Overview
The Committee on Communication and Collaboration with Stakeholders, Strategic Partners and Alumni discussed ways that UNM’s strategic partners and alumni extend the reach and capabilities of the University. In identifying where the University has already formed important partnerships with organizations, institutions and funding agencies, the committee also identified opportunities to improve UNM’s image, enhance communication and develop new relationships.

The committee proposed several ways to optimize UNM’s existing relationships and made recommendations to clarify the importance of forming strong relationships with business leaders, the press and community organizations. The message from the highest levels of administration should emphasize the importance of UNM involvement in affairs of the metropolitan region and in economic development throughout New Mexico.

The committee addressed key questions to assess the degree to which strategic partnerships are providing the resources and momentum that further the University’s strategic goals. These questions include:

With whom do we presently have strong relationships?
Where are the linkages weak?
In what ways is UNM optimizing these relationships?  These methods include joint research, community outreach and service, educational services, and development of state policy, as well as through the institution’s leadership and contractual services.
What opportunities should UNM pursue to create new partnerships?
What should the University do to strengthen its existing relationships?

The Need to Enhance Key Relationships
The University has on-going relationships with many constituencies throughout New Mexico, and our key relationships include students, alumni, and business leaders, community-based organizations in Albuquerque and the metropolitan region, and small towns throughout the state.

In several important areas UNM's capabilities are under-appreciated and under-valued. In particular, weaknesses are evident in the University’s relationship with the New Mexico State Legislature.  The prevailing perception by the business and political community is that the University is insular. As the committee noted, important community and business leaders perceive that the institution moves slowly, responds poorly to market conditions, and is focused on liberal arts rather than applied research and service activities that lead to practical solutions.

Many community leaders in small towns as well as Albuquerque community–based organizations feel there are weak links between the University and the local communities.  These leaders feel there is a disconnection between the educational mission of the University and the need for assistance and support in addressing environmental, social or educational issues.  Community leaders do not have a clear understanding of the resources that UNM can provide, nor how to access the technical support from faculty and students.  UNM provides insufficient guidance about how communities can connect to the institution’s expertise in order to resolve complex urban and regional problems. This gap contributes to a reputation that faculty are not connect to the “real world” or serve the interests of external constituencies and strategic partners.  In contrast, Sandia Laboratories has an “industrial liaison” and a “community outreach” office.  Similar offices could help community leaders make use of UNM’s resources and talent.

The committee highlighted that UNM is not perceived as integral to the “next generation” high technology economy. There is a perception that UNM’s faculty is not accessible and that the institution is not understandable, because the faculty tend not to be good “communicators.”  While members of the external community are willing to accept this as a difference in “culture,” they feel that the institution should begin to develop effective intermediaries. It is difficult for community leaders to make use of UNM’s strengths and unique capabilities, because it is not clear how to connect effectively with UNM.  These leaders could become powerful advocates for the University’s interests in the legislature. Moreover, the University is essential in providing expertise and highly skilled workers if a technology-based economy is to become a reality in the next generation. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of California at San Diego, and the University of Texas at Austin have all been important partners in creating high technology industries.

The committee noted that contractual relationships are somewhat difficult and cumbersome at UNM, but are not inherently more difficult than in other large organizations. However, UNM’s contracting process is decentralized, involving several actors and multiple “stops along the way.”  Streamlining contractual operations is a necessity.  In addition to communicating with and providing services to community leaders and business interests throughout the state, the University must continue to build relationships with Alumni who will be the future beneficiaries of UNM’s growing academic reputation as a research institution. The message that the University is committed to the community must be strong, consistent and linked to rewards for faculty and administrators.
 
Optimizing New and Existing Partnerships
An effective strategy to build our relationships with community and business leaders is to participate in community service organizations and economic development initiatives. The University should nurture key contacts with business leaders at the highest levels of the administration and participate in business, education and community development organizations.

