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The University of New Mexico

NEWS RELEASE



Media Contact: Laurie Mellas, 277-5915

Sept. 19, 2007

Inaugural Activities for UNM President Span Full Week

Schmidly David J. Schmidly will be officially installed as the University of New Mexico’s 20th president during a ceremony Sunday, Oct. 7, at 2:30 p.m. in Popejoy Hall. The public is invited to the ceremony as well as the reception that follows at University House. Free reserved seating tickets are available at ticket offices at the UNM Bookstore or UNM Arena.

The ceremony will include a variety of music, an academic procession and the formal installation with participation by the UNM Board of Regents, special guests, students, faculty, staff and alumni organizations. UNM’s tradition of installing or investing presidents dates back to 1912.

President Schmidly’s inauguration goes beyond the installation ceremony. A week of free symposia showcase UNM’s contributions in the areas of community service, sustainable environments, health policy, research, innovation, athletics, arts and culture. The theme is “Connect,” to illustrate the president’s commitment to build and enhance connections between the University and communities.

Activities kick off with the symposium, “40 Years of Community Activism: 1967-2007, Civil Rights Reform, Then and Now,” on Thursday, Sept. 27, and Friday, Sept. 28, from 8:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Student Union Building ballrooms. Sessions are designed to promote dialogue about past and present civil rights issues. Featured events include a presidential inaugural lecture documenting the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement and filmed tribute to World War II civil rights reformers.

Other inaugural symposia include:

  • Monday, Oct. 1
    “Connections: Natural History, Aesthetics, and Conservation,” featuring Harry Green, Cornell University. Student Union Building ballrooms, 9 to 11 a.m.
  • "Linking Time, Place and Culture: The Museums and Collections of UNM," featuring Mike Mares, University of Oklahoma. Student Union Building ballooms, 10 to 11 a.m.
  • “Connecting the Arts, Humanities and Social Conscience,” featuring Mexican-born writer, performance artist and educator G uillermo Gomez-Pena. Rodey Theatre, Center for the Arts, 2 to 4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Oct. 2
    “Educating for Innovation: Connecting UNM to the World’s Challenges,” featuring Keith Sawyer, Washington University, and Robert W. Galvin, Galvin Electricity Initiative. Student Union Building ballrooms, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Thursday, Oct. 4
    “Creating Health Policy to Connect and Improve Community Health” with Edward O’Neil, Center for the Health Professions. Health Sciences Center Domenici Center Auditorium, 11:30 to 1 p.m.
  • Friday, Oct. 5
    “Connecting Athletics & Academics,” featuring NCAA President Myles Brand. Student Union Building ballrooms, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

On Saturday, Oct. 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. , is the inaugural campus open house “Explore UNM,” for prospective and current students and their parents and families. It is also high school senior day, which begins with early riser tours at 9 a.m. and a general information session at 10:30 a.m. in the Student Union ballrooms. Registration will be held near the Center for the Arts, east plaza.

During the open house, schools, colleges and departments will showcase facilities, programs and support services. An information fair at the Student Union Building features more than 60 academic and support programs. Activities include tours, hands-on activities, demonstrations, student research presentations, performances, exhibitions, a keynote lecture on parenting/mentoring college students and more than a dozen parent/student-aimed workshops.

In addition, receptions for the campus community are planned throughout the week. A main campus reception for faculty, staff and students is Tuesday, Oct. 2, from 3 to 5 p.m. at University House. A retiree reception is Thursday, Oct. 4, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at the Science and Technology Park Rotunda. A Health Sciences reception for faculty, staff and students follows the health policy symposia Thursday, Oct. 4, 1 to 3 p.m. on the HSC plaza.

Parking is available at the Cornell Parking Structure near Central and Stanford NE. Regular parking rates apply during the week.

The parking structure is available Saturday, Oct. 6, for $6 all-day parking. Other parking throughout campus in lettered zones is free, including the Zia lot at the football stadium with shuttles from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Parking for the Sunday, Oct. 7, installation ceremony is free at the structure and in lettered zones.

Inaugural activities are funded by corporate and private donors, including the UNM Alumni Association, UNM Foundation, Lockheed Martin, Sandia National Laboratories, Don Chalmers Ford, Bank of Albuquerque and Bank of America.

For a detailed schedule of events, visit the inauguration Web site, http://www.unm.edu/inauguration/.


The University of New Mexico is the state's largest university, serving more than 32,000 students. UNM is home to the state's only schools of law, medicine, pharmacy and architecture and operates New Mexico's only academic health center. UNM is noted for comprehensive undergraduate programs and research that benefits the state and the nation.

www.unm.edu