General Information
VISION, MISSION, VALUES, AND STRATEGIES
Mission
UNM’s statement of mission articulates our highest purposes for existing:
The mission of the University of New Mexico is to serve as New Mexico’s flagship institution of higher learning through demonstrated and growing excellence in teaching, research, patient care, and community service.
UNM’s ongoing commitment to these cornerstones of purpose serves to:
- Educate and encourage students to develop the values, habits of mind, knowledge, and skills that they need to be enlightened citizens, contribute to the state and national economies, and lead satisfying lives.
- Discover and disseminate new knowledge and creative endeavors that will enhance the overall well-being of society.
- Deliver health care of the highest quality to all who depend on us to keep them healthy or restore them to wellness.
- Actively support social, cultural, and economic development in our communities to enhance the quality of life for all New Mexicans.
Vision
UNM’s vision describes the future state to which we, as an institution, aspire. Our aim is for this to be a vision that is “alive,” serving to inform and align all of our goals, activities, decisions, and resources, as well as inspiring and encouraging initiative, innovation, and collaboration.
The greatest opportunity for excellence at UNM is to produce from the unique mix of New Mexico’s diverse population the workforce, leaders, health care providers and scholars that will contribute to the social and economic vitality of our state, region and nation.
We aspire to a future in which we are known for:
Strength through Diversity
We lift up our cultural and ethnic diversity as the unique strategic advantage it is, providing the environment in which our students learn with one another to generate new knowledge that helps the world’s people leverage and celebrate the value of difference.
Student Success through Collaboration
We are seen as committed partners with those whose mission it is to educate New Mexico’s citizens, helping to assure that each individual has the opportunity and resources to develop the confidence and skills that open the door to higher learning.
Vital Academic Climate
We are known for our dynamic, interactive, and passionate academic climate, punctuated by the virtue of academic freedom that is a hallmark of all the world’s great universities.
Excellence through Relevance
We are seen as the university of choice for the brightest students, offering nationally-recognized programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels that will remain relevant throughout the 21st century and beyond.
Research for a Better World
We utilize the geography of our southwestern landscape and culture, as well as our expansive international connections, as important platforms for research that lead to economic development and improved quality of life; from sources of sustainable energy to cures for disease; from state-of the art digital and film technologies to nano-technologies.
Health and Wellness Leadership
We are an unmatched health and wellness resource in New Mexico, ensuring access to all, providing state-of-the-art facilities and care, and engaging in research that leads to new ways to preserve wellness, as well as treat and cure disease.
International Engagement
We recognize and maximize the value of our location in the United States and the western hemisphere and are seen as a hub for international initiatives that touch all parts of the globe.
As a result of achieving this vision, UNM will become the first minority/majority university in the country to attain membership in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU).
Values
UNM’s values describe the “evergreen” principles that guide our decisions, actions, and behaviors. These are essential and enduring tenets, not to be compromised for short-term expediency. By stating these values publicly, we are openly committing to upholding them and to be held accountable accordingly.
Excellence demonstrated by our people, programs, and outcomes, as well as by the quality of our decisions and actions.
Access with Support to Succeed that gives all who desire the opportunity to take full advantage of the wealth of resources at UNM and to be fully included in the UNM community.
Integrity that holds us accountable to our students, the community, and all who serve UNM’s mission, to manage our resources wisely and keep our promises.
Diversity that enlivens and strengthens our university, our community, and our society.
Respectful Relationships that build trust, inspire collaboration, and ensure the teamwork that is essential to UNM’s success.
Freedom of speech, inquiry, pursuit of ideas, and creative activity.
Sustainability so that as we meet the needs of the present, we are not compromising the well being of future generations.
Institution-Wide Strategies
UNM’s institution-wide strategies describe a few critical commitments and areas of focus that are necessary to achieving our vision and fully activating the mission. Some of our strategies will build the infrastructure and culture necessary for sustainable success, while others will propel us ever closer to achieving our highest aspirations.
Connectivity to Purpose
Every member of the campus community will gain understanding of, connect with, and take accountability for his or her individual contributions to our mission, vision, values, and strategies.
Intercultural Competency
Actively deepen and share our understanding of the diverse cultures that come together at the University of New Mexico and the value they add to society.
Synergistic Partnerships
Identify, nurture, and strengthen partnerships with those institutions and individuals in the community whose missions are aligned with and complement our own, with the result of becoming stronger and more successful collectively than we could have become individually.
Student Centered Decision-Making
Every major decision made will begin with the question: “How does this enhance the ability of our students to be successful?”
Campus Vitality
Students, faculty, and staff will be encouraged, supported, and rewarded for contributing to the energy and vitality of our university community by enthusiastically engaging in the exploration and exchange of ideas.
Innovative Research-to-Application Platforms
Create and sustain the conditions under which the brightest and best innovative research will be conducted and applied for the benefit of New Mexico, the country, and the world.
