Luna Community College just a family business?

The president and board of Luna Community College appear to have created a family-friendly jobs program at the Las Vegas, N.M., campus, based on recent audits by state Auditor Tim Keller’s Office and the state Higher Education Department. It’s the second time this year that a small northern New Mexico college has been castigated over state audit findings that have led to criminal investigations.

A state audit of Northern New Mexico College in Española, which had already revealed the alleged theft of $200,000 by the college’s former financial services director, Henrietta Trujillo, also found that former president Nancy “Rusty” Barceló had 744 hours of “potential” unapproved leave time in 2015, costing the college $87,000, not including taxes and benefits. The audit also uncovered questionable no-bid contracts, a runaway legal services contract, missing computers and illegal speaking fees for Barceló.

Earlier this month, Santa Fe District Attorney Marco Serna said he was awaiting results of a State Police investigation before deciding on potential prosecutions in the Española case.

As we noted in that case, two questions come to mind, now regarding LCC: Where were the college’s trustees when the alleged acts were taking place, and will anyone be held accountable? The LCC audits hint at trustees’ complacency, if not outright collusion.

In the latest dustup, 4th Judicial District Attorney Richard Flores said the LCC audits raise issues regarding nepotism, the hiring of LCC President Leroy “Huero” Sanchez, inventory matters and procurement issues.

The audits show: Two months after taking over as president in August 2015, Sanchez’s son, Roy Sanchez, was hired to the unadvertised position of assistant softball coach, a job that pays $35,567.

Leticia Archuleta, a niece of the president’s wife, was promoted to human resources director in July 2015 and received raises totalling $23,709 in the span of one year.

Aurora Sisneros, the wife of trustee Severiano Sisneros, was promoted from a part-time instructor to a satellite campus manager last year, with a $51,579 salary.

Trustee Abelino Montoya’s daughter, Denise Montoya, was promoted to information technology director, even though the position was never advertised, and received $15,540 in raises in five months.

Trustee David Gutierrez’s son, Keith Gutierrez, was promoted to a satellite campus director in August 2015 and given a salary increase of $15,795. Again, the position was never advertised.

Matthew Griego, the son-in-law of trustee Ernie Chavez, was hired as the “life/safety coordinator” in July after an “informal” interview.

And LCC’s financial aid director, Michael Montoya, got $10,851 in raises in a 10-month period, which auditors say appears to be favoritism.

Incredibly, the audits also note that shortly before Sanchez became president, the college’s board of trustees amended the school’s nepotism policy to allow the hiring of the president’s family members. That should have immediately raised a red flag to someone in charge.

And, contrary to state hiring protocols, LCC never made public the names of finalists for the presidency.

Unfortunately taxpayers had no one in their corner during those hirings and raises, but now District Attorney Flores and state Attorney General Hector Balderas are investigating LCC based on the audit findings.

With state officials examining the roles of the state’s 31 college campuses and numerous offshoot facilities in light of declining enrollments and shrinking state revenues, Luna Community College could find itself in the cross hairs. That concern alone should trigger immediate reforms, examination of the questionable hirings and salary increases, and dead-serious oversight at LCC.