Even after months of construction, orange fencing blocks off the grass in front of Hodgins Hall.
The Karen Abraham Memorial Courtyard, named after the esteemed UNM alumna who served UNM for 45 years, carried symbolic importance for the University and the Alumni Association.
Construction was initially planned to be completed in September. Now, dedication is planned for early June.
UNM regents placed construction on hold after expense miscommunications between the Alumni Association and the Board of Regents surfaced.
According to documents from a Board of Regents finance committee meeting, the price of the project rocketed from $50,000 to nearly $400,000.
James Lewis had been president of the Alumni Association for a month when the project was halted, but did not present the project to the Board of Regents when initial proposals were made in 2015.
“It was stated that the project would cost around $325,000,” Lewis said, but added that there was no “formal approval process” within the Alumni Association.
“I think there was an assumption the Alumni Association went before the (Board of Regents) finance committee and received approval,” Lewis said, speaking of previous efforts to receive regent approval.
In September 2015, the regents unanimously approved naming the courtyard in honor of Karen Abraham and, according to officials, a $50,000 budget was approved.
The $300,000 figure, however, wasn’t. The drastic increase in cost surprised the board’s members, who claim no such price was initially approved.
While the Alumni Association has funded the project in full, approval was still required from regents.
In September, a special session meeting was held between the board and the Alumni Association to open more lines of communication in order to prevent future miscommunications.
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During that meeting, a Moratorium of Understanding was passed to demonstrate “the value of one institution and alignment of strategic and financial values in order to enhance what we have so we will be stronger tomorrow,” said Regent Vice President Marron Lee.
According to Lewis, several lessons were learned during the process. He noted the Alumni Association gained a better understanding of University infrastructure, which processes in the Alumni Association should be amended and better methods to allocate funds.
To prevent similar problems in the future, Lewis has made it a central goal of the association to enhance communication, coordination and cooperation with UNM.
“We need to make sure people understand what the lines of communication are and how they work,” he said.
Once construction was approved in the fall of 2016, construction progressed smoothly. The courtyard will be completed when weather is warmer, according to Maria Dion, a group manager at the Planning, Design and Construction Department of the University.
As for the final cost, the Alumni Association could not provide an accurate total, as not all construction is complete. The completion of a newly renovated fountain, the installation of benches and the finishing of signs all are needed to wrap up work.
Once completed, Lewis plans to present the courtyard in the best light possible, in an effort to emphasize the goal of the Alumni Association.
“We want to display the enormous talent that’s come out of UNM,” he said, mentioning his desire to invite graduated poets, artists and musicians for the dedication ceremony.
Brendon Gray is a news reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @notgraybrendon.