Mission- and Vision-Aligned Investments
All investments of time, energy, and resources will be made with clear understanding and articulation of how the investment serves the mission and contributes to achieving the vision.
Four Strands of Priority
If we are to be successful in achieving the vision for UNM’s future, priorities must be identified that will inform our decisions, align our activities, and drive everything from our conversations to our resource investments. For each of the following “strands of priority”, major milestones must be identified and met, serving as indicators that we are making progress toward attaining our highest aspirations for UNM.
Student Success
Systemic Excellence
Healthy Communities
Economic and Community Development
Accreditation
UNM is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org). Other programmatic accreditations are listed below.
Anderson School of Management: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International
School of Architecture and Planning: National Architectural Accrediting Board, Planning Accreditation Board, and Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board
College of Arts and Sciences: American Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, American Psychological Association, and American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
College of Education: National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, New Mexico Public Education Department, University Council for Educational Administration, Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs, Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association, National Council of Family Relations, Commission on Sport Management Accreditation, Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, and American Society of Exercise Physiologists
School of Engineering: Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, American Council for Construction Education, and Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Technology and Engineering.
College of Fine Arts: National Association of Schools of Music, National Association of Schools of Theatre, and National Association of Schools of Dance
School of Law: American Bar Association and Association of American Law Schools
School of Medicine (Health Sciences Center): Liaison Committee on Medical Education representing the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association, Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Profession, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Council on Education for Public Health, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education, National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and Commission on Dental Accreditation
College of Nursing (Health Sciences Center): Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and American College of Nurse-Midwives Division of Accreditation
College of Pharmacy (Health Sciences Center): Accreditation Council on Pharmaceutical Education
School of Public Administration: National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
History and Location
A Brief History of the University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico today is recognized as one of the nation’s major research universities, with nationally acclaimed programs in areas as diverse as medicine and fine arts, engineering and law. But it wasn’t always that way.
When Bernard Rodey steered legislation through the Territorial Legislature to create UNM on Feb. 28, 1889, no public high school existed in the territory, and most people believed a university was a frill the impoverished territory could ill afford. When the university opened its doors three years later, the majority of the 75 students were in the high school Preparatory Department. The only other department, the Normal School, enrolled six public school teachers.
Although college-level classes and departments were added the following year, it was only after WWI in 1918 that the university stopped taking high school students.
UNM’s second and third presidents, Clarence Herrick (1897-1901) and William Tight (1901-1909), both geologists, placed an early emphasis on the sciences in the university curriculum. Herrick’s tenure was cut short for health reasons, but Tight was the epitome of a hands-on president. In addition to teaching geology and chemistry, he dug a well and irrigation ditches, laid out campus landscaping, including taking the student body into the Sandia Mountains to bring back trees; and built the first fraternity building, the Estufa, on campus, using construction of the oval-shaped building as a way to teach calculus.
Tight was also responsible for adopting the unique architecture that helps make UNM a special place. When the original university building, four-stories of red brick and a high-pitched roof, was in danger of collapse, Tight conceived the idea of remodeling in the Spanish-Pueblo architecture style that was prominent in the territory. Since then, his dream has been reflected in every building constructed on UNM’s main campus. It was also during Tight’s presidency that the Engineering School was formed and the Associated Students of UNM was organized.
The growth of the university remained slow but steady, reaching an enrollment of 610 students in 1925. The first graduate degrees, in Latin and chemistry, were granted in 1922. In that same year the university first attained national accreditation. It was under UNM’s seventh president, James Fulton Zimmerman (1927-44), that the university began a major emphasis that continues to this day: reaching south of the border to embrace studies of and ties to Latin America. Today, UNM’s library holdings related to Latin America place it in the top ten in the nation. Scholars from throughout the world travel to Albuquerque to use them. Zimmerman was responsible for creating the College of Education in 1928, the General College (today University College) in 1935, and the College of Fine Arts in 1936. He convinced a relatively unknown Santa Fe architect, John Gaw Meem, to serve as the university’s informal architect. Meem seized on the strength of Tight’s vision and went on to design some of the university’s most distinctive buildings, including a new library in 1936 (Zimmerman Library), Scholes Hall (administration), and the Anthropology Hall.
Enrollment rose to nearly 2,600 under Zimmerman, but then WWII intervened. Zimmerman died in 1944, the same year one of the most significant education bills ever addressed by the U.S. Congress was passed. The G.I. Bill opened higher education to thousands of men and women who might never have dreamed of pursuing further studies and the nation’s campuses were overwhelmed with returning veterans. In 1947 the university granted its first doctoral degrees and both the College of Business Administration and the School of Law were established.
Thomas Popejoy (1948-68), the first alumnus and first native New Mexican to hold the presidency, oversaw the greatest expansion, both in enrollment and buildings. The great influx of veterans first resulted in the campus being crowded with barracks, but immediately upon taking office, Popejoy lobbied the Legislature for construction funds. A master plan for the campus was created, and the College of Education complex, Johnson Center, the Center for the Arts, and the Student Union, among others, were built on the main campus, while to the north the Health Sciences Center was started and to the south the athletic complex was conceived and constructed.
