As University College students wait in long lines to speak to their advisors and fill out complicated requirement worksheets, UNM is investigating the efficiency of the program.
Finnie Coleman, the director of University College, said an unfair amount of pressure is put on the program's advisement center, but it will not be phased out.
"What a lot of students don't understand is that advisors should have a 300-to-1 student to advisor ratio, and right now we have a 1,100-to-1 student to advisor ratio," Coleman said.
Students and staff have offered several suggestions on how to save - or get rid of - the disputed program.
Shannon Hein, an academic advisor for University College, said UNM is looking into reducing requirements for degree-granting colleges so that students spend less time in the program, a claim Coleman denies.
Senior Trey Pickett said UNM should do away with University College and allow students to directly enroll in a degree-granting college because it is hard to keep track of the requirements for both.
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"I would have liked to go directly into my degree-granting department," Pickett said. "Because I couldn't, it made it harder for me now because I waited to get into my college and I lost focus on what my requirements were."
But Dean of Students Randy Boeglin said University College must be maintained because it is vital to students' success.
"Talking from a historically UNM window, we have seen that as freshmen enter as undecided students, the students profit most from the beginning level requirements that are enforced by the University College to find what they are interested in," Boeglin said. "It is not that having this University College is the only model - it may not even be the prevailing model - but it's a great resource to create a student-centered environment."
Hein said there are advantages to having University College, including giving students time to meet the high standards for entry of many degree-granting programs.
Hein said one way UNM is working to improve University College is partnering with high schools around New Mexico to better prepare seniors for their transition into college.
Boeglin said it's in UNM's best interest to improve University College.
"The University of New Mexico cares first about student success, and we will do what it takes to ensure that success," Boeglin said. "We are going to take the steps to ensure students the availability to succeed."
