Dear colleagues, 

Fall is in full swing, and it is energizing to see student activity on campus peaking between classes. In this edition of "We Are NMSU", we will highlight three important developments: 

• the appointment of a Director of International Programs and Compliance (IPC), 
• the achievement of increased enrollments and the second-highest fall retention rate in recent NMSU history, and
• the expansion of campus-wide Data Tools Workshops. 

New Director of International Programs and Compliance

We are pleased to welcome Mr. Derek Yu as the new Director of IPC. Derek brings nearly 30 years of experience in U.S. immigration law, international education, exchange programs, and student support services. He has held senior leadership roles at several institutions, most recently serving as Director of the Office of International Education at Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi, as well as at the University of Texas (UT) at San Antonio and the UT Health Science Center. His experience will be invaluable as we expand our global initiatives and services for our students.

NMSU Increases Enrollments and Achieves Second-Highest Fall Retention Rate in Recent History

The Fall 2025 census report shows that NMSU’s systemwide enrollment reached 23,788, representing a 4.7% increase over the last year. On the Las Cruces main campus specifically, enrollment rose to 16,076, a 4.3% increase from the previous year.

NMSU’s Fall 2025 one-year retention rate reached 75.1%, the second highest in recent history (the record high is 75.5% in 2019). By gender, women had a slightly higher retention rate (75.3%) than men (74.8%).

Beyond numbers, the retention rates demonstrate the powerful sense of connection students feel with each other and with the university. These milestones not only reflect the quality of the educational experience but also the strength of our supportive community and the dedicated student success resources available. These achievements also highlight the impact of intentional investments in student success, from personalized academic advising at both college- and campus-levels and additional resources directed to college-level recruitment and retention.

I want to thank all our faculty, staff, department heads, and deans for their dedication, along with the support from the Office of Enrollment Management, NMSU Global, and the Office of Student Services.

Data Tools Workshops

Participation in our Data Tools Workshops continues to grow, demonstrating broad campus interest in using data to inform decision-making. These workshops are designed to help faculty and staff effectively use data platforms to support student success, research, and institutional planning. Past sessions have covered tools such as Navigate 360, Slate, SteppingBlocks, NMSU Analytics, STAR Audit, Banner, Ad Astra, Canvas, and CourseLeaf. This semester’s remaining workshops will feature Intelliboard, NMSU Analytics dashboards, and Research Finance.

All of these developments position us in the direction of continued success. Together, they highlight our collective commitment to a stronger and data-informed university. Thank you for the role each of you plays in building momentum for NMSU. We are NMSU.

Lakshmi N. Reddi
Interim Provost 
New Mexico State University