Popejoy’s successor, Ferrel Heady (1968-75), successfully steered the campus through the tumultuous Vietnam War years. The Bachelor of University Studies degree began during his tenure, allowing students to tailor their own degrees. In 1968 he oversaw the opening of UNM’s first branch college in Gallup. Heady was also responsible for steering the university on the path to seek an increase of research funds, and it was during the 1970s that the university first began serious discussion of developing a research park. Today, the university, in partnership with both private enterprise and the state’s national research laboratories, Sandia and Los Alamos, provides cutting-edge research for industry and national defense, technology and multiple education and training opportunities for students.
From 1975-82, under President William Davis, research funding doubled, and efforts begun by Herrick and Tight began to be recognized as UNM earned national accolades in the areas of science, technology, and business research. Under Davis, the Latin American and Southwest Hispanic Research Institutes were created, as were branch campuses in Los Alamos and Valencia County.
The 1980s saw a quick succession of presidents. John Perovich (1982-84) oversaw the development of the Instructional Television program, allowing the university to deliver its classes to remote areas of the state. Tom Farer (1985-86) presented the university community with major changes in administration and resource allocation. Gerald May (1986-1990) served during hard economic times, with little or no money for new initiatives.
Richard Peck (1990-1998) reemphasized the university’s Latin American ties with key initiatives and cooperative agreements with other universities. He also placed a continuing emphasis on the growth of the university research park and on faculty initiatives to garner increased research funds.
William Gordon (1998-2002) was the first UNM faculty member to rise through the ranks, from assistant professor of psychology, to department chairman, Arts and Sciences dean, and provost before being elevated to the presidency. Gordon began the innovative Freshman Learning Centers to both boost enrollment and to retain students through graduation.
F. Chris Garcia (2002-03), who also rose through the ranks, served as president. He was successful in overseeing legislative initiatives to change the state funding formula for higher education, the first major change in nearly a quarter of a century.
Louis Caldera, eighteenth president, (2003-06), increased the emphasis on seeking both scholarly and institutional research funding, while building on Gordon’s freshmen initiatives and seeking refinements in the legislative funding formula.
David Harris served as acting president (2006-07).
David J. Schmidly was named UNM’s 20th president in February 2007, with a start date of June 1, 2007. He quickly enacted a vision based on four key areas of focus: Student Success, Systemic Excellence, Healthy Communities, and Economic and Community Development.
Donald J. Burge
Center for Southwest Research
The Environment
Albuquerque, situated on the banks of the historic Rio Grande, is the home of the main campus of the University of New Mexico. The city is bordered on the east by the 10,000-foot Sandia Mountains and to the west by a high volcanic mesa. With a metro area population approaching 600,000 people, the city is the geographic and demographic center of the state.
The campus of the University of New Mexico lies one mile above sea level. Albuquerque receives abundant sunshine, with annual rainfall of only about nine inches. While summers are warm, the city’s high elevation and low humidity moderate the temperatures. Winter storms are brief and snow does not linger long in the city, yet accumulations in the nearby mountains make it possible to snow ski in the morning and still play tennis or golf in the afternoon.
The distinctive architectural style of the campus, contemporary in treatment but strongly influenced by the Hispanic and Pueblo Indian cultures, is characterized by vigas, patios, balconies, portals and earth-colored, slightly inclined walls in the style of ancient adobe houses. Surrounded by giant cottonwoods, elms and mountain evergreens, and with attention paid to beautiful desert landscaping, the UNM campus embodies a lifestyle fostered by the mild, sunny climate.
Albuquerque is one of the major cultural centers of the Southwest, offering museums, art galleries, theatre and musical groups, symphony orchestras and shops displaying both traditional and contemporary arts and crafts. Ceremonial dances are held at various times during the year in nearby Pueblos and often are open to the public.
Facilities
Center for the Arts
Popejoy Hall, located on the University of New Mexico campus, serves as New Mexico’s premier performance venue. With a capacity of more than 2,000 seats and state-of-the-art equipment, Popejoy Hall attracts some of the best touring artists available and showcases them through the Ovation Series, a yearly package of 24 touring companies representing Broadway musicals, dramas, dance, music and cultural programming. In addition to the Ovation Series, Popejoy Hall also serves as the performance venue for the Ovation Schooltime Series—Hour-long performances of Ovation Series productions, with programs specifically for schoolchildren. The University of New Mexico music faculty and students and important community organizations such as the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra also perform on the Popejoy stage yearly. Half-price season tickets are available to students during the subscription drive as well as deeply discounted individual tickets to selected shows throughout the year.
Keller Recital Hall, with its magnificent Holtkamp Organ and its marvelous recording capability, is the main performance site of the Department of Music. With a seating capacity of 300, Keller Hall hosts more than 150 concerts per year, including student soloists and ensembles, chamber groups and guest artists. Three annual music events mark the calendar: The Keller Hall Series, a distinguished series of chamber music and solo performances; concerts by University of New Mexico ensemble groups such as Jazz Bands and the University of New Mexico Orchestra as well as student recitals; and the Composer’s Symposium, a week of concerts and lectures by regional, national and international composers.
