President's Message

The New Mexico House and Senate could not agree on a state budget, so legislators will be back in Santa Fe to try again during a special session. It was an intense 30-day session. Our legislative team led by Marc Saavedra did remarkably well in securing the best budget scenarios possible in this tough economy. I know it is a disappointment to them as it is to me that there is as yet no conclusion, but I believe we've helped make a strong case for UNM and for higher education and our efforts will not be forgotten during the special session.

Campus Safety
UNM Police and every law enforcement agency in the area are looking for the individual who attacked a student on our campus last week. Apprehending this perpetrator is UNMPD's top priority along with making this campus as safe as possible. Chief Guimond and I are adamant that when it comes to safety, there are no shortcuts and no budget restrictions. To that end, extra security has been visible, especially during the evening hours. The dorms have stepped up their vigilance and Student Affairs has re-instated the "Campus Safety Walk" program. The first meeting and walk are scheduled for this Thursday evening. For more information visit the website.

It is important to remember that safety is everyone's concern and responsibility. Everyone needs to be aware of his or her surroundings and take precautions. Please report suspicious persons or activity to UNM Police promptly. Let's keep the campus safe.

Women's History Month
UNM's Women's Resource Center, celebrating its 38th anniversary of service on campus, also celebrates Women's History Month in March. The center is co-sponsoring a number of events throughout the month with the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Impact Personal Safety, Las Meganenas and the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women. The New Mexico Women's Hall of Fame exhibit will be on campus all month. On March 8, a safety and self-defense presentation will take place at the SUB, and on March 19 at UNM-Valencia, there will be middle school girls' conference. Add to that theatre performances and a film series, and it's shaping up to be a grand event.

Great Art
The folks at the University Art Museum tell me that an unprecedented 800 visitors came through during the opening weekend of the blockbuster exhibition May Ray, African Art and Modernist Lens. The exhibit will be up through the spring semester along with a Distinguished Lecture Series
that includes UNM faculty and visiting scholars. For schedules visit: www.unm.edu/~artmuse. This is just another example of the extraordinary opportunities available to everyone on campus.

David J. Schmidly is UNM's 20th president.