Introduction to the Course Catalog

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SUPERINTENDENT'S MESSAGE

The mission of New Mexico Military Institute, as a state-supported school, is to provide the citizens of the State of New Mexico and the nation a college preparatory program in the high school and a college transfer program in the junior college in the disciplined environment of the Corps of Cadets. Further, the Institute provides instruction to the cadets for leadership and character development, integrity, self-esteem, and physical well-being. The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program is mandatory for all cadets, and the junior college contract cadet has the opportunity to receive an Army commission in two years.

The curricula of both college and high school are based on the assumption that New Mexico Military Institute students plan to continue their education and graduate from a senior college or university. The Institute faculty and staff continually strive to provide the very best instruction and the very finest facilities in order to create an atmosphere that is intellectually inspiring.

ROBERT D. BECKEL
Lieutenant General, USAF, (Ret)
Superintendent

NMMI: A HISTORICAL SKETCH

Roswell, New Mexico dates back to 1866 when it, then known as Rio Hondo, was a cowboy outfitting station on a cattle trail. It acquired a post office in 1873 as well as the name Roswell. This area of Southeastern New Mexico around Roswell, the historic border between the Comanche and Mescalero Apache tribes, was then only sparsely settled.

In 1891, Captain Joseph C. and Mabel Lea invited Robert S. Goss to start a military school similar to that Goss directed in Fort Worth, Texas. In September Goss Military Institute opened its doors to twenty-eight pupils. Struggling as result of poor management and insufficient funds, Goss Military Institute did secure designation as a territorial school and a new name, New Mexico Military Institute, but had to close its doors in 1895.

An appropriations bill passed by the territorial legislature and a generous donation by a resident philanthropist, J.J. Hagerman, of a forty-acre plot of land on North Hill helped reopen the doors of New Mexico Military Institute in its present location on September 6, l898. The school provided then eight years of academic work and the students were organized into two companies. After the Institute inaugurated the junior college in 1915, the school offered four years of high school (NCA accredited, 1917) and two years of college work (NCA accredited, 1938).

New Mexico Military Institute gained special recognition as a military school receiving the distinction as one of ten such distinguished institutions in 1909. In addition to retaining this distinction ever since, the school became a member of the Reserve Office Training Corps program in 1916. Shortly thereafter, NMMI sent 320 alumni and 163 officers into its country's service during World War I. The school's service to World War II was virtually unparalleled with over 170 young men losing their lives.

After experimentation with a four year college in the fifties, NMMI returned to its high school and junior college program. With the support of a strong Early Commission (ROTC) Program in the junior college and special NCA recognition (1980) as a college-preparatory high school, the school has persistently increased its emphasis in recent years on its academic programs. Annually, approximately sixty cadets prepping for admission to the national service academies join nine hundred other young men and women in meeting the challenges of one of the nation's most unique and finest preparatory schools.

New Mexico Military Institute, operating within a conducive military environment, will be the nation's finest college preparatory high school/university parallel junior college.

As an institution of higher and secondary education, NMMI will provide challenging academic preparation through a structured learning environment affording extensive opportunities for leadership and character development.

Knowledge, Integrity, Service and Responsibility

1. Establish and promote a sense of camaraderie and mutual respect within the Institute community.
2. Maintain an enrollment of 900-1000 diverse young people with a broad range of cultural and ethnic backgrounds and of the highest potential possible with special emphasis on New Mexicans.
3. Provide the finest university-parallel programs in the liberal arts and pre-professional fields for the junior college as well as a challenging college preparatory program for the high school.
4. Maintain a military environment conducive to academic excellence, positive leadership, character development, and personal growth while affording the best opportunity to know and practice ethical behavior through a commitment to Duty, Honor, and Achievement.
5. Develop an interest in lifetime sports and physical well being, while providing extensive opportunities to participate in intercollegiate/interscholastic athletics and intramural activities.
6. Provide and maintain the facilities, equipment, and environment to support academic, Corps, and athletic programs.
7. Manage the financial resources with sound fiscal policies best suited to sustain good economic health.
8. Provide student services from the Auxiliary Enterprises, which contribute to an environment conducive to learning, safety and health.
9. Maintain a lifelong relationship with former cadets of New Mexico Military Institute.
10. Commit to the development of financial resources, in addition to tuition, to fulfill the mission of the school and to fund the goals of the strategic plan. The school will seek funds through annual and capital giving to meet the need for additional scholarships, rising operating costs, capital projects and specific program expenses.
11. Utilize appropriate technology at all levels to foster technological competencies to accomplish efficient, effective and meaningful educational, administrative and management results.