Rodey Theatre is a 410-seat state-of-the-art performance facility for the Department of Theatre and Dance. Rodey Theatre’s flexible stage moves from proscenium to thrust stage presentations allowing the department to present an exciting season of six theatre and dance performances ranging from contemporary to classical styles, ballet to flamenco.
Theatre X is a 120-seat facility where more than 25 original and contemporary plays and dance are presented in an intimate setting. New and innovative works staged by faculty and students are the focus in this theatre.
The Center for the Arts complex also includes the University Art Museum, the Fine Arts Library, the Bainbridge Bunting Memorial Slide Library, and facilities supporting programs in Art Studio, Art History, Music, Music Education, Theatre, Dance and Media Arts.
Information Technologies
Information Technologies (IT) provides and supports many campus-wide IT services including: voice and data networks; administrative, student, human resources and financial applications; a Technical Support Center; and computer labs and classrooms. Many computing services are available free of charge to students; any for-fee services are identified at the time the service is requested. More information is available in the Service Catalog at http://it.unm.edu.
UNM NetID. Every student is required to create a Net ID account through the UNM portal at http://my.unm.edu. A UNM NetID is required in order to register for classes, access grades, conduct University business, or use UNM computer labs and classrooms. Your Net ID is also your UNM e-mail address. This account remains active as long as the student is registered for a credit class.
Wireless, Voice and Data Network Services. The Lobo WiFi wireless network provides secure Internet access for all students with a valid Net ID and password. Wired connections are available in the IT computer labs and in the student residences. IT also provides optional telephone and voicemail services to dorm rooms. Long distance calling from dorm room telephones requires use of a calling card. Dormitory telephone service can be requested from Student Life. The UNM data network services to dorms are included in the dorm fee.
Personal Computer Purchase Discounts. IT and the UNM Bookstore have teamed with Dell Computers to bring UNM students, faculty and staff significant discounts on personal computer purchases and maintenance. Visit http://bookstore.unm.edu to access the UNM Dell web page.
UNM Directory. The UNM Directory is up-to-date and available online at http://directory.unm.edu. It contains department, location, status, and contact information for students, faculty, and staff. Students may request that the personal listing be omitted from the directory at the Records and Registration Office in the Mesa Vista Hall North Student OneStop.
IT Customer Support Services. Technical help for using UNM systems can be accessed by calling 277-5757 or by using the FastInfo and StudentInfo knowledge databases at http://fastinfo.unm.edu or http://studentinfo.unm.edu. Answers to questions are available online from both databases, by email, through the chat utility, or by telephone. Information can also be found at http://it.unm.edu.
Computer Labs & Classrooms. IT supports free computer labs (called pods) and classrooms for all students, faculty, and staff at UNM. Pods contain Windows and Macintosh computers, printers, a variety of software, and peripheral equipment such as scanners. Student consultants (SCONS) staff the pods to assist customers. Pods are located in the IT building, the SUB, Johnson Center, Dane Smith Hall, and Building #2 (Engineering & Science). See http://it.unm.edu/pods for hours and more information. Follow the Employment tab on the UNM home page to find opportunities for students at IT.Computer Labs & Classrooms.
Free Software Downloads. IT offers free antivirus software to all UNM users. Visit http://it.unm.edu/download to download Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) onto your work and home computers.
IT Security and Privacy. IT Security and Privacy. Students can find resources on protection from identity theft, on intellectual property (copyright) and on best practices for securing their computers from IT Security and Quality Assurance by contacting IT Customer Support Services at 277-5757 or by visiting http://it.unm.edu/security.
IT Alerts and Network Upgrades. The IT Alerts page notifies the UNM community of any network upgrades and outages and is available 24 hours at http://it.unm.edu/alerts. The UNM community is encouraged to check this page frequently.
University Libraries
http://elibrary.unm.edu
The University Libraries function as UNM’s primary information provider, chief digital information broker and, often, as its primary research-skills trainer. It serves the entire University community with quality materials and services and supports users at all levels, from entering freshman to scholars working on highly advanced research topics.
The University Libraries is comprised of four libraries including three research programs and a research center which provide an entrance into the world of scholarship and information:
- Centennial Science and Engineering Library
- Fine Arts and Design Library
- Parish Memorial Library
- Zimmerman Library
The library system obtains, disseminates and preserves information in a wide variety of formats. Its holdings include books (2.1 million), journals, serials, manuscripts, and digital resources. We also provide patrons with access to specialized equipment such as microform readers/printers, desktop or laptop computers, copiers, and laser printers. The Libraries’ electronic resources are available via the Internet by visiting http://elibrary.unm.edu/. Its special collections include rare books, manuscripts, photos, music, art, pictorials, artifacts, and architectural plans. The Library strives to offer students, faculty, staff, and other researchers complete and easy access to all these materials and resources.
