This afternoon from 2:30 to 5 pm Governor Bill Richardson held court in the Roundhouse, allowing voters a chance to meet face-to-face for a few minutes to discuss the issues.

SFR spoke with three current College of Santa Fe students, Alysha Shaw [disclaimer: Alysha is a former SFR intern], Irina Zerkin and Adam New, about their speed date with the Gov. to discuss the possible state takeover of CSF.

Many of "the legislators [I have spoken with] and the Governor have made it a point to tell us that there still is hope," Shaw says.

When asked whether the students felt that their visits with the governor made any difference all three pointed to the discussions they had with him.

"He had questions about what the students, staff and faculty would do if the school were to close, whether people would leave the state" Zerkin says. "The answer to that is yes. Many would."

New also focused on the economic impact the school shutting down would have on the community. "There's so much discussion about whether the state can afford to take CSF over," New said, "but we need to shift that discussion to what it would mean if it doesn't go through."

As SFR reported earlier today HB 577 has had setbacks in the last few days but it still on its way through the Senate.