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

December 10, 2003 UNM ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM RANKS AMONG BEST NATIONALLY Award winning faculty also ranked The University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning ranks 28 among the top 40 "exceptional value picks" in architecture for 2004, as reported in DesignIntelligence's latest issue on "America's Best Architecture and Design Schools" for 2004. The magazine also ranked UNM's architecture faculty 9th in the U.S. for national teaching awards. DI's rankings are based on six measures: survey of practitioners, selectivity, culture and learning environment, resources, reputation of dean/faculty/students and tuition. Since U.S. News and World Report does not rank architecture programs, this publication's rankings are becoming increasingly noticed. "The ranking by DesignIntelligence only confirms what we have long known: the professional architecture degree program at the University of New Mexico provides an exceptional educational opportunity at a comparatively affordable price," said Roger Schluntz, dean of the UNM School of Architecture and Planning. "Our last visiting accreditation team commented on how tremendously impressed they were with the faculty's ability to provide significant educational value with our somewhat limited resources and facilities. We are also very fortunate to have talented and extraordinarily dedicated students in the program, with a wonderful history of our graduates assuming leadership positions in New Mexico and throughout the country," he said. The Design Futures Council, producers of DesignIntelligence, ranked U.S. architecture programs for national teaching awards. "Our faculty has won prestigious national teaching awards. This is reflected in a 9th place ranking, higher than MIT, Princeton and Yale, and others. In a strong research-based institution, it is rewarding to see our program acknowledged for excellent instruction," said Andy Pressman, director, architecture program. UNM tied with Cornell, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and University of Texas at Austin for the 9th place ranking. # # #

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