University Libraries reference services provide research and information assistance via “Ask a Librarian” at (505) 277-9100 or in person at each location. Workshops on electronic information resources and course-related library instruction are provided.
Special services for students with disabilities are provided in cooperation with the office of Accessibility Services. They include but are not limited to retrieval of books, a limited amount of free photocopying, assistance with online searching, and special study areas.
Study carrels are available for faculty and for graduate students enrolled for dissertation credit. Self-service photocopy machines are located throughout each building.
Zimmerman Library
Zimmerman Library, located on the north side of Smith Plaza in the center of the main campus, houses book, periodical, and microform collections in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education. The Library is a Regional Depository for federal government publications as well as a depository for State of New Mexico publications and is a gateway for access to government information.
Zimmerman Library is frequently cited as the best example of the Spanish-Pueblo revival architecture that characterizes this campus. It was built in 1938 and has been remodeled and expanded to keep up with the exponential growth of the University and the Library’s collections and services. Zimmerman is consistently voted the best place to study on campus by students. With the new challenges brought by the digital age, the library embraces a new emphasis on providing collaborative areas.
The Center for Southwest Research, located in the West Wing of Zimmerman Library, is a major resource for the study of New Mexico, the Southwest and the American West. It is also a special handling facility for archives, manuscripts, historical photographs, architectural archives and rare books. The Center contains strong collections on New Mexico, Western America and Latin America, including more than 600 collections of personal papers, business, organizational and ranch records, and oral histories of widely known New Mexicans; the John Gaw Meem Archives of Southwestern Architecture; the John Donald Robb Archives of Southwestern Music; and pictorial collections containing approximately 80,000 images relating to the Southwest and Latin America. The Anderson Reading Room is a service point for all of the collections. The Center is designed to serve scholars, students, and faculty conducting research on the 500 years of multicultural history of the Southwest.
Centennial Science and Engineering Library
The Centennial Science & Engineering Library (Centennial) is located on two floors underground in the Electrical and Computer Engineering building complex. The Centennial Library serves five departments in the School of Engineering, plus biological, environmental, and earth and planetary sciences, physics and astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, psychology, and a number of research institutes. The Centennial Library maintains close relationships with three federal research laboratories and their libraries and plays an important role in the technology, economic, and industrial development of the city and state. Centennial is the state’s only official Patents and Trademarks library. The library houses the Map and Geographic Information Center (MAGIC) which includes maps, images, aerial photos and other cartographic and geographic resources. Individualized training sessions and regularly scheduled classes on the use of electronic resources are offered.
Centennial is also in the process of expanding its collaborative learning space through the creation of new areas conducive to discussion, close to current scientific journal information, reference assistance, and cyber-café services. Collaborative problem-solving in the sciences is a normal workplace dynamic and this will provide students with that experience.
Fine Arts and Design Library
The Fine Arts and Design Library is located on the top floor of the School of Architecture and Planning building, George Pearl Hall. This library supports the teaching and research programs of the University in the fields of art and art history, photography, music, dance, and architecture and landscape architecture. It provides an outstanding collection of more than 220,000 items including books, periodicals, music scores, exhibition catalogs, videos, DVDs, and sound recordings in several formats. The Fine Arts and Design Library provides full services including circulation and reserves, reference, instruction, wireless Internet access, self-service photocopying and scanning, an electronic classroom, multimedia stations for listening and viewing, and collaborative study rooms. The Library also features lounge seating and several reading areas with inspiring views of the city and mountains.
William J. Parish Memorial Library for Business and Economics
Located on Las Lomas on the west side of the Anderson Schools of Management, the Parish Library houses more than 165,000 books and periodicals and 170,000 microforms in the fields of economics, business and management, the most comprehensive collection of its kind in New Mexico. Parish Library supports the curriculum of the Anderson Schools of Management and the Department of Economics, as well as research by members of other University departments and residents of the community. Group study rooms and comfortable, quiet study spaces are available throughout the library. Services include bibliographic instruction; reference services; wireless access to the Internet; twenty PC workstations; and self-service photocopiers for paper and microform. Parish Library is open 24/5 during Fall and Spring semesters.
Museums
Museums, like classrooms, are an important part of the teaching-learning process, and the University of New Mexico has on its campus museums housing significant anthropological, art, biological and geological collections.
The Geology Museum, located on the first floor of Northrop Hall and maintained by the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, features exhibits of minerals, rocks, fossils and gemstones from New Mexico and around the World. Two exhibits focus on world-renowned geologic features in New Mexico, the Jemez caldera and Harding pegmatite deposit; others include a dinosaur bone and minerals used in everyday life, and a separate room contains fluorescent minerals that glow in the dark. The museum is open to the public M–F 7:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon and 1:00–4:30 p.m. Visitors may also make arrangements to visit the UNM Harding Pegmatite Mine, located near Dixon, Taos County, NM.