Enhancing these relationships can be a fundamental part of our strategy to communicate our message to the legislature. Organizations in which UNM should play a leadership role in key business groups including the Association of Commerce and Industry (AIC), the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, Albuquerque Economic Development (AED), the Hispano Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Forum, and with the State Departments of Economic Development and Tourism.  It is through these relationships that UNM can communicate the importance of the University to New Mexico. This objective may be accomplished by working directly through the offices of the president, provost, vice-presidents, and deans to build personal relationships. News releases, press conferences and events in the community and region are additional ways to enhance new and existing partnerships.  UNM representatives should be a part of key events and celebrations.

New Mexico is a state that prides itself in diversity, and its history represents the struggles and relationships between multiple cultural groups.  The University has faculty, staff and students from Hispanic, Black, Native American and Asian and other cultures.  The relationship between the University and these groups has been highly variable – it has been weak at times but strong at others. The committee noted, however, a lack of consistency in building good relationships between key Hispanic organizations and top UNM administrators.  Historically, there has been a perception that the University isn’t doing as much as it could in Hispanic outreach to students, staff and faculty or in working closely with the organizations that represent them. The University should develop and communicate a clear strategy to strengthen its diversity and improve communication with the cultures in the community.  UNM should take pride in promoting the attributes and rewards of diversity as we build networks with diverse constituents.

A second strategy is to enhance our relationship with community leaders in the region and with leaders in small towns and communities throughout the state.  In working with community leaders and local citizens, faculty and administrative representatives of the University should become involved in helping to solve local problems.  This involvement may be accomplished through applied research projects, community service, and service-learning opportunities in secondary schools. This may also be accomplished by working with community-based organizations and getting involved with local development initiatives. Faculty members should join community boards, organize and carry out community development efforts, and engage in civic and regional activities.

Faculty should engage in these activities as part of their responsibility to provide service to the University and community, but also should be rewarded for extraordinary efforts with course release time or extra compensation. The University could also build “service/learning” opportunities in which students receive course credit to work with community-based organizations on civic projects or new business opportunities. In recognizing that many faculty and administrators are already involved in the community, the University should learn about, publicize and reward these efforts. It is important to have a strong UNM presence in solving local problems, participating in local affairs and sponsoring community events. Activities such as these could form the core of an “Urban Strategy” which coordinates urban and community activities and integrates the talent of the University in addressing economic development, health and education problems throughout the metropolitan area.

UNM could specialize in providing distance education unique to New Mexico. The University could develop courses based in special resources, talent or expertise at UNM or that focus on New Mexico’s unique environmental, cultural and economic attributes.  Distance learning instruction could include courses in archaeology, anthropology, geology of the southwest, and the geographic attributes of the regions.  The committee noted that in distance education, UNM could build a national reputation by providing courses in the history of southwest settlements, arts of the southwest and regionalism.

A third strategy is to improve our relationships with the press and the media.  In the metropolitan area, this will require communicating regularly with editors of Journal and the Tribune, and making use of the public television network.  The University often overlooks small communities and the influence local media may have on legislative support for UNM.  Constituency building requires establishing and maintaining positive relationships with reporters and newspapers. The University has a strong message about the important role that education plays in building a local economy, or stories about emerging issues in science, technology or innovations that improve community life. In addition to submitting articles and editorials, faculty and representatives of the University administration should meet with small town editors and send letters to town newspapers about accomplishments of local students at UNM.

While it is often difficult for UNM to capture the attention of individual legislators and business interests, we must build and diversify the ways we communicate our message. It was noted that there is an old “rule” that works well with legislative issues: If a legislator hears about an issue once, it is not important, however if he or she hears it “five times,” it is an issue.  Therefore, the strategy should be to get the message to individual legislators from many sources and through many voices.  The message should come from enhancing the strategic relationships we have with community, business and political leaders.

