With tough financial times at hand the College of Santa Fe is currently negotiating a deal with secular New Mexico Highlands University to take over control of the Catholic institution, as well as its soaring debt. The College of Santa Fe was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1859 and is currently owned by the order.

Inside Higher Ed reports that, given the current climate at the College of Santa Fe, becoming “uncompromisingly secular” should pose no difficulty. “Students and faculty say those [Catholic, LaSallian] traditions are seldom overtly discussed in class.”

“There is nothing that is part of this school that is uniquely Catholic,” said Stuart Kirk, Santa Fe’s president. “We certainly have a long history of Lasallian traditions, which are things like being student-centered and having community involvement, and I think if you looked at those you would assume any honorable school adheres to those traditions.”

New Mexico’s cabinet secretary of higher education, speaking about the state take-over, said, “Certainly part of understanding the cultural uniqueness of northern New Mexico is understanding the role Catholicism plays, just as the role of Indian spiritual traditions. [But] this would be run in a state context as an uncompromisingly secular institution.” Source: Inside Higher Ed