In addition to art museums on campus, the University of New Mexico maintains in Taos the Harwood Foundation which serves as a museum, library and community center. The foundation has an excellent collection of paintings by artists who have lived and worked in New Mexico.
The Institute of Meteoritics is a division of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and maintains on display in the Meteorite Museum a large collection of meteorites, including the world’s largest stone meteorite, recovered in Nebraska in 1948. This museum is open to the public.
The Jonson Gallery of the University of New Mexico Art Museum will be closed until September 2010, at which time it will re-open as the Raymond Jonson Gallery in its new location on the lower level of the UNM Art Museum, Center for the Arts. A program of the UNM Art Museum, the Jonson Gallery cares for the artworks and archives of modernist painter Raymond Jonson, and features exhibitions of Jonson’s works along with those of other New Mexico modernists and contemporary artists. The gallery will be open to the public during regular museum hours, Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 1-4 p.m.. For more information, contact the gallery’s curator, Robert Ware, at 505.277.8927 or visit the gallery’s website at www.unm.edu/~jonsong.
The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology, located at the southern end of the Anthropology Building, houses both permanent and temporary exhibits exploring cultures around the world, with a special emphasis on the cultural heritage of the Southwest. The Maxwell Museum is open to the public, as well as to students and faculty members, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday.
The Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB) contains collections of plants and animals of national and international significance. An integral part of the University of New Mexico Department of Biology, the MSB also maintains a division devoted to frozen materials that houses the largest such collection of mammals in the world. The western research collections of the National Biological Service (NBS) are also integrated with those of the MSB. Housed in the Biology building, this museum is focused on research and teaching and is not open to the public except by appointment. The MSB publishes two scholarly periodicals, “Occasional Papers” and “Special Publications.”
The University of New Mexico Art Museum, one of America’s leading collegiate art museums, is located in the Center for the Arts complex on the main campus of UNM. The museum is host to a permanent collection of over 30,000 fine art objects with strength in works on paper numbering over 10,000 photographs, ca. 1840 to the present, counting the Beaumont Newhall collection among this holding. Over 14,000 fine art prints, including the Tamarind Lithography archive, are represented in a history of graphic arts whereby every technique and major art movement in this medium, from the 13th century to the present period. Other areas of the collection include Hispanic art from Europe and the Americas, including a rare Taller de Grafica Popular (TGP) collection of political posters and prints, American 19th art and 20th century modernism, Los Angeles and Bay Area art since 1950, and European art from the 15th – 20th centuries. Admission to the Museum and all public programs is FREE. Regular hours are: Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 1-4PM. For more information call (505) 277-4001 or visit the museum’s website at http://unm.edu/~artmuse.
The University of New Mexico Student Union Building
The University of New Mexico Student Union (http://sub.unm.edu) maintains the highest standard in student support, services and programming in order to promote a strong sense of community. At the Student Union Building (SUB), UNM students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests can congregate and socialize in an environment that promotes an appreciation for diversity.
The SUB is a convenient place for students, faculty and staff to study, hang out and grab a bite to eat. One of the biggest conveniences offered by the SUB is that it is centrally located on campus to accommodate UNM community needs and extracurricular activities.
SUB Programs and Services
The SUB is home to more than 60 student organizations housed in offices found on the Plaza Level. A space allocation process assigns offices and storage space to selected student organizations. ASUNM, GPSA, and Student Activities offices are also located in the SUB.
The SUB has wireless networking inside and outside of the building and in the Lobo Computer Lab, making the SUB a very computer-friendly environment. Additionally, data ports are conveniently installed throughout the entire building. The e-mail station, located on the Plaza Level, allows student convenient access to e-mail.
In addition to being a technologically advanced computing center, the SUB offers arts and crafts through the ASUNM Southwest Film Center and ASUNM Craft Studio. For fun, cUeNM is located on the SUB’s Plaza Level, offering 8 pool tables. A cycling room is located on the Plaza Level for convenient access to exercise equipment and programs. Also located on the SUB’s Plaza Level are a barbershop and salon, four ATMs, a self-service copy machine, a full-service New Mexico Educator’s Federal Credit Union, a United States Postal Service Kiosk, Transportation Information Center Kiosk, and a Convenience Store.
The SUB is home to a broad range of entertaining, educational, and thought-provoking programs from Live @ Lunch concerts in the atrium and the midweek movie series, to the annual College Bowl competition. Holidays are always special at the SUB. The Pumpkin-Carving Contest, Roadrunner Food Bank Food Drive, Giving Tree, and Lobo Day celebration convey the good spirits of each season. These events engage the University community and encourage everyone to feel at home on campus.
Dining Options
The SUB, partnered with Chartwell’s, offers many different food options for the UNM community. Dining options include specialty restaurants featuring a soup, hot/cold sandwich shop, Italian eatery, sushi bar, Mexican restaurant and coffee shop. The SUB is home to nationally recognized restaurants such as Sonic and Chick-fil-a. On-the-go items include fresh pastries, gourmet coffee and hot made-to-order sandwiches. There’s something for every craving at the SUB.
