UNM President David J. Schmidly has accepted an appointment to the executive committee of the Commission on the Urban Agenda (CUA), which focuses on urban issues and programs for the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC). Schmidly’s term will run for three years beginning in November 2007.
The CUA advocates for policies, positions and legislative strategies that further the urban agenda at the national, state and local levels. It also fosters the development of programs and projects of special interest to those universities with a strong commitment to urban areas.
“UNM has been called a city within a city, but we are by no means an island,” said Schmidly. “The metro area’s challenges are also our challenges, and it is incumbent upon the Albuquerque campus to work with its surrounding communities to develop effective solutions.”
Schmidly notes that CUA member institutions are committed to leveraging their academic assets to strengthen their urban communities, which is a strong focus for several UNM programs. “Promoting economic development and healthy communities are two of the university’s four core goals. By strengthening partnerships with our urban neighbors, we can show immediate progress in those areas.”