The First Down

House Bill 577, the bill supporting the College went before the Education Committee on Friday morning. The meeting was much more like being in a movie than I was prepared for!

They moved the bill for the College up to #1 for discussion in the Education Committee. The room was totally packed with students and faculty - some were dressed up and others were wearing college shirts and holding pennants. It is hard to know how many people attended, because the crowd packed the room and lined the hallways outside the meeting room. There were so many people there, security had to come to keep people moving and allow access to other offices and other rooms. It was amazing!

They spoke about the bill for about an hour and a half. I know this bill is important to the committee, because every rep on the committee was there AND was paying attention. I have been to several Education Committee hearings for library issues, and they are never all there and they are always talking to each other or are busy doing other things. But on Friday they were all there, listening and asking questions. A really interesting discussion, and I learned a lot about what legislators are interested in that will help with future letters.

One thing I learned is they got and appreciated emails, letters, and calls from all over the United States about the College ---- so keep writing!

The best argument I heard all morning was about the cost of the college. $32 million. The most recent buildings built at UNM and NMSU cost $55 million and $42 million respectively. $33 million for 100 acres and 52 buildings in the middle of Santa Fe is a steal.

This committee has 11 members, so we needed 6 votes to move the bill forward. When the vote was called there were 2 yes votes - 5 no votes - and then the remaining 4 votes were in favor - so we didn't know until the last vote. It was tense and I could hear someone whisper several rows back, "it is dead." I was sitting in the second row and for a while I wasn't sure it passed because the vote was so close. As I was sitting there I was thinking how heartbreaking it was going to be to turn around and face the students and faculty - many of whom I am sure would have been in tears. And then the whisper, "it passed" made it through the room. Such a relief.

We left the committee meeting and I had a familiar feeling. The bill passed, but there are so many bigger hurdles it has to get through (we thought this committee would be easy). It really seems impossible that the College will survive.

Anyway this feeling I was having, I was trying to pin point when I had felt it before - and I realized it is a feeling I have had on many Sundays watching the Green Bay Packers! So I immediately started thinking about the Packers games and all of the things I have made mental notes about how life is like a Packers game (I actually have a mental list, they are kind of corny but it works in this situation!).

• You don't have the best team to win - but showing up and having a lot of enthusiasm sometimes tips the scales.
• You don't have to be ahead at the half to win the game. You don't even have to have any points at the half - you can still win.
• When things are down and winning seems absolutely out of the question (despite many great plays that may end up going nowhere) the game isn't over 'till it is over.
• It is best when the team works together - but having one star player who is having a great day can save the game.

The hearings continue next week.