History of Northern New Mexico College
Northern New Mexico College and its mission have always played an integral role in the State of New Mexico’s goal to provide educational opportunities for its residents.
In the early 1900s the New Mexico Territorial Legislature determined that a facility was needed as a “normal school” with a primary function of training teachers for the State’s Spanish-speaking population. The Spanish American Normal School at El Rito opened its doors in September 1909, and celebrated its centennial as Northern New Mexico College.
When the New Mexico Territory applied for statehood in 1912, the State Constitution (Article 12, Section 11) identified the Spanish American Normal School as one of ten educational institutions which would be supported by the state. The Spanish American School provided both secondary and post-secondary educational programs.
In 1953, the State Legislature changed the name of the institution to Northern New Mexico State School and, mandating that the institution provide training not available in public schools, implemented a secondary school curriculum. Six years later, the Board of Regents renamed the school Northern New Mexico College. NNMC continued to teach grades 7-12 along with the new college curriculum.
By 1961, the College was offering two-year programs in business education, general studies, and selected vocational programs. Technical-vocational programs proved popular, and enrollment increased due to a school-operated transportation system which allowed the population from the surrounding rural villages to attend the school.
In 1969 the high school curriculum was transferred to a newly-created public school district and the curriculum at the College was limited to technical-vocational course offerings. One later, the Board of Regents again renamed the school the New Mexico Technical-Vocational School to indicate the changes in course offerings.
Operating under its new name, the Technical-Vocational School expanded its curriculum and faculty, and developed a campus in Española, approximately 30 miles from El Rito. The school assumed the Practical Nurse program from St. Vincent’s Hospital in Santa Fe. As educational needs in northern New Mexico evolved, educators andlegislators identified a need for a more comprehensive delivery of educational ser-vices. In 1976 a task force was created whose membership included representatives from the New Mexico Technical-Vocational School, the University of New Mexico, and local school boards and citizens to assess the feasibility of establishing a community college. The task force recommended that the University of New Mexico-Northern Branch (at Santa Cruz) be dissolved and their academic course offerings be combined with those of the New Mexico Technical-Vocational School. The Legislature accepted this recommendation and provided for the expansion of the institution’s mission.
The Board of Regents soon accepted the new mission of the institution, renamed the institution Northern New Mexico Community College, and began combining existing programs, philosophies, and procedures in order to establish a comprehensive community college.
The new institution was headed by a president appointed by the Board of Regents. The programs to be offered by the new institution included associate degrees in various academic and occupational disciplines, certificate-granting programs in occupational studies, special interest courses granting continuing education units (CEUs), and other courses offered for no credit.
In 2004, legislative approval and accreditation was extended to Northern, permitting it to be the first community college in the state of New Mexico to offer a four-year degree, a BA in Elementary Education. In 2005, legislation was enacted which permitted the college to offer four-year degrees in any programs deemed necessary and appropriate. Northern New Mexico Community College was renamed Northern New Mexico College.
Northern continues to be an open-admissions institution offering the most affordable bachelor’s programs in the Southwest, as well as other competitively priced programs. Now one of the state’s four regional comprehensive institutions with its main campus in Española, NM, Northern offers more than 50 bachelor’s, associate, and certificate programs in arts & human sciences, film & digital media, biology & environmental science, business, education, engineering, liberal arts, and nursing.
In 2019, legislative approval was given to Northern to start a co-located Branch Community College. The College reintroduced technical trades programs in electrical technology and plumbing, in partnership with two local unions and five public school districts through its new co-located Branch Community College, the first of its kind in the state’s history.
Northern is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and has earned prestigious program-specific accreditations for its engineering, nursing, education, and business programs.
Mission Statement
Northern New Mexico College is an inclusive, student-centered teaching and learning community, dedicated to excellence, empowering students, and transforming lives.
Vision Statement
As a Hispanic- and Indigenous-serving institution, sustained by place, culture, and innovation — Northern is a beacon of higher education for all students, igniting minds to create vibrant futures.
Accreditation
Northern New Mexico College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Northern gained candidacy status in 1975, full accreditation status in 1982, and achieved the highest HLC accreditation in 2016. Northern’s reaffirmation of accreditation was granted for ten years (2016-2026). Moving forward, Northern has selected Open Pathways program.
In addition to regional accreditation, Northern’s educational offerings are accredited or approved by other agencies, including:
The Bachelor of Engineering Programs in Information Engineering Technology and Electromechanical Engineering Technology are accredited by the Engineering Tech nology Accreditation Commission (ETAC) of ABET, www.abet.org. Accreditation is proof that the quality of an academic program meets the standards of the profession.
The Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing at Northern New Mexico College was recently re-accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for 10 years (One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, (202.887.6791).
The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program is nationally accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, www.acenursing.org/commission-actions-spring-2017/(404) 975-5000.
The Department of Education is accredited based on the Northern’s College of Education BA in Elementary Education and Alternative Licensure programs are accredited based on the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education CAEP standards.
The Department of Business Administration’s bachelor’s and associate degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP, www.acbsp.org).
Northern’s occupational courses are approved by the New Mexico State Department of Public Education and the Barbering, Cosmetology programs are approved by their respective state licensing boards.
State approval for benefits under Title 38 USC for veterans and other eligible persons has been granted by the New Mexico Veterans Service Commission.
Those wishing to review or verify the general statements above concerning accreditation should contact the Office of Institutional Research at 505.747.2118.
Physical Setting
Northern has campuses in Española and El Rito. In addition, Northern also regularly offers classes upon request at other communities within its service area. Additional locations for our Plumbing and Electrical Technology programs are listed on the About NNMC page.
The Española campus is an attractive thirty-acre tract which runs from state highway 85 to the banks of the Rio Grande. From anywhere on campus one may appreciate the panorama of the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez Mountain ranges.
The surrounding area offers a wide range of outdoor recreational activities such as boating, swimming, fishing, hunting, camping, and skiing. Española is the center of commerce for the area which has a growing population of approximately 35,000. The Española campus is located 25 miles north of Santa Fe and 40 miles south of Taos. The Española campus consists of eleven buildings dedicated to classrooms and labs, plus a gymnasium.
The El Rito campus is 32 miles north of Española on a sixty-acre tract on the southernmost slope of the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 6,600 feet. Adjacent to the campus is the scenic and peaceful village of El Rito which is located at the entrance of the vast Carson National Forest. This forest is known for its excellent fishing, hunting, and camping sites. Fifteen miles to the east is the village of Ojo Caliente, which is famous for its hot mineral springs and related resort facilities. Eighteen miles to the northwest is Abiquiu Lake, which is a prime water recreation area.
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