Event Planning
The SUB serves the University as the perfect place for meetings, conferences and special events. Equipped with 20 meeting rooms, a grand ballroom, audio-visual equipment, satellite conferencing capability and special setups, the SUB can accommodate students, faculty, staff and outside guests. Event services are available for chartered student organizations free of charge if there are no admission fees for the event, and discounted prices are available for UNM departments. The Student Union website (http://sub.unm.edu) leads visitors to clear information about available resources, as well as an e-mail link to responsive staff for help in setting up academic and social events.
Catering is available upon request. The Student Union’s catering partner, Chartwell’s, meets the challenge of providing high-quality food for personal and institutional special events, while including a reasonably priced menu for student organizations meeting in the SUB. Our culinary and catering staff is comprised of trained professionals with combined expertise in a multitude of food service venues. Diverse menus are available; however, customized menus can also be created.
Contact Information
SUB Administration Office: 277-2331
SUB Welcome Desk: 277-5626
SUB Event Planning: 277-5498
University Catering: 277-5498
Web Site: http://sub.unm.edu
Research Centers and Institutes
The Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER), primarily gathers, analyzes, and interprets data concerning the economic life of the state. Results of bureau-conducted studies made by the Bureau are presented to the public through their Information Center, the Data Bank, Bureau publications, the press, radio and television. The Bureau operates an econometric model of the state’s economy, FOR-UNM, to forecast future trends. It also operates a U.S. Census Analysis Center.
The Center for Advanced Studies is a research organization pursuing studies in theoretical quantum optics, laser physics, ultra sensitive laser interferometric techniques, statistical mechanics, theory of measurement and other areas of modern physics. It sponsors many visiting scientists and lecturers and has a close working relationship with the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Germany.
The Center for Biomedical Engineering (CBME) is dedicated to the creation of materials, devices and knowledge for the advancement of health care and biomedicine. It is an interdisciplinary center that coordinates research activities in biomedical engineering at UNM. CBME is a focal point for future educational activities in biomedical engineering, and serves as a portal for biotech interactions between UNM and National Laboratories, industry partnerships and other educational institutions within New Mexico and outside of New Mexico.
The Center for High Technology Materials (CHTM) is an interdisciplinary research organization which sponsors and encourages research efforts in the Electrical and Computer Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry and Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Departments. CHTM is a nationally respected center of excellence for research and education in opto-electronics, microelectronics, optics and material science; encouraging and strengthening interactions and the flow of technology between the University, government laboratories and private industry; and promoting and assisting economic development within New Mexico.
The Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM) is a research organization involving the University of New Mexico, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, the Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories and supporting industrial members. It carries out basic and applied research on ceramics problems of industrial significance. Participating graduate departments at the University of New Mexico include Chemical and Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, Chemistry and Earth and Planetary Sciences.
The Design Planning and Assistance Center (DPAC) is a research unit within the School of Architecture and Planning. This center is a community service organization, which provides environmental research and planning, and architectural design assistance to less privileged groups and individuals in New Mexico. Students perform this work for which they obtain studio credit.
The Division of Government Research (DGR) supplies data analysis services under contract to clients which are generally state government agencies. In this work, DGR uses statistical software and geographic information systems (GISs) to manage, analyze and present a wide variety of data. DGR has extensive experience in the analysis of transportation-related data and the analysis of health care data. A GIS is often used to enhance the analysis of data or to display the results of the analysis in geographic context. Computer applications are developed on several types of computers as required to meet the clients’ needs.
Earth Data Analysis Center (EDAC), a NASA-affiliated applied research center, specializes in remote sensing for natural resource applications. EDAC performs image processing, air photo and satellite image search and retrieval, and training and pilot projects for clients in government, university and private industry sectors. It also publishes an international quarterly review of remote sensing of the environment.
The Center for Advanced Research Computing (CARC) supports interdisciplinary, faculty-led, computing-based research throughout the University of New Mexico. The center also serves as the administrative unit for the Computational Science and Engineering (CSE) certificate. The center’s primary mission is to provide high end computational, storage, and networking facilities in an environment that fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and supports novel applications of computing across the breadth of academic disciplines. In addition to a variety of individual researchers, there are currently four resident research groups housed in the center: the CREATE (Center for Rapid Environmental Assessment and Terrain Evaluation) team from the College of Arts and Sciences, a digital photography group from the College of Fine Arts, a visualization team from the School of Engineering, and a data analysis group from the School of Medicine.
The Institute for Applied Research Services (IARS) was established in 1968 to analyze current problems and to give expert assistance to community leaders, government officials, business and industrial executives, minority and disadvantaged groups and private organizations. The Institute is a major part of the University’s commitment to aid and promote the social and economic development of New Mexico, the Southwest and the nation. The Institute functions through a series of operating agencies which provide distinct, but interrelated, kinds of services.
