Media contact: Frank D. Martinez, 277-1811

December 11, 2002 UNM TO AWARD REGENTS' MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARDS TO TWO AT DEC. 13 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY University of New Mexico Regents' Meritorious Service Awards will be awarded to former UNM vice president Joel M. Jones and UNM Professor Emeritus of Medicine Ralph C. Williams, Jr. in recognition of their extraordinary and distinguished service to the University. The awards will be presented at UNM's fall Commencement ceremony Friday, Dec. 13, at 6 p.m. in the University Arena ("The Pit"). JOEL M. JONES Jones held various administrative positions and served as a professor of American Studies at UNM. In 1987-88, he served as UNM vice president for Administration, Planning and Student Affairs; from 1985-87, he was vice president for Administration and Planning; from 1978-85, he was associate provost for Academic Affairs/acting dean of Faculties; from 1974-77, he was assistant vice president for Academic Affairs; and, from 1969-74, he was chair of the department of American Studies. He also was president of Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo., from 1988-98 and previously served as assistant professor of English and director of American Studies at the University of Maryland from 1966-69. More recently, Jones served as interim superintendent of schools, Durango, Colo., from January to June, 1999; as acting president of Salisbury University, Salisbury, Md., September, 1999 to June, 2000; and currently is the interim executive director of the Durango Chamber of Commerce. Jones earned his bachelor's degree in American Studies from Yale University in 1960; his master's in English from Miami University in 1963; and his doctorate in American Studies from UNM in 1966. RALPH C. WILLIAMS, JR. Williams has served as UNM professor emeritus of Medicine since 1998. From 1988-98, he was Eminent Scholar and chief of the Division of Clinical Immunology, Rheumatology and Allergy, Department of Medicine, University of Florida School of Medicine, Gainsville. From 1969-88, he served as professor and chair of the Department of Medicine, UNM School of Medicine. Other positions he has held include professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, 1968-69, where he also was an assistant professor and then associate professor from 1963-68; guest investigator, Rockefeller Institute, New York, where he also was the Helen Hay Whitney Fellow, 1961-63; chief resident in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1960-61, where he also served as a research fellow in the Arthritis Unit, 1959-60; United States Air Force, Montgomery, Ala., 1957-59; assistant resident, New York Hospital, NY, 1956-57; assistant resident, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1955-56; and intern, Massachusetts General Hospital, 1954-55. Williams earned his undergraduate degree in 1950 and his Doctor of Medicine degree in 1954, both from Cornell University. ###

The University of New Mexico
Public Affairs Department
Hodgin Hall, 2nd floor
Albuquerque, NM 87131-0011
Telephone: (505) 277-5813
Fax: (505) 277-1981