The Importance of the “Message from the Top”
In the past five years, the President of the University of California at San Diego received accolades for San Diego’s ability to transform its economy.  The policies the president established communicated that the University should make measurable and visible contributions to the local economy and community.  The policies also communicated to the institution that the University should be permeable and able to work with and interact effectively with industry and the business community. UNM could spawn more start-up companies, because it is a more flexible institution than the national laboratories.  However, it must utilize the flexibility in new ways.  In the same way that the national laboratories have begun to open the doors to the world of high technology and research, UNM could advise and provide assistance to start-up firms that will be future leaders in the regional and urban economy.

The committee noted that UNM has strong, capable and insightful administrative leaders. The University leadership and voice of the president is becoming an active force in the community.  The challenge is to build on this visibility, enhance our public relationships and broaden our local and communication networks.

Forming New Relationships
The University should hold town halls in key locations and regions throughout New Mexico. These meetings could engage local business, community and political leaders in a dialogue about community needs and opportunities.  UNM should be prepared to make a commitment to find the expertise to target these needs.  To engage in this activity we must have the systems in place to provide consistent and dependable follow-through.

The University faculty and administration should identify situations in which there are strong existing relationships and build these into new kinds of partnerships. An initiative like this could be analogous to the State Extension service at New Mexico State University.  It could also be similar to efforts of the Medical School to provide rural doctors throughout the state. It is possible to develop new partnerships with the state’s network of Small Business Development Centers; these organizations may become strategic partners in carrying out businesses and economic development efforts.  Additional opportunities to form strategic partnerships include the following:

• UNM can be a significant player in economic development in the metropolitan region, and the University could play an important role in helping to implement the new “Industry Cluster” economic development effort of the city and region.
• UNM could work more closely with the Regional Development Corporation (RDC), in the Los Alamos, Espanola, and Santa Fe region.
• The University should develop relationships with community leaders and newspapers in small towns and communities outside the metropolitan area.
• The University should work with new Community Reuse Organization (CRO) in the Albuquerque called the “Next Generation Economy” initiative.
• UNM could form a strategic relationship with the state Workforce Development Board, which directs the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funding.
• The University could provide assistance and advice to the Regional Board at Fannie Mae, an important investment vehicle for the state’s housing markets.
• UNM has the opportunity to provide the state with a forum in which to convene discussion about key state policy options, as this is presently being done to inform water policy, resolve federal land and resource management issues, and develop state policy in education and health care delivery.

Ric Richardson, Architecture and Planning, chair
Ray Ziler, UNM Foundation
Karen Abraham, UNM Alumni Association
Chuck Wellborn, Director Emeritus, UNM Science and Technology Corporation
Leonard Nepalitano, Dean Emeritus, UNM Medical School
Pat Vanderpool, Senior Staff, Senator Domeneci
Jill Halverson, Senior Staff, Senator Bingaman
John Barela, Manager of Community Relations, Intel Corporation

November 31, 2000
APPENDIX A
Existing Strategic Partnerships and Relationships
(An Incomplete list)

Scientific Research

• Sandia Laboratories – several joint research projects with STC in technology transfer
• Airforce Research Laboratory – used to work with the New Mexico Engineering Research Institute.
• Los Alamos – at the UNM Los Alamos campus; through the Medical School in Tele-medicine, and in healthcare and medical computing networks.
• White Sands Testing Facility – the relationship can be strengthened.
• Santa Fe Institute – in computational modeling, biomedical engineering, ecological studies, and computing.
• At the National Center for Genome Research – the relationship could be strengthened
• National Science Foundation

Foundations

• W. H. Kellogg Foundation
• Howard Hughes Foundation
• Robert Woods Johnson
• Ford Foundation
• Rockefeller Foundation
• Carnegie Endowment
• Casey Foundation

Commercial

• Intel Corporation
• Sematec Incorporated – sponsoring research in engineering and semi-conductors
• Semi-Conductor Research Corporation (SRC)
• Technology Venture Corporation (TVC) – a non-profit venture with Lockheed Martin that attracts venture capital, and is a vehicle for technology transfer
• Honeywell/GE/Allied Signal
• Qwest Communications Corporation
• PNM
• New Mexico First

