August 5, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
UNM Profs Score Low If You Can Find 'Em (Editorial)
At least the University of New Mexico is consistent. For the second year in a row, UNM is ranked No. 1 in The Princeton Review's annual "The Best 368 Colleges" guide for having the "least accessible professors."
Sure, it's compiled primarily via Internet surveys of students. Sure, there may be more scientific rankings out there. But this is the kind of list people talk about — people who are deciding which university to send their child to, people who are deciding which university they want to attend.
The guide does say UNM "offers a strong academic community with all of its many research opportunities (for) a bargain price" and "excellent graduate programs in law, business, and medicine exert a trickle-down effect on the undergraduate divisions."
Faculty Senate president Jackie Hood says the fact UNM was included in a publication based on outstanding academics and opportunities for students means "we should look at this in a positive light." But when you are singled out with the top ranking in "professors make themselves scarce," and you throw in the rankings for "professors get low marks" (18th last year, 14th this year), it's time to go back to school.
Last year, UNM's vice president for enrollment management, Terry Babbit, characterized the No. 1 ranking for invisible profs as a "concern."
Two years running, it's a concern that should be acted on.