An alumna memorial project at UNM Hodgin Hall's courtyard resulted in what UNM Regent Tom Clifford called an example of "terrible coordination" between the University's Alumni Association and the Board of Regents.
The project was proposed to the Board of Regents by the Alumni Association in September of 2015. The regents said the project they approved was a $50,000 maintenance project, but the cost has inflated to a figure between $329,000 and $350,000, a number they said they never saw at the initial presentation.
In addressing the board, Alumni Association President James Lewis said from day one the project was known to cost that much. Lewis said he looked through documents to make sure the regents had a chance to review and approve the project, but evidently that did not happen.
“I personally want to apologize to each and every one of you that something fell through the cracks,” Lewis said at a Board of Regents committee meeting on Monday. “I assure you that the Alumni Association is not trying to take an adversary role with anybody at the University.”
The old water fountain in front of the Art Annex was in disrepair, and something would have to be done about it eventually, Lewis said, adding that the fountain was not being utilized for the purpose intended.
He said homeless people were bathing in the water fountain. In addition, the roots of some of the larger trees in the courtyard were cracking the bricks of the courtyard.
The UNM Alumni Association uses the courtyard for many different functions, Lewis said, and renovations were done to give those functions continuity.
Lewis said he believed the renovations were a tremendous contribution from the Alumni Association to the University.
His perception was that the regents, UNM President Bob Frank and the University was on board with this project.
“My concern at this point is that a project has been halted. We need to figure out a way that we can go forward,” Lewis said.
Regent Marron Lee said the project came from good intentions, but showed blatant disregard for UNM’s policies.
“I reviewed every single piece of paper that had anything to do with this, and it was very clear that this was a complete overreach,” Lee said. “I want to figure out how this happened in order that it never happens again."
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Lee said she personally seconded the approval of the $50,000 courtyard project - which is being done in honor of former Alumni Association Director Karen Abraham - and there was never any discussion of the project costing more than $50,000 dollars.
“If someone was writing a personal check to cover the cost of this project, there would have been more scrutiny,” Lee said.
Alumni Association President-elect Harold Lavender said he was not at the initial regents meeting last year to present this project, but UNM representatives knew about the project’s cost, and that 20 University employees participated at every level from day one of the project.
He said $50,000 was the amount set as a goal to raise from private donations to be applied to the project rather than representing the project's full expenses.
Lavender said exact protocol was followed for the project, and he has been told by credible people that the UNM regents knew the number.
Lavender said the Hodgin Hall courtyard used for alumni events was no longer adequate, and that the renovations were meant to beautify the area.
“This alumni isn’t spending UNM money,” Lavender said. “We’re paying for this, with approval from the board, out of alumni funds."
Lee said the Alumni Association should operate autonomously, as it is a tax-exempt organization, but that the University provides goods and services that does not make the association autonomous.
The vast majority of the Alumni Association’s money comes from the sale of license plates and the use of credit cards, Lee said, which was allowed by the regents so the organization could become financially self-sufficient.
Lee said alumni money is not raised privately, but rather a gift from the University due to the regents approving that source of funds.
“We pay for their staff, we pay for their maintenance, we pay for their electricity and we pay for their data base," Lee said. "That’s not really self-sufficient in my opinion."
Lavender responded that money given to the Alumni Association may have been a gift, but it’s not a recallable gift.
“There will be a lot more discussion as to the point of view that the Alumni association is spending UNM’s money,” he said.
Lavender said the Hodgin Hall courtyard used for the Alumni Association events was no longer adequate, and that the renovations were meant to be a gift to the University to beautify an area that was "unattractive."
“UNM has issues in regards to removing mature plants and mature trees, things you can’t replace, because somebody didn’t think they were attractive,” Lee said. “If we allow everyone who wants to give a nice gift to the University in the form of moving or changing our land, that’s a dangerous precedent to set."
Regent David Harris said he had concerns about whether the project was completed in best practices, as the contractor has not yet been paid.
Harris said he would have liked to see the project established and funded on a contractual basis.
“It bothers me that a contractor has bills sitting there that are unpaid. That’s a reflection of the University,” he said. “I’d like to make sure this project is finished according to our standards."
Lewis said the landscape artist on the project conveyed to him that the project was following the same methodology that had been followed on other improvements.
“I was told we were following the same process and procedure that has been followed over the years,” he said.
