SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Higher education leaders and lawmakers have debated the future of New Mexico college enrollment in a legislative hearing.
While New Mexico's higher education secretary believes it will rise like it did after the 2008 recession, some lawmakers think it will continue declining.
Officials said Tuesday that preliminary data suggests freshman enrollment is up this fall at state-funded universities. But some current students are failing to complete credits because of financial and childcare disruptions. Some lawmakers are concerned that high school students won't graduate and as a result won't have college as an option.