Student Services move doesn't support sustainability at UNM

Editor,

On July 7, President David Schmidly sent out his "Monday morning message" regarding "some major initiatives" in response to rising energy costs and the potential adverse effects on the students and staff of UNM. He spoke of improving the efficiency of transportation to UNM, specifically "streamlined bus service and expanded use of the Rail Runner." The second step, and the subject of this letter, featured a "rapid redesign of processes, systems and infrastructures that will address UNM's energy challenges with an eye toward long-term sustainability."ˇ

The University administration is considering relocating Student Services to the Lockheed Martin building, approximately one mile south of Main Campus. It is not clear what services will be relocated, as they will be "divided between Mesa Vista and the South Campus site"ˇ(Daily Lobo, Oct. 20).ˇIt is also unclear as to what advantage the relocation will have, when it is in fact not relocation, but a dislocation from the campus proper. The vice president of enrollment management, Carmen Alvarez Brown, has said, "Student Services will be improved by the new location and one-stop shops" (Daily Lobo, Oct. 20). But has the administration acknowledged that this move would be a failure of their own policies to "address UNM's energy challenges" and transportation goals that were stated over the summer? ˇ

In Schmidly's July 7 e-mail, he stated that "(j)ust as we're being asked to change our behavior when it comes to usingˇenergy at work, we'll have to consider changing the ways we get toˇcampus." With this proposed dislocation, students will be required to negotiate travel off campus to access specific core University services. Thoseˇwho live on campus and those who commute to campus will have to consider how they can then get back off campus in order to access this service. Even if the University employed an efficient bus service to shuffle students between Main Campus and the new location, the whole concept is antithetical to "an eye toward long-term sustainability." The cost, energy requirements and environmental impact to run shuttle services are high, and the location of core services away from the student body is grossly inefficient and deterrent. The new location off campus would not promote density or infill, which is a far more efficient and environmentally friendly gesture in terms of urban planning.

This dislocation does not enhance UNM's infrastructure in any way, nor does it address key environmental and transportation issues that need to be resolved in today's world.ˇIt is important to stop talking about "sustainability" and "green initiatives" and start acting on them. The school has the financial capability to implement intelligent urban design decisions and has access to excellent resources that can make a tremendous difference in the way occupants and users interface with the school.

I urge the administration not to support the expansion of Student Services away from the University core and request that they instead offer an intelligent response to student needs and our responsibility as a species to the environment. The University should keep "core" services on Main Campus and increase the Main Campus' utility and efficiency through the promotion of infill and consolidation of services.

Mike Heighway

UNM student