Happy Midterms, Lobos. We’re one week closer to Christmas break. A lot has transpired on campus over the first few months of the fall semester.
As you are likely aware, the final verdict on the UNM budget was passed down from the legislature a few weeks ago. Higher education across the state received a five percent cut, which equates to a $9.8 million reduction to Main Campus.
While this number seems severe, a great credit is due to a number of campus constituencies for voicing to legislators how important it was for UNM to only receive a five percent reduction, as cuts as high as eight percent were proposed in Santa Fe. What makes this reduction most challenging is that the UNM system has already progressed nearly one-third through the fiscal year and now must make adjustments to already allocated budgets.
The administration has outlined a number of proposals to the Board of Regents for review. A balanced budget will require a combination of cuts, strict hiring review and reductions of reserves that have been built up over time. Continued conversations across campus will be essential.
At the October Board of Regents meeting, the board announced some guidelines related to the search for UNM’s 22nd president. The goal is to have a new president in place by June 1, 2017, at the latest.
Nominations for the search committee can be sent to search@unm.edu. The deadline for nominations to the search committee is this upcoming Friday, Oct. 28. Anyone in the community who wishes to share thoughts related to the search may provide input at presedentialsearch.unm.edu.
I encourage everyone to consider voting “yes” on Bond C during this election cycle. Bond C is a general obligation bond which could provide more than $131 million in funding to higher education entities across New Mexico. Over $35 million of that money will come to UNM and its branch campuses, with $27 million being allocated to the proposed Physics Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science (PAIS) building.
Should Bond C pass, the new building would replace a deteriorating, 60-year-old physics and astronomy building currently located on UNM’s North Campus. Modern research labs and the opportunity for interdisciplinary research would propel many of UNM’s academic programs forward.
Last week, members of the administration, Associate Dean of the Anderson School of Management Dr. Shawn Berman and I traveled to Santa Fe to present before the State Board of Finance about the McKinnon Center for Management. The State Board of Finance was very supportive of UNM’s endeavors at the Anderson School of Management, and recognized its program as one of UNM’s many jewels.
The board approved the project unanimously. Some construction work is set to begin as early as this semester, and in just a matter of months, some substantial progress will be made on the new building at the business school. This project will benefit all faculty, staff, students and alumni who work or study at the Anderson School.
And finally, perhaps the best bit of news for students, a Chipotle will soon open across the street from Johnson Field. Remember when Walter White infamously ate his birthday breakfast alone at the Denny’s on Central at the beginning of Season 4 of “Breaking Bad”? Well, the Denny’s is no more. Now, it looks like a nearly complete Chipotle. People around campus rejoice.
Ryan Berryman is the Student Regent on the UNM Board of Regents. He can be reached on Twitter @StudentRegent or via email at stregent@unm.edu.
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