Contact: Roger Schluntz 277-2879 Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales 277-5920

January 6, 2003 UNM PLANNING PROGRAM RECEIVES FIVE-YEAR ACCREDITATION University of New Mexico President F. Chris Garcia was recently informed that the planning accreditation board (PAB) has granted a full five-year term of accreditation to the Community and Regional Planning program in the School of Architecture and Planning. The board reported, "... The Board particularly applauds the program for its diversity of faculty and students, the collegiality among faculty and students, and its engagement with the community." Roger Schluntz, dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, said, "The Community and Regional Planning Program at the University of New Mexico is the only accredited planning program in New Mexico, providing unique educational opportunities for future professionals in this important discipline. "Critical to the mission of UNM and the School of Architecture and Planning, the service and outreach efforts of the Planning faculty are truly extraordinary. The accreditation team was very impressed with this vital, if not indispensable, activity of the planning program and the tangible benefits that these initiatives have provided to the people and economy of this state." David Henkel, director of the Community and Regional Planning program within the School of Architecture and Planning, said, "The key elements in our successful reaccreditation process have been the total commitment of our faculty and students to the process, an articulation of the key points of our five-year strategic plan in ways that translated clearly into the PAB programmatic requirements, a clear understanding and acknowledgement of our strengths and weaknesses and the testimony of professionals and community members." The PAB visiting team's report to the board and assessment is available for review in the planning program office. # # #

The University of New Mexico
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