. Rowley sees growth opportunities in the college's nursing program and the trades, particularly green technologies. "Our students are coming to us wanting to get into the workforce as quickly as they can, and so we're trying to provide those opportunities for them," she said. 051225_GC_SFCCGrad02rgb.jpg Joanna Johnston, student resource coordinator at the Student Wellness Center, cuts out gold stars Monday to decorate her cap for her graduation ceremony Saturday at Santa Fe Community College. 'A way through this' Johnston's college education restarted with renewed focus in fall 2018 — six years after her first time on SFCC's campus. She still didn't know what her final career destination would be, but a love of writing pushed her to pursue a certificate in creative writing, a longtime goal. And as she grew more and more involved on campus, the path to success in college became clearer and clearer, Johnston said. "Once I became immersed in the kind of culture here, I found people who were willing to help me," she said. 051225_GC_SFCCGrad03rgb.jpg Joanna Johnston's graduation cap features her cats Kitty Kitty and Rune. She connected with TRIO Student Support Services, which offered academic coaching and mentorship. She found the Student Accessibility Services for disability accommodations. She relearned study skills, constructed a schedule that worked for her and signed up for tutoring when necessary. One day as Johnston visited SFCC's Campus Cupboard and Exchange — an on-site food pantry with meals, snacks, cookware and hygiene products available at no cost to students — another student recommended she apply to be a student ambassador and work at the Campus Cupboard. The job cemented an existing interest in helping her community, Johnston said. After meeting with the head of the human services program, she declared the major. After graduation, she plans to continue her education at New Mexico Highlands University's Facundo Valdez School of Social Work, with a long-term goal of becoming a licensed clinical social worker. But Johnston's career as an SFCC worker continued long after her ambassadorship. She spent about nine months as a student worker in the college's Student Wellness Center before applying for her current position as the student resource coordinator, where she helps connect students with housing, transportation, food, legal assistance and other essentials they need to attend college. "Working in this area has really made me realize how passionate I am about access to basic needs," Johnston said. For the past year or so, Johnston has been providing exactly the kind of assistance that helped her continue to pursue her degree. So when she offers students encouragement: "I have been there. There is a way through this. I know this because I've done it." Johnston means it. 051525_GC_SFCCGrad01rgb.jpg Elberta Rosetta, who will be receiving a degree in phlebotomy from Santa Fe Community College, shows her 2-year-old daughter, Adelaida, her graduation cap, which said, 'I wanted to give up but then I remembered who was watching.' She was participating in a graduation rehearsal Thursday in preparation for Saturday's event. 'Everything is for her. I want her to see her mom graduate. I want to encourage her,' Rosetta said of her daughter.