• New Mexico Military Institute is primarily an academic institution operating within the framework of a military environment.
• The junior college is primarily designed to prepare students for transfer to four-year colleges and universities. An Associate in Arts degree is awarded to qualified graduates.
• The high school curriculum is basically for those students planning to pursue a college course of study after graduation.
• Members of the staff and faculty are selected for their professional qualifications and their willingness to work in a program that is both academic and military.
• Every effort is made to instill integrity through an honor system and to develop individual responsibility.
• Students are both instructed in and offered opportunities to practice the principles and techniques of good leadership. Only students in full residence may be members of the Corps of Cadets.
• Cadets at New Mexico Military Institute are encouraged to attend non-denominational or Catholic chapel. Chapel services are conducted at the Institute at such times as to permit and encourage cadets to attend other church services of their choice in Roswell.
• All full-time students are required to be unmarried resident members of the Corps of Cadets, to participate in military science and physical education activities, and wear the cadet uniform.

New Mexico Military Institute is first and foremost an academic institution. Operating within a supportive military environment, an experienced faculty, virtually all of whom have masters degrees, works through relatively small classes to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare young people for the challenges of senior colleges and universities. (See Strategic Objective 3 above)

• Graduates who are confident enough to work independently in the pursuit of academic excellence.
• Graduates who possess and demonstrate integrated understanding of a comprehensive body of substantive knowledge.
• Graduates who exhibit sound reasoning capacities and an attitude of healthy skepticism reflected in critical thinking.
• Graduates who demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
• Graduates who exercise refined learning techniques.
• Graduates who make extensive use of changing technology.
• Graduates who reflect an appreciation for the fine arts, music, drama, literature and the creative spirit.
• Graduates who understand and respect cultural and ethnic diversity.
• Graduates who manifest continued intellectual inquisitiveness.
• Graduates who demonstrate a special knowledge of and sensitivity to the international dimension of human experience.
• Graduates who exhibit a sense of community and recognize a responsibility greater than to oneself.
• Graduates who are conscious of the role of individual choice in the formation of moral character.

The Corps of Cadets at New Mexico Military Institute operates with a cadet chain of command, headed by a Cadet Regimental Commander, under the supervision of the Commandant of Cadets. Working closely with the regimental commander and other cadet commanders, the staff is composed of officers and noncommissioned officers of the U.S. Army in the Military Science Division and other highly trained professional leaders, either retired military or with military experience. Upon enrollment, new cadets become part of the Corps under the traditional "new cadet-old cadet" system. New cadets are assigned to rooms in the barracks with fellow new cadets of the same academic year. When possible they march to formations with their troops. As a new cadet, the student is held to the highest standards and is trained in the shortest possible time in the following areas:

The Yearling (second semester in college or second year of high school) is placed in a less stressful environment and may be given supervision over new cadets in his/her unit. It is during this period that the cadet is carefully coached and evaluated on leadership abilities.

The old cadets are the leaders in the Corps, having the responsibilities of training the new cadets and monitoring and helping the progress of the yearlings. Old cadets lead primarily by example.

The Institute reserves the right to dismiss, suspend, or otherwise penalize any cadet who does not properly adapt to the academic and disciplinary requirements. Among offenses that may result in dismissal or suspension are those considered to undermine the purposes, goals and mission of the Institute and compromise the standards of character and conduct expected of all cadets. These include the following: physical punishment, hazing or other abuse of any cadet, sexual misconduct, disgraceful or refractory behavior, use or possession of alcoholic beverages, absence without leave, ten or more unexcused class absences within the school year or any conduct that may bring discredit upon the Institute. Poor academic performance may also result in suspension. Any use or possession of unauthorized drugs or drug paraphernalia is a dismissal offense; additionally failure to turn prescription drugs into the infirmary may be grounds for dismissal.

Lesser offenses will result in demerits, tours or restrictions to the campus. An excessive number of demerits is regarded as a failure or inability to adjust satisfactorily to the demanding environment and may result in suspension or dismissal. Poor academic performance may also result in suspension.

CLASS DESIGNATIONS AT NMMI

Sixth Class (equivalent to high school freshman). A number of high school freshmen are admitted to New Mexico Military Institute each year.

Fifth Class (equivalent to high school sophomore). A cadet must have completed five-and-one-half academic units that apply toward the high school diploma. English I must be one of the units submitted.

