WHEREAS on October 2, 2025, the Trump administration delivered to nine institutions a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education," which makes access to federal funding conditional on the acceptance of government-prescribed institutional policies and practices; and

WHEREAS an informal offer to join this “Compact” has been extended to all institutions of higher education in the United States; and

WHEREAS the compact demands “institutional neutrality” while also demanding affirmative representation of specific ideological viewpoints and punishing those the Trump administration disagrees with, being thus inconsistent and unenforceable; and

WHEREAS the 1967 Kalven Report, a landmark document on institutional neutrality, established that while universities should generally remain neutral on contested public issues, they have a responsibility to speak when their core values are at risk; and

WHEREAS the Compact contains provisions antithetical to the core values of our institutions, values which include commitments to inclusion and transparency; and

WHEREAS the Compact contains provisions which endanger the independence and integrity of our institutions, and threatens to withhold federal funding if institutions fail to conform; and

WHEREAS the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) have called on all colleges and universities to reject the compact, calling it "preferential treatment . . . in exchange for allegiance to a partisan ideological agenda;" and

WHEREAS the Compact, per the legal counsel of AAUP, raises "significant first amendment problems," poses threats to academic freedom, and increases risk of constitutional liability; and

WHEREAS the Central New Mexico Community College and The University of New Mexico Faculty Senates have already passed resolutions in favor of a Mutual Academic Defense Compact; and

WHEREAS Central New Mexico Community College and The University of New Mexico exemplify academic values of the highest standard, including the cultivation and preservation of academic freedom; therefore

BE IT RESOLVED that the Central New Mexico Community College Faculty Senate and the University of New Mexico Faculty Senate firmly oppose the "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" as written, and call upon campus administrations to also reject this Compact outright as well as any similar proposal compromising the core values and independence of our institutions.

Passed at

January 27, 2026 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Zoom

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Presented to the UNM Faculty Senate, April 29, 2025

Background

Members of the ad hoc Faculty Senate Social Justice Committee requested that the Ops Committee submit this resolution for consideration by the Faculty Senate. In the last several weeks, governmental bodies have defunded multiple institutions, including Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University, and the University of Pennsylvania while providing neither evidence nor due process. Restoration of funding has been held out in exchange for government overreach into universities in ways that violate academic freedom and institutional self-governance.

Executive Orders and Dear Colleague letters seek to censor speech and mandate programming at publicly funded universities. The government has deployed its Homeland Security Department ICE agents to baselessly revoke student visas to arrest and detain international students as punishment for exercising their First Amendment rights.

So far, these events have happened in relative isolation, with little communication and coordinated response across affected or soon-to-be-affected institutions. This resolution seeks common ground across institutions uniting in a common defense to collectively safeguard their shared values of academic freedom, free expression, democratic governance, civic responsibility, scientific discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge.

Resolution to Establish Mutual Academic Defense Compacts in Defense of Academic Freedom, Free Expression, Institutional Integrity, and the Research Enterprise

Whereas, escalating actions by governmental bodies threaten foundational principles of American higher education, including the autonomy of university governance, the integrity of scientific research, and the protection of the freedoms of inquiry, speech, and association;

Whereas, political actors have targeted individual institutions with legal, financial, and political incursions designed to undermine their public mission, silence dissenting voices, and exert unlawful control over academic inquiry;

Whereas, governmental actors have signaled a willingness to censor curricula, restrict inquiry, target scholars and students, and carry out politically motivated detentions;

Whereas, America’s Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) represent a longstanding tradition of academic collaboration, research excellence, and commitment to democratic values and shared governance;

Whereas, these nearly 250 APLU institutions represent more than one million faculty and staff members and 6.6 million undergraduate and graduate students;

Whereas, institutions of higher education in New Mexico—public and private, large and small— share a longstanding commitment to academic freedom, democratic governance, civic responsibility, and the pursuit of knowledge for the public good;

Whereas, New Mexico is home to a diverse higher education ecosystem that serves thousands of students and employs thousands of educators, researchers, and staff whose work supports innovation, critical inquiry, social mobility, and community engagement;

Whereas, the UNM Faculty Senate passed in 2022 a resolution on "Defending Academic Freedom to Teach About Race and Gender Justice and Critical Race Theory."

Whereas, the preservation of one institution’s integrity is the concern of all, and an infringement against one institution shall be considered an infringement against all;

Be it resolved that, the University of New Mexico Faculty Senate urges the President of the University of New Mexico to help establish a Public and Land-Grant University Mutual Academic Defense Compact (PLUMADC) among all public and land grant universities that would like to participate;

Be it further resolved that, the Faculty Senate of the University of New Mexico urges the President of the University of New Mexico to formally propose and help establish a New Mexico Higher Education Mutual Academic Defense Compact (MHEMADC) among public and private colleges and universities across New Mexico that would like to participate;

Be it further resolved that, under these compacts, participating institutions shall commit meaningful support—financial, legal, organizational, and/or strategic—to a shared or distributed defense infrastructure designed to respond immediately and collectively to attacks by the governmental actors on any member institution;

Be it further resolved that, these compacts shall facilitate the mobilization of institutional resources—including legal counsel, governance experts, public affairs professionals, faculty governance leaders, research capacity, and media relations—to coordinate a unified and robust response, including but not limited to:

Legal representation and, where appropriate, countersuit actions;

Public communication strategies to counter misinformation and defend academic principles;

Filing of amicus briefs, publication of expert testimony, and other legal interventions;

Legislative advocacy and coordinated policy engagement at the state and federal levels;

The development of collaborative strategies and frameworks to diversify funding streams beyond the federal government; and

Rapid-response research and public-education initiatives;

Be it further resolved that, this resolution be transmitted to the leadership of all Public and Land- Grant Universities across the nation and all institutions of higher education in New Mexico as well as their shared governance bodies;

Be it finally resolved that, the President of the University of New Mexico take a leading role in convening summits of faculty and administration leaders to initiate the implementation of these Compacts and affirm the collective commitment to defend academic freedom, free expression, institutional autonomy, and the public mission of higher education in New Mexico.

MOTION: That the Faculty Senate adopt the Resolution to Establish Mutual Academic Defense Compacts in Defense of Academic Freedom, Free Expression, Institutional Integrity, and the Research Enterprise

Passed at

April 29, 2025 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Zoom

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Passed at

March 28, 2023 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Zoom Only

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WHEREAS multiple states have already passed, are in the process of debating, and have proposed legislation to curb and limit academic freedom by targeting, undermining, and/or prohibiting academic discussions of racism, gender, sexuality, and related issues deemed “divisive” in American history in primary, secondary, and/or higher education schools, colleges, and universities; and

WHEREAS multiple school districts are also attempting and passing book bans and otherwise restricting access to books in schools, particularly books on racial history and LGBTQ+ relationships and expression; and

WHEREAS multiple organizations in the United States are soliciting, circulating, and publishing misleading information about curriculum in order to encourage the rejection of race and social justice education; and

WHEREAS the Ratified and Signed Collective Bargaining Agreement Between UA-UNM and the Administration, Article 6 (6-23-21) affirms the importance of academic freedom “to the conception of the University as a community of scholars engaged in the pursuit of truth and communication of knowledge in an atmosphere of tolerance and freedom;” and

WHEREAS the University Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual - Policy 2220(1): Freedom of Expression and Dissent (1-14-2002) states: “As an institution that exists for the express purposes of education, research, and public service, the University is dependent upon the unfettered flow of ideas, not only in the classroom and the laboratory, but also in all University activities. As such, protecting freedom of expression is of central importance to the University. The exchange of diverse viewpoints may expose people to ideas some find offensive, even abhorrent. The way that ideas are expressed may cause discomfort to those who disagree with them. The appropriate response to such speech is speech expressing opposing ideas and continued dialogue, not curtailment of speech;” and

WHEREAS the Faculty Handbook Section B, Appendix I (as revised 1990) incorporates the American Association of University Professors’ (AAUP) 1940 statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure and 1970 Interpretive Comments, noting: “As citizens engaged in a profession that depends upon freedom for its health and integrity, professors have a particular obligation to promote conditions of free inquiry and to further public understanding of academic freedom;” and

WHEREAS the AAUP’s statement On the Relationship of Faculty Governance to Academic Freedom (06-1994) noted that academic freedom of faculty members includes the freedom to express their views on academic matters in the classroom and in the conduct of research, having to with their institution and its policies, and in the interest of the general public even if their views are in conflict with others;” and

WHEREAS the Faculty Handbook Section B, Appendix I (as revised 1990) recognizes U.S. Supreme Court jurisprudence stating: “As the Supreme Court said in Keyishian v. Board of Regents, 385 U.S. 589 (1967): ‘Our Nation is deeply committed to safeguarding academic freedom, which is of transcendent value to all of us and not merely to the teachers concerned. That freedom is therefore a special concern of the First Amendment, which does not tolerate laws that cast a pall of orthodoxy over the classroom;’ " and

WHEREAS the Faculty Handbook at B.6.2.1(b) (12-07-98) provides: “Academic freedom is defined in the 1940 Statement of Principles adopted by the American Association of University Professors and is the right of all members of the faculty and graduate students employed in teaching and research positions;” and

