
David J. Schmidly
The University of New Mexico Board of Regents have approved President David J. Schmidly’s goals and work plan for FY 2010 – 2011. Giving the work plan a green light, Regents President Raymond Sanchez said the Board was pleased with the President’s performance and felt he had addressed their particular concerns about campus climate fully and with careful thought in his planning.
Sanchez said, “We have ultimate confidence in President Schmidly. He is the right person in the right job at the right time for the University of New Mexico.”
The President’s Work Plan for FY11 as well as Key Dashboard Indicators of Progress can be found under “Current Items” on the President’s website. Also posted are Schmidly’s comments and a PowerPoint presentation made to the Regents during their regular meeting.
Schmidly outlined several areas of focus that encompass his goals for the year. Priority will be given budget considerations, as the university has already lost more than $26 million in state funding. The threat of still more budget cuts in the FY 2012 budget could mean an overall loss in state funding approaching $40 million.
“Going forward, we must find ways to focus on the academic mission as our top priority but with fewer resources,” said Schmidly.
A performance audit of UNM and NMSU is scheduled to be released by the Legislative Finance Committee at its hearings in Taos August 11–13. Schmidly said several of his goals mirror the recommendations found in that audit, most notably the need to improve graduation rates and to incentivize performance.
Schmidly’s third focus is on greater understanding of and adherence to shared governance, and he pledged to “always leave my door open to constructive dialogue.”
Dwindling state support and increasing enrollments make the need for raising private funds more crucial than ever. So the upcoming comprehensive campaign to be directed by the UNM Foundation is also a major area of focus.
Finally, Schmidly made note of his medical concerns, but stated his firm belief that his health would have no impact on him carrying out his duties as outlined. He thanked everyone for their support and well wishes.
Media contact: Susan McKinsey (505) 277‑1807, mckinsey@unm.edu
UNM Sees Smart Growth in Enrollment
Recent efforts by the University of New Mexico to focus on strategies that maximize student success are beginning to pay off, as suggested by early enrollment numbers for the fall semester 2011. While overall growth was modest, areas targeted in UNM’s smart growth strategy – upper division, graduate and online courses – saw significant growth.
Albuquerque campus enrollment as of Monday, Aug. 22, the first day of fall classes, is up by 1.7 percent to 28,122, compared with the first day of fall term 2010. Student credit hours increased by two percent.
Upper division credit hours increased by 4.2 percent and graduate credit hours by 4.6 percent. By emphasizing undergraduate retention and graduate recruitment, the university’s smart growth strategy can improve students’ long-term success.
UNM continued a trend of dramatic increases in online enrollment, with the online headcount increasing by 68 percent and online credit hours by 80 percent. Online courses give students on campus more ways to study and expand opportunities for those outside Albuquerque. Along with partnerships with community colleges, online education allows UNM to expand access by using resources more efficiently.
The numbers will continue to fluctuate as students change their schedules early in the semester. Official counts are reported after the third week of classes.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales (505) 277‑5920, cell: (505) 249‑4669; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu