UNM wish list
University lists priorities for legislative session
The highest priority for the University of New Mexico during the 2019 state legislative session is seeking an increase in its appropriation from the state funding formula.
UNM administrators have developed a funding wish list in hopes of obtaining resources from the Legislature, which begins its 60-day session today. The top priority on that list, according to Mathew Muñoz, the university’s government relations manager, is gaining an 8 percent increase in new money from the funding formula.
The formula, which was implemented seven years ago, rewards higher student graduation rates and takes into account other metrics, but can include new money when it’s available. The university is supporting a request by the New Mexico Council of University Presidents for the increase of new money as part of the calculations.
“That would alleviate a lot of the burden on the institution to help pay for the rising cost of health care, utility costs that increase every year and fixed costs that go up every year, but our budget doesn’t go up with them,” Muñoz said. “Getting that additional funding is top priority.”
With oil production in southeastern New Mexico driving a revenue boom, lawmakers will have a bigger funding pie to work with. State economists have projected about $1.1 billion in revenue beyond this year’s spending levels for the budget year that will begin July 1.
“It’s going to be interesting to watch because there’s a lot of money,” Muñoz said. “But there’s hesitation on the legislative side to put a lot of money into the recurring portion of budgets. It’s going to be interesting where we line up with the Legislature.”
The wish list covers a wide range of issues for the state’s flagship research institution, which includes increased compensation for faculty and staff. The last substantial appropriated compensation increase was in 2008. During the 11 years since, there have been three small increases that funded only those employees who are paid from the school’s general fund.
Also high on the priority list, Muñoz said, is to seek a percentage parity for the UNM School of Medicine with funding received by other institutions throughout the state.
“The medical school, because of their focus, is not included in the funding formula,” he said. “We have to ask every year to get the same increase that the main campus is getting.”
The university will also ask for a $300,000 annual appropriation to continue the New Mexico Nursing Education Consortium, a program that contains multiple pathways into nursing education, and supports funding for endowed faculty positions to recruit and retain faculty.
UNM is also requesting slightly more than $27 million in estimated costs for capital projects, and about $8.7 million for a variety of research and public service projects.
That list includes a request of about $4.1 million for the Athletics Department, an increase of about $1.5 million from last year, which would be directed toward travel expenses, as well as address Title IX compliance issues, improve student welfare and pay for more full-time trainers, according to UNM Athletics Director Eddie Nuñez.
“We’ve looked at our entire department to determine the things that are necessary,” Nuñez said. “For example, travel — we haven’t raised our travel budget in over five years. This was one of those times that we wanted to look at every component of our department.”
The UNM Board of Regents approved a proposal asking the state for the additional $1.5 million last fall after its decision to cut four sports, including men’s soccer, and alter the rosters of two more.
The capital projects wish list includes a Health Science Center request for $3.5 million to help with construction of a 14,000-square-foot Comprehensive Movement Disorders Center that would allow patients to be seen in one location for multiple diagnoses, and would contain clinic facilities, a research facility and ancillary patient services, including a physical therapy space, a library and a gym.
The capital projects priority list also includes facility upgrades at the university’s branch campuses in Gallup, Los Alamos, Taos and Valencia.