WHEREAS the faculty senate statement on Right to Free Speech & Assembly (12-20- 11) affirms that universities have historically been vibrant public spaces for political debate, civil protest, and intellectual discourse; and

WHEREAS the faculty senate statement on Right to Free Speech & Assembly (12-20- 11) affirms that for democratic life to thrive and for society to flourish, political and intellectual dialogue must be forever protected and cultivated (Right to Free Speech & Assembly); and

WHEREAS faculty have responsibility for the curriculum at their universities, as stated in AAUP’s statement on Freedom in the Classrom at II.B. (06-2007); the Faculty Handbook A50: The Faculty’s Role in the University’s Academic Mission, A51: Faculty Constitution at Sections 2, 6, 7 (12-18-14) and A61.2 Faculty Senate Curricula Committee (8-03-21); and

WHEREAS the term “divisive” is indeterminate, subjective, and chills the capacity of educators to explore a wide variety of topics based on subjective criteria that are inapposite from the goals of education and the development of essential critical thinking skills; and

WHEREAS educating about systemic racism, sexism, and gender discrimination - subjects considered divisive, difficult, controversial, or challenging in proposed or enacted state legislative bills - is critical to the active and engaged pursuit of knowledge necessary to produce engaged and informed citizens and residents in a multiracial democracy; and

WHEREAS legislation preventing these subjects and topics from inclusion in university instructional curricula poses a threat to continued institutional and program accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission and/or other accrediting bodies; and

WHEREAS over 70 organizations, including the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), issued the Joint Statement on Legislative Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism and American History (6-16-21) stating their “firm opposition to a spate of legislative proposals being introduced across the country that target academic lessons, presentations, and discussions of racism and related issues in American history in schools, colleges and universities . . . In higher education, under principles of academic freedom that have been widely endorsed, professors are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject. Educators, not politicians, should make decisions about teaching and learning;” and

WHEREAS the University’s Mission Statement is to (1) “Educate and encourage students to develop the values, habits of mind, knowledge and skills that they need to be enlightened citizens,” (2) “Discover and disseminate new knowledge and creative endeavors that will enhance the overall well-being of society”, and (3) “Actively support social, cultural and economic development in our communities to enhance the quality of life for all New Mexicans;” and

WHEREAS several departments, committees, and groups at the University– including, for example the UNM Honors College (03-21), College of the University Libraries and Learning Sciences (7-07-20), History, School of Architecture and Planning (2-19-19), Diversity Committee of the College of Education and Human Sciences (6-10-20), Institute for the Study of Race and & Social Justice (2-1-22, Committee for Anti-Racist Education for the Center for Teaching and Learning, Art Museum (06-09-20), Chicana/o Studies and research faculty associated with the Southwest Hispanic Research Institute, Division of Equity and Inclusion (2021), Student Health and Counseling (6-05-20), Black Faculty Alliance (05-20) and School of Law (06-20)– have issued statements affirming the importance of racial, gender, criminal, tribal, and social justice, diversity and inclusion, gender studies, Black studies, and Chicanx studies; and

WHEREAS the Division for Equity and Inclusion’s Diversity Statement affirms a commitment to “deploy[s] justice, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion (JEADI) resources to expand opportunity and cultivate potential of students, faculty, and staff at UNM by centering the community wealth of the peoples of New Mexico and beyond;” and

WHEREAS the University’s Strategic Planning Framework UNM 2040: Opportunity Defined stated objectives include being a force for social justice, addressing historical and current injustices and inequities, and actively working to evolve cultural humility and literacy within our communities;

WHEREAS the University’s Strategic Planning Framework UNM 2040: Opportunity Defined stated Vision is to: “Be a global leader in realizing human potential, addressing critical community challenges, and demonstrating the power of inclusive diversity;” and

WHEREAS in a nation that has for centuries struggled with issues of racial inequity and injustice, many students do not have adequate knowledge of BIPOC and LGBTQI+ history, New Mexico history, and the policies that contributed to inequities and injustices, UNM has a responsibility and opportunity to help work toward equity and foster racial and social justice.