The Institute for Astrophysics is organized to coordinate research, professional and educational activities in Astrophysics along the Rio Grande corridor. It sponsors symposia and colloquia for professional continuing education. It has acquired sophisticated computers for research as well as graduate and undergraduate education and operates the Capilla Peak Observatory on a year-round basis while coordinating its activities with the VLA, Sac Peak and the National Laboratories.
The Institute for Environmental Education is co-sponsored by the School of Architecture and Planning. It combines academic teaching and research, as well as teacher-training, on environmental qualities with special emphasis on school environments as they relate to human behavior. It promotes public awareness in these areas. Students have an opportunity to participate in its activities and can obtain credit.
The Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies (ISNPS) is an academically-based, self-supported research and development organization with focuses on space science and advanced technology research, development and commercialization, and on providing education and research opportunities for students, faculty and the community. The mission of the Institute is to perform basic and applied research, develop partnership with industry, enable technology application and commercial development, provide technical and professional training, organize and conduct technical forums and promote and sponsor educational outreach activities in higher education and K–12. ISNPS laboratory facilities include a Heat Transfer and Heat Pipe Laboratory, a Thermionics Laboratory, Laser Application Laboratory and a Research and Technology Laboratory.
The Latin American and Iberian Institute (LAII) promotes research, teaching and outreach on Latin American and Iberian topics in a variety of disciplines. It provides administrative support for the interdisciplinary Latin American Studies program of the College of Arts and Sciences and seeks and distributes financial support for scholarly initiatives involving Latin America and Iberia. LAII administers the University of New Mexico study abroad programs in Latin America and Iberia, including semester exchanges as well as short-term intensive language programs. It provides a full range of outreach services, including support for K–12 teachers through the Center for Latin American Resources and Outreach (CLARO) as well as the online Resources for Teaching About the Americas (RetaNet) community of learning; an online news service (Latin America Data Base) that publishes three weekly bulletins on Latin American politics and economic events (NotiSur, NotiCen and SourceMex); the Ibero-American Science and Technology Education Consortium (ISTEC); and the Brazilian Studies Association (BRASA).
The Southwest Hispanic Research Institute (SHRI) is an interdisciplinary research center for Southwest Hispanic Studies. It conducts projects in-house as well as in collaboration with departmental faculty on-campus and with similar research units at other universities in the region.
Teaching Assistant Resource Center
The Teaching Assistant Resource Center (TARC) provides support to the University’s teaching assistants. The Center offers a classroom teaching course that addresses such topics as the roles and responsibilities of TAs, learning styles and class preparation, enthusiastic teaching and lecturing skills, leading class discussions, conflict styles and management, giving feedback and evaluation.
TARC also offers a section of the classroom teaching skills course designed for international teaching assistants (ITARC). This section covers many of the same topics as the TARC course (teaching and lecturing skills, grading and evaluation, etc.) and also addresses issues of culture in the classroom and the adjustment of new international graduate students. The course is designed to help international TAs be successful in teaching American undergraduate students, as well as to improve their teaching skills in general.
Enrollment in the TARC classroom teaching course is limited to 20 students. Enrollment is for one graduate credit. The course is offered as Communication and Journalism 583.
During the Fall and Spring semesters, the Teaching Assistant Resource Center offers one-session workshops on selected topics. These workshops have included such topics as gender issues in the classroom, nonverbal messages in classrooms, diversity in college classrooms, critical thinking, motivational strategies and teaching technologies.
TARC also provides consulting service to any UNM teaching assistant.
The Teaching Assistant Resource Center is an Office of Graduate Studies program. For more information about the Teaching Assistant Resource Center, contact TARC, 277-3344, tarc@unm.edu. The TARC office is located in the Communications and Journalism Building Room 210.
Welcome Center
The University of New Mexico Welcome Center, attached to the Cornell Parking Garage adjacent to Johnson Center and the Center for the Arts, invites all campus visitors and prospective and current students to stop by for information, directions and assistance. The Center houses a library of current brochures, maps, continuing education catalogs and information on athletic events, tickets and schedules. Information on performing arts events, museum and gallery exhibits and other special events happening on campus may also be found.
Stop by the Welcome Center and let us assist you with your University needs! Phone: (505) 277-1989, FAX: (505) 277-8978, e-mail: visitor@unm.edu, http://www.unm.edu/~welcome/.
UNM Parent Association
The Parent Association’s mission is to promote student success and academic excellence, engage parents in the university’s mission and goals, empower parents to play a supportive role in student education, and provide a forum for networking. As a parent or family member of a UNM student, it is important for you to feel connected with the institution and other parents or family members who are having similar experiences. The Association provides opportunities to parents such as the annual Family Weekend and Parent Day at the Pit for families to connect with their students and the University. The Association’s free monthly newsletter provides useful information to parents of important programs, events, activities and opportunities for them and their student. Membership to the association is free and open to all parents of currently enrolled students and alumni. For more information, visit http://parentassociation.unm.edu/.
