The UNM Board of Regents on Tuesday officially adopted the University’s Consolidated Master Plan, a 10-15 year development plan intended to help UNM accommodate a projected 10-year state population growth of more than 1 million people.
The plan includes increased on-campus housing and a proposed recreation center that would be located along Central Avenue and connected to Johnson Gym via an elevated walkway.
In April, 67 percent of students voted against an ASUNM ballot amendment that would have funded a recreation center by increasing student fees by more than $100 per semester. GPSA President Katie Richardson said she would have liked to see more student input taken into account while developing the Master Plan.
“I think the Master Plan has excellent strategic recommendations and a forward-thinking approach,” Richardson said. “But, to my knowledge, input on the plan was limited to the advisory committee and the Greek community.”
Dale Dekker of Dekker, Perich and Sabatini, the firm in charge of designing the plan, said he is comfortable with the level of public involvement in the plan.
“We’ve tried very diligently to engage a wide variety of people for their input, and I think the plan reflects that,” he said.
Student Regent Jacob Wellman said there were early opportunities for students to speak up.
“Two years ago there was a website where anyone in the University could review the plan and give their comments, and I think they were incorporated into the plan at the time,” he said.
In 2009, the ‘Master Planning’ page of UNM’s website offered a forum for public comment on the Master Plan. Development of the plan began in 2007. The forum received 106 comments, all from 2009, from UNM students and community members on topics ranging from transportation and campus safety to Greek life and individual educational departments. The website is inactive, but comments are available for viewing via PDF.
Richardson also expressed reservations about increased on-campus housing outlined in the Master Plan.
“I am unconvinced that on-campus housing will benefit all students equally,” she said. “I think it benefits students that would succeed anyway — that is, those who are economically able. I don’t think it’s something that UNM resources should be going toward, not when we had only 75 percent of last year’s freshman class returning.”
Three of the online comments pertain to student housing, and all three expressed concerns over the I-25 and Avenida César Chávez location outlined as the site for Lobo Village. Lobo Village opened its doors at that location last month.
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As part of the housing component of the Master Plan, 3,000 beds will be added to UNM’s central campus in several phases, the first of which was Lobo Village.
According to UNM’s Strategic Housing Plan, the Princeton Review ranked UNM dormitories ninth in its “Dorms Like Dungeons” survey.
The report said that while some existing residence halls should remain, the majority should be redeveloped to facilitate extensive maintenance and required system upgrades.
Also at the meeting:
UNM President David Schmidly said changes are in store for New Mexico’s Formula Funding, which is the primary way the University receives state-appropriated dollars.“ The Governor and the Secretary of Education have determined we need a new formula for higher education,” he said. Schmidly said a funding task force will be formed to examine funding based on the success of at-risk students and completion of courses rather than census enrollment data.
Regents tabled a final decision on their travel policy to further investigate the legal aspects of changing the level of per diem funding staff, faculty and graduate students would receive when travelling. University Counsel Lee Peifer said there had been much discussion about the cost and revenue implications of the policy. Both the Regents Audit Committee and Finance & Facilities Committee reviewed the policy. The Audit Committee found the current policy, which pays $71 for in-state meals, is not in accordance with state law, which only allows for $30. Members of the Audit Committee said the policy should be changed to reflect state law. President Schmidly said it was essential that the policies adhere to legal standards at both the state and federal level.
Regents detailed and approved a financial sustainability plan for UNM’s golf courses. Mountain West GolfScape Inc., a local golf landscaping company, was awarded the maintenance contract. Measures are being taken to increase the market share of the UNM golf courses by one-half of a percent to one percent for the 2012 fiscal year. In July, three Anderson School of Management graduates presented their suggestions on how to sustain the golf courses to Institutional Support Services. Some of those initiatives include defining new and clear missions for both courses, which could be rebranded as not only sporting venues, but also social events venues. The graduates also suggested the golf courses should increase advertising efforts.
To view public comments on the Master Plan and UNM’s responses visit:
iss.unm.edu/PCD/index.html