Healthcare

• National Institute of Health (NIH)
• New Mexico Health Resources – Physician recruitment
• Indian Health Service (IHS) and the Veterans Administration (VA)
• Presbyterian, St. Joe’s, Lovelace healthcare organizations and hospitals
• Foundations with program initiatives in health care and health sciences
• New Mexico Heart Hospital
• Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute
• New Mexico Department of Health
• Rural health clinics
• New Mexico Departments of Human Services and Health

Federal Government

• The Departments of Energy (DOE) and Defense (DOD)
• The Departments of Labor (DOL) and Education
• US Department of Agriculture – Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
• National Institute of Health (NIH)
• National Science Foundation (NSF)
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Indian Health Service (HIS) and the Veterans Administration via the Medical School

State Government

• New Mexico State Highway and Transportation Department
• The State Energy and Minerals Department
• Environment Department
• State Land Office
• State Engineer’s Office
• The State Departments of Human Services, Health, and Education
• The Departments of Economic Development and Department of Tourism

Local Government

• City of Albuquerque
• Pueblos and Tribal Governments
• Small Towns and County Governments throughout  New Mexico

Civil Rights Groups

• Hispanic Round Table
• NAACP
• American Indian Movement
• LULAC
• The Chinese American Association

Alumni

• Provide important linkages to growth of UNM through fundraising and friends
• Some stay in the region, and some return to other parts of the country
• Alumni provide key contacts and connections to an important business or industry

Business and Banking Organizations

• Association of Commerce and Industry (ACI)
• Albuquerque Economic Development (AED)
• Chamber of Commerce and the Hispano Chamber of Commerce
• Economic Forum
• The Bank of the West which will buy 29 branches of Wells Fargo
• The Bank of Albuquerque
• 1st State Bank
• 1st Bank
• New Mexico Bank and Trust

International Organizations

• Agreements with Spain
• Convenos with Mexican Universities, and the State of Chiuhuaua
• Agreements with South American Universities and in the Pacific Rim

The Need to Enhance Key Relationships

• UNM’s capabilities are under-appreciated and under-valued by the community, especially the Legislature.
• The University does not cultivate relationships in small town and local communities.
• There is a perception that UNM doesn’t respond to market conditions.
• The business and external communities believe that UNM is focused on liberal arts education, not on applied research, service and in developing practical solutions.
• UNM has a highly variable relationship with key Hispanic advocacy groups.
• Community leaders and local citizens don’t know how to connect with UNM.
• It is difficult for UNM to get business interests to help get our message out.
• UNM does not have the attention of key legislators, especially from rural areas.
• UNM’s contracting process is cumbersome involving several steps, actors and approvals.

Optimizing New and Existing Partnerships

• Work with and through the business community.
• Nurture relationship with the press in Albuquerque and in small towns and communities outside the metropolitan area.
• Faculty and mid-level administrators should be more involved in community affairs.
• Promote service/learning opportunities with students and faculty.
• Reward faculty for exemplary community service and local involvement.
• Provide distance education that is unique to New Mexico.
• Support more start-up companies because it is a flexible institution.

Message From the Top

• The University should be permeable; be able to contribute to the local economy.
• This message must be strong and linked to rewards for faculty.
• UNM is getting good at getting the message out from the president.
• Enhance our Public Affairs and Public Relations efforts.

Forming New Relationships

• Hold town halls across state and provide follow-through.
• Develop new service mechanisms like rural doctors from the Medical School.
• Form partnerships with Small Business Development Centers throughout the state.
• Become a significant player in economic development in the metropolitan region.
• Play an important role in helping to analyze and promote the new “Industry Cluster” concept in the “Next Generation Economy” initiative.
• Work closely with the Northern New Mexico Regional Development Corporation (RDC)
• Assist in the implementation of the new CRO being established in the Albuquerque metropolitan area.
• Establish a connection with state Workforce Development Board, which directs the investment of 60 to 63 million dollars each year in workforce training and preparation through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
• Form a relationship with the Regional Board at Fannie Mae.
• Provide a neutral forum in which to convene discussions about key state policy options.