Albuquerque Journal

Schmidly Talks to Campus Via Web
By Martin Salazar
Journal Staff Writer

    Ten months into the job, University of New Mexico President David Schmidly took to the camera to engage the university community in a discussion about where UNM is and where it's headed.
    "I want every single one of you who is a member of the UNM community to get excited about the direction this university is going in and the potential contributions you can make to move us along the road," Schmidly said during his Tuesday Web cam address.
    Encouraged to drop what they were doing to hear Schmidly's hourlong presentation, faculty, staff and students gathered around computer screens and in auditoriums throughout the campus.
    Included in his message was a pledge that the university would base major decisions on student success.
    "We will continuously ask, does this decision, action or investment enhance the well-being of our students and their ability to be successful?" Schmidly said, noting that UNM's greatest challenge is its low graduation rates.
    The president, who delivered his message from Woodward Hall, also said the university must look at itself honestly and acknowledge its shortcomings.
    "We've been overwhelmed with open records requests, and I have been told that UNM is seen as one of the worst examples of open government in the state," Schmidly said. "Our policies are seen as attempting to wall us off from public scrutiny. This must change if we are to develop trust and confidence with the citizens of our state."
    Schmidly said in the days ahead, university departments would meet and develop their own plans for how they will contribute to the university's success. He said he's ready to roll up his sleeves and work harder than ever "to make UNM the best it can be."