Editor’s note: This is the fourth and final in a series of stories on the candidates running for the Central New Mexico Community College Governing Board.
A former Central New Mexico Community College president and a retired Air Force officer, flight instructor and professor are running for an open seat on the community college’s board.
Michael Glennon, 68, has worked at CNM for nearly 26 years, and served as its president from 1998 to 2007. He is currently retired.
Harold Murphree, 66, served as an officer in the Air Force from 1974 to 2002, and currently volunteers as a warm-water pool exercise instructor.
They’re running for the District 7 seat to be vacated by sitting board member and current chair Michael DeWitte. That district includes some of the East Mountains and the Joseph M. Montoya Campus. Both candidates acknowledged the school’s budget would be a challenge.
The state appropriation for CNM was cut from $56 million to roughly $53.2 million or about a five percent cut, according to CNM spokesman Brad Moore. The school’s current budget is $226.9 million. In fall 2016, CNM served 24,781 students across several campuses in the Albuquerque metro area.
Glennon said he has a background in higher education finance and administration. In addition to serving as the school’s president, he was its vice president for administration and previously served on the New Mexico Commission of Higher Education, which used to be the New Mexico Higher Education Department.
Glennon earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration from the University of New Mexico. He said balancing the budget will be the biggest issue and that program cuts are possible.
“There are going to be real difficult decisions,” Glennon said.
Glennon said this race is his first run for political office and it was prompted by his desire to be a “small part of (CNM’s) continuing success.”
Murphree served both as a pilot and an instructor in the Air Force. He has earned two degrees in political science, a bachelor’s from U.S. Air Force Academy and a master’s from the University of Pittsburgh.
He said the school should be sure to offer courses at multiple campuses as to not slow a student’s academic progress.
And he said he wanted to support the School of Adult and General Education, a remedial program, for students who aren’t quite ready for school. Failing to offer remedial classes is a disservice, he said.
“One summer or a few weeks of the SAGE program reaps big benefits. They’re not failures,” Murphree said.
On the school’s budget concerns, Murphree said he wasn’t in favor of raising tuition or taxes and suggested instead tapping into the Land Grant Permanent Fund temporarily.
Candidate Bios
Michael J. Glennon
District: 7
Age: 68
Education: Master of Business Administration, University of New Mexico, 1974; Bachelor of Business Administration, UNM, 1971.
Occupation: Retired; Central New Mexico Community College, president, 1998-2007; CNM (then TVI), vice president for administration, 1989-1998; New Mexico Commission on Higher Education, deputy director for finance, 1983–1989; UNM, assistant budget director and assistant comptroller, 1974-1983.
Family: Karen A. Glennon, wife; two children.
Political/government experience: This is my first run for political office. I was one of several staff members representing the Commission on Higher Education before the Legislature, the governor, the news media and others. I was a lobbyist (registered once that was required) representing CNM while vice president for administration and president.
Major professional accomplishment: My major and proudest professional accomplishment was serving as president of Albuquerque Technical-Vocational Institute/Central New Mexico Community College for 10 years.
Major personal accomplishment: A successful career and a healthy, happy family.
Harold Murphree
District: 7
Place of residence: Sandia Park
Age: 66
Education: Master of Arts, University of Pittsburgh, 1975; Bachelor of Science, U.S. Air Force Academy, 1974.
Occupation: Retired; volunteer warm-water pool exercise instructor for arthritis patients, 2010-present; career officer, U.S. Air Force, 1974-2002.
Family: JoAnn K. Murphree, wife; no children.
Political/government experience: Unsuccessful candidate for state Senate District 19 in 2016; campaign volunteer for the 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 elections.
Major professional accomplishment: Instructor of the Year for 1986 in the U.S. Air Force Academy Department of Political Science.
Major personal accomplishment: Being a caregiver for my wife, who is disabled.
CNM District 7 Candidate Questionnaire
1. Why do you want to be a member of the governing board?
Glennon: I have a professional and personal attachment to CNM. I want to return to being a small part of its continuing success.
Murphree: I want to expand my involvement in public education. My teaching experience at the university level and current experience as the facilitator of a scholarship at East Mountain High School give me fresh perspective.
2. What is CNM’s role in the state of New Mexico?
Glennon: CNM‘s role is to help students succeed in whatever educational or workforce-training endeavor they might be seeking. Fulfilling that role, CNM prepares trained students to meet the needs of employers of the CNM district and the state, thus providing employers access to well-trained and educated employees.
Murphree: CNM is crucial for the workforce transition and community contribution of New Mexico residents. In addition, a workforce trained and educated here in New Mexico can attract business and entrepreneurs to our state.
3. How would you address diminishing state funding for higher education institutions?
Glennon: I do not know what has been done to address the decline in general fund appropriations or what might still be done should that decline continue. My role would be to help the administration find solutions that minimize disruption to students, faculty, staff and programs.
Murphree: Raising tuition is not fruitful. We must encourage higher education for those who cannot otherwise afford it, resulting in an educated citizenry eager to work. Let’s tap the land grant to achieve this.
4. Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?
Glennon: No
Murphree: No
5. Have you ever been involved in a personal or business bankruptcy proceeding?
Glennon: No
Murphree: No
6. Have you ever been arrested for, charged with, or convicted of drunken driving, any misdemeanor or any felony in New Mexico or any other state?
Glennon: No
Murphree: No
