Admins, professors must treat students as central to mission

Editor,

I have received two degrees from UNM since I first started attending classes in 1991. Just recently, I decided to go after another degree that has lower-level coursework requirements. To save money (as well as protest the current UNM president's administration), I decided to switch to CNM for a few semesters.

Apparently I had become used to the lack of service and less-than-friendly behavior in several departments at UNM (Student Services, Registration, Biology Department, Anderson business school, College of Arts & Sciences, as well as many rude professors). I had become accustomed to UNM's way of doing business: treating students like we are expendable.

CNM has been a complete surprise. I have spoken with at least three different people from various departments at CNM and have been stunned by their friendliness and dedication to servicing the students. The way CNM treats students appears to be central to its way of doing business. Perhaps UNM's problems are not just with the UNM president, but with the culture of the school, as well. Maybe employees of UNM who complain about the problems at UNM should instead focus on how they treat students. Without students, UNM would not exist.

Administrators, professors, etc., need to be reminded that students are customers of UNM, not distractions to be ignored or treated rudely. Perhaps administrators and professors could start changing the culture by doing something as simple as responding to e-mails from students in a polite and timely manner.

Greg Hurley

UNM alumnus