Fourth Class (equivalent to high school junior). A cadet must have completed eleven academic units to include English I and II that apply toward the high school diploma.

Third Class (equivalent to high school senior). A cadet must have completed seventeen academic units to include English I, II, III that apply toward the high school diploma and have completed all but one unit in each of the core curriculum sequences.

Second Class (equivalent to college freshman). A cadet must have a high school diploma, its equivalent from an accredited high school, or meet other minimum admissions requirements.

First Class (equivalent to college sophomore). A cadet must have completed 32 academic units that apply toward the associate degree. In addition, completion of one semester in residence at the college level is required.

The Honor Code and Honor System of the Corps of Cadets at NMMI belong to the Corps of Cadets but operate under the sanction of the Commandant of Cadets. Simply stated: A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, nor tolerate those who do. Every cadet is obligated to support and enforce the honor system. Violations of the code may result in serious disciplinary action or dismissal based on the recommendations of the Cadet Honor Board as finally determined by the Commandant of Cadets. New cadets are fully trained in all aspects of the honor system, and prospective cadets are encouraged to consider carefully the implications of non-toleration before joining the Corps.

Cadets who are found in class to cheat, plagiarize, or otherwise engage in academic dishonesty will receive penalties ranging from a zero for the particular assignment to an F for the entire semester. The incident may also be referred to the Cadet Honor Board for additional dispensation. Each academic division and department has its policy regarding sanctions for academic dishonesty, and these penalties are applied uniformly within the division, department or in multiple sections of the same course.

A furlough is the time a cadet may leave NMMI to go home. Furloughs are directly related to activities, grades or deportment. A cadet whose grades or deportment fall below a "C" average loses his or her furlough privilege. Furloughs are taken only on specific weekends designated by the Commandant of Cadets. The three major furloughs during which all cadets may leave NMMI for more than three days are the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Spring breaks.

Academic offerings are grouped into six divisions. Division heads, acting under the Dean, exercise close supervision over course content and instructional procedures. The divisions are Humanities, including art, English, foreign languages, and music; Natural Sciences and Mathematics, including biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and mathematics; Social Sciences and Business Administration; the Student Assistance Center including academic advising and college placement along with cadet counseling and Health, Physical Education and Recreation, and Military Science. The Military Science Division offers senior (college) ROTC programs operated by active duty and noncommissioned officers of the Department of the Army. The Junior ROTC Department also offers military courses for the high school.

Courses are offered leading to the high school diploma and the associate in arts degree. Pre-professional curricula at the college level address concentration areas in pre-med, pre-vet, pre-engineering, and pre-law, among others.

It is emphasized that the Institute's high school academic program is identified by the North Central Association Commission on Schools as "College Preparatory." The Institute does not offer vocational-technical programs.

The Academic Dean, aided by the Associate Dean/High School Principal, has final authority in academic matters pertaining to high school and college cadets.

The registrar will prepare an official transcript for use outside NMMI only if the affected cadet signs a request which authorizes the release. (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). The transcript release presupposes that any financial obligations to the Institute have been paid. All records or transcripts received by the Institute become the property of the Institute and will not be released or copied.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS AND POLICIES

New Mexico Military Institute is first and foremost a strong academic institution. The policies in the academic area are designed to underscore this fact to maintain the strong reputation of the degrees and diplomas held by NMMI graduates. Failure to meet minimum academic standards can and frequently do lead to suspension.

TRANSFER OF HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS

High school cadets may transfer credits at the time of admission from other programs provided that a passing grade was attained in each course transferred. Credits shall be transferable with no loss of value between schools. A grade of "P" for satisfactorily completed classes will be recorded for credits awarded by non-accredited educational entities. High school graduation requirements prescribed by NMMI must be completed by all of its graduates.

Those entering 9th grade who meet requirements for ninth grade in the seventh or eighth grade will be awarded credit for those courses and a grade of "P" will be recorded on the NMMI record for those courses.

TRANSFER OF COLLEGE CREDITS

New Mexico Military Institute accepts credits transferred from other accredited colleges and universities as long as a satisfactory grade is earned for the course or courses that are similar to the NMMI college curriculum. New Mexico Military Institute reserves the right to determine whether courses earned elsewhere, meet NMMI graduation requirements or are accepted as elective credits. Transfer grades are not, however, used to compute cumulative grade point averages.

With the exception of some corrective courses, NMMI credits, with few exceptions, are transferable to any university in the nation.

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