Welcome, incoming and returning students!
In the early part of the summer, the leaders of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM), the Graduate and Professional Students Association (GPSA), the Staff Council and the Faculty Senate started discussing additional ways to share some of our views on the important issues concerning our University and what we do to serve the best interests of our constituency and the greater community.
One of the ideas resulting from this conversation was the initiative to create a weekly column that allows us to reach out to you — students, staff, faculty and community members — frequently and directly.
Our vision is that this venue will provide an opportunity to cultivate awareness about many issues on campus and the efforts involved in promotion of initiatives or resolution of concerns.
We would like to thank the New Mexico Daily Lobo for welcoming this exciting initiative to engage with the UNM community. Each of us is here to assist and support you in every aspect of UNM life.
With these weekly informational columns, you will be kept apprised of issues affecting UNM’s students, staff and faculty.
Finally, this column emerges as a core component of a larger plan aimed at keeping you informed about the many projects that each of our organizations is involved in and how they are relevant in the context of our University.
In this initial column, we would like to tell you a little about these organizations and their leaders.
ASUNM is the representative body of undergraduate students. ASUNM consists of three government branches — executive, legislative and judicial — the purposes of which are to represent undergraduate students and their interests.
GPSA’s goal is to enhance the academic intellectual environment for graduate and professional students at UNM and to promote the rights, interests and professional development of graduate and professional students within the University community through advocacy, education and financial support.
The Faculty Senate covers the areas of formulation of institutional aims; creation of new colleges, schools and departments and divisions; major curricular changes; admission and graduate requirements for honors and scholastic performance in general; approval of candidates for degrees and general faculty welfare.
The Staff Council provides a forum for nonfaculty staff to address issues of concern and to make those issues known to the University. The staff is a full partner of other University employees and students in providing input into the decision-making governance process of the University. The council is made up of elected officials representing both job grades and precincts.
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ASUNM, GPSA, the Faculty Senate and the Staff Council are all integral parts of the UNM community. Our participation, separately and jointly, is important in the balance of policies, student achievement and faculty and staff endeavors.
We believe this written effort will be of great benefit to many as we explore this medium.
This is our first in a series of weekly columns that the four presidents will be collaborating on. We are excited about the work we’re involved in and the work ahead of us.
Next week’s column will be a joint collaboration between ASUNM and GPSA. From there, each organization will author a column on a rotating basis. We look forward to beginning a dialogue between our organizations and the readership of the New Mexico Daily Lobo.
Go Lobos, and until next week!
Respectfully yours,
Isaac Romero,
Associated Students of UNM president
Priscila Poliana,
Graduate Professional Student Association president
Richard Holder,
Faculty Senate president
Gene Henley,
Staff Council president
