UNM’s Academic Affairs Hosts Lecture on Higher Education Trends

Don Michael Randel

Interim Provost Chaouki Abdal­lah announced the first of sev­eral pub­lic lec­tures in con­nec­tion with the activ­i­ties of the Uni­ver­sity Coun­cil on Aca­d­e­mic Pri­or­i­ties (UCAP). The first talk titled, “Dis­in­vest­ing in Uni­ver­si­ties, Dis­in­vest­ing in Our­selves,” fea­tures Andrew W. Mel­lon Foun­da­tion Pres­i­dent Don Michael Ran­del. The talk will be held Mon­day, Jan. 23 at 4 p.m. in the audi­to­rium of George Pearl Hall. A pub­lic recep­tion will follow. 

“I am pleased that Dr. Ran­del has agreed to come to UNM and share his per­spec­tive on the cur­rent state of higher edu­ca­tion. I ask that mem­bers of the uni­ver­sity com­mu­nity join us for this and future lec­tures so that we engage the broad­est pos­si­ble audi­ence in our con­ver­sa­tions about our university’s future,” Abdal­lah said.

Ran­del received his bachelor’s, master’s and doc­tor­ate degrees in music from Prince­ton Uni­ver­sity and is widely pub­lished as a music his­to­rian. Prior to join­ing the Mel­lon Foun­da­tion in 2006, Ran­del was on the Cor­nell Uni­ver­sity fac­ulty for 32 years where he served as depart­ment chair, dean and then uni­ver­sity provost. He was appointed pres­i­dent of the Uni­ver­sity of Chicago in 2000. 

UCAP is a group of fac­ulty, admin­is­tra­tors and stu­dents work­ing with Abdal­lah to iden­tify the prin­ci­ple fea­tures of the con­text of higher edu­ca­tion in the coun­try and for UNM to come up with pos­si­ble sets of alter­na­tive aca­d­e­mic direc­tions. The effort is con­ceived as a pre­lude to more for­mal aca­d­e­mic plan­ning that will set goals and make defin­i­tive plans. Ran­del will have a work­ing ses­sion with the Coun­cil dur­ing his visit.

For infor­ma­tion about the Mel­lon Foun­da­tion, go to: Mel­lon Foun­da­tion Mis­sion.

For more infor­ma­tion on the lec­ture, con­tact Lau­ren Liwski at 277‑2611 or e-mail, lr4343@unm.edu.