[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Pages 6855-6856]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            NEW MEXICO TECH

 Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the 
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, NM for the 
school's No. 2 ranking in The Princeton Review's 2006 edition of the 
Nation's ``best value'' colleges. New Mexico Tech is an outstanding 
school and I am very proud of what they have accomplished. This is a 
well deserved recognition for the excellent work being done by the 
faculty and students at this fine university.
  The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, known to New 
Mexicans as New Mexico Tech, was originally founded in 1889 as the New 
Mexico School of Mines. At that time the Territorial Legislature, 
wanting to boost New Mexico's economy, decided to establish a School of 
Mines to train young mining engineers. Silver and lead ores taken from 
the nearby Magdalena Mountains were processed nearby and the new School 
of Mines would allow young mining engineers to train near the eventual 
site of their work. The New Mexico school of mines opened with one 
building, two professors, and seven students.
  Over the years, their mission has expanded to say the least. Today 
the enrollment at this university exceeds 1,800 students from different 
parts of the country and the world. New Mexico Tech is an outstanding 
research university, recognized for their excellence as a leader in 
many areas of research, including homeland security, hydrology, 
astrophysics, atmospheric physics, geophysics, information technology, 
geosciences, energetic materials engineering, and petroleum recovery. 
Students come to tech for its outstanding academic reputation, hands-on 
laboratory learning experiences, opportunities for employment in one of 
their many research facilities, and its beautiful Southwestern setting.
  In the past, I have strongly supported New Mexico Tech and have 
helped them secure defense and homeland security appropriations 
funding. In return, they have provided the country with first rate 
research giving American defense and homeland security planners' better 
technology to protect

[[Page 6856]]

military personnel and civilians from attack. They have been on the 
forefront of homeland security research, antiterrorism efforts, and 
bringing new job opportunities to the central New Mexico region. The 
school's hard work and record of success has made it easy for me to 
convince my colleagues that New Mexico Tech is a good investment. I am 
very pleased with the dynamic coming out of this wonderful school and I 
encourage them to keep up the good work.
  I ask unanimous consent that a copy of a article entitled ``New 
Mexico Tech Second on `Best Value' College List'' be printed in the 
Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                  [From the ABQJOURNAL, Apr. 18, 2005]

          New Mexico Tech Second on `Best Value' College List

       Socorro--The New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology 
     ranked second on The Princeton Review's 2006 edition of the 
     nation's ``best value'' colleges.
       New Mexico Tech's Web site listed its annual undergraduate 
     cost for tuition, room and board and books as $8,750 for 
     2004-2005 academic year, which includes $3,280 a year in 
     tuition and fees. Earlier this month, Tech's regents approved 
     a 10 percent tuition increase.
       Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, whose tuition, room and 
     board costs roughly $40,000 a year, was ranked the nation's 
     ``best value'' college. Bates, fifth in the previous year's 
     rankings, topped the new ``America's Best Value Colleges,'' 
     which hits the bookstores Tuesday.
       The Princeton Review said all 81 schools on the list offer 
     outstanding academics, generous financial aid packages and 
     relatively low costs.
       ``It's always pleasing to be recognized and acknowledged 
     for the good work of our faculty as well as our students,'' 
     Dan Lopez, president of Tech, said Monday. ``It does give us 
     a certain amount of presence in the higher education 
     community.''
       And, he said, it makes people aware of a small school in a 
     more remote area.
       ``We really have an outstanding school,'' Lopez said. 
     ``We're very proud of it.''
       George Zamora, a spokesman for Tech, said it's the first 
     time the school has cracked the top 10, although it has been 
     on the overall ``best value'' list for years.
       New Mexico Tech primarily focuses on science and 
     engineering at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
       The rest of the 2006 top 10: Brigham Young University of 
     Provo, Utah; Hendrix College, Conway, Ark.; University of 
     California-Los Angeles; New College of Florida, Sarasota; 
     City University of New York-Brooklyn College; City University 
     of New York-Queens College; William Jewell College, Liberty, 
     Mo.; and Hanover College, Hanover, Ind.
       The Princeton Review, an education services company with no 
     connection to Princeton University, compiled the list and its 
     book from data obtained from administrators at more than 350 
     colleges and from surveys of college students.
       The Princeton Review said its rankings were based on more 
     than 30 factors in four categories: academics, tuition, 
     financial aid and student borrowing.
       ``Bottom line: the 81 schools that met our criteria for 
     this book are all great college education deals,''' said 
     Robert Franek, the company's vice president for 
     publishing.

     

                          ____________________