New Mexico Highlands gets federal math grant

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — A federal grant is helping New Mexico Highlands University students with new science and math programs. The northern New Mexico school announced this week a $2.9 million U.S. Department of Education grant is bringing a number of new mathematics services to campus. Officials say a 25-computer math lab is funded through the five-year-grant. It also will provide support for students preparing to become secondary education math teachers. Edward Martínez, vice president of strategic enrollment management, says around 83 percent of New Mexico Highlands students in the last 10 years needed to take developmental algebra classes. He says math tends to be a big barrier for the university's students and the grant will address that challenge.