Now therefore be it RESOLVED that the faculty senate resolutely rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice, and will stand firm against encroachment on faculty authority by the state or federal legislature, or the Boards of Trustees or Board of Regents; and let it be further

RESOLVED that faculty senate support the Joint Statement on Efforts to Restrict Education about Racism (6-16-21), authored by the AAUP, PEN America, the American Historical Association, and the Association of American Colleges & Universities, endorsed by over 70 organizations; and let it be further

RESOLVED that the UNM faculty senate supports the right of academics, regardless of contingent or permanent status, to have autonomy over the inclusion of racial and gender justice, and critical studies in curriculum and pedagogy; and let it be further

RESOLVED that the faculty senate stands with our K-12 colleagues throughout the country and in New Mexico who are affected by similarly harmful legislation when they seek to teach the truth in U.S. history and civics education, and seek to be culturally and linguistically-responsive in their instruction and pedagogy; and let it be further

RESOLVED that faculty senate calls upon the University President, the Provost, the Executive Vice President for UNM Health Sciences and Chief Executive Officer of the UNM Health System, and the UNM Board of Regents to reject any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to gender, racial, and social justice, and critical studies; and let it be further

RESOLVED that faculty senate calls upon University President, the Provost, the Executive Vice President for UNM Health Sciences and Chief Executive Officer of the UNM Health System, and the UNM Board of Regents to stand firm against encroachment on faculty authority by the state or federal legislature or the Boards of Trustees or the Board of Regents; and let it be further

RESOLVED that faculty senate calls upon University President, the Provost, the Executive Vice President for UNM Health Sciences and Chief Executive Officer of the UNM Health System, and the UNM Board of Regents and the UNM Board of Regents to assure that the University permanently retains a campus climate conducive to intellectual dialogue on race, gender, justice, and critical studies; and let it be further

RESOLVED that the faculty senate calls upon other representative bodies at the university, such as the Faculty Union UA-UNM, the Graduate and Professional Student Body Government, Associated Students at UNM, Latinx Faculty Alliance, Black Faculty Alliance, Native American Faculty Council, and Staff Council, to support this resolution.

Passed at

November 29, 2022 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Zoom ONLY

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University of New Mexico
Faculty Senate
November 29, 2022
Faculty Senate Endorsement

As a body wholly committed to the principles of Academic Freedom and an unflagging champion of Human and Civil Rights, the University of New Mexico’s Faculty Senate Hereby Officially Endorses the following statement of support for Academic Communities in Iran and Iranian Students at UNM:

“Woman, Life, Freedom”
Statement of the UNM Faculty in support of the Iranian university community

As faculty members of the University of New Mexico, we hereby express our support for the university community in Iran and for Iranian students at UNM as they defend human rights and educational integrity under the slogan “Women, Life, Freedom.”

Background:
Since September 16, 2022 following the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish girl, at the hands of the “morality police,” Iranians have risen up in an inclusive social movement against the harsh religious government's four decades of entrenched social, cultural, political, and economic tyranny. As a result, security forces have imprisoned thousands of Iranians and killed hundreds of them.

In keeping with the contemporary history of resistance in Iran, Iranian university students are at the vanguard of this uprising. Their peaceful demonstrations are becoming the subject of the religious state’s merciless retribution. Consequently, scores of students and teachers have been killed and imprisoned. The academic traditions of intellectualism, freedom of speech, and freedom of inquiry are being obliterated and higher education thus systematically undermined.

In support of their peers back home, UNM’s undergraduate and graduate students from Iran have staged multiple public demonstrations. Along with the Iranian professors at UNM, they daily await—amid worry and dread—word of the fate of their loved ones, friends, and colleagues.

As faculty members of the University of New Mexico, we stand publicly in solidarity with students, teachers, and faculty members in Iran in their remarkable struggle for freedom, justice, women’s and human rights, and the future of higher education. We also hereby express our support for the students, staff, and faculty at UNM working in solidarity with the struggle in Iran, and for the Iranian community here in Albuquerque concerned for loved ones in Iran.

Passed at

November 29, 2022 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Zoom ONLY

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February 10, 2021

WHEREAS the 4th National Climate Assessment Volume II (NCA4), mandated by the US Congress and completed in November 2018, a comprehensive and authoritative report on climate change and its impacts in the United States https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/, finds that "climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in communities across the United States, presenting growing challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth"; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that "Without substantial and sustained global mitigation and regional adaptation efforts, climate change is expected to cause growing losses to American infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic growth over this century"; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that "Climate change affects the natural, built, and social systems we rely on individually and through their connections to one another. These interconnected systems are increasingly vulnerable to cascading impacts that are often difficult to predict, threatening essential services within and beyond the Nation's borders"; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that "The quality and quantity of water available for use by people and ecosystems across the country are being affected by climate change, increasing risks and costs to agriculture, energy production, industry, recreation, and the environment"; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that "Climate change increasingly threatens Indigenous communities' livelihoods, economies, health, and cultural identities by disrupting interconnected social, physical, and ecological systems"; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that "Ecosystems and the benefits they provide to society are being altered by climate change, and these impacts are projected to continue. Without substantial and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, transformative impacts on some ecosystems will occur; some coral reef and sea ice ecosystems are already experiencing such transformational changes"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests that the University of New Mexico President and Board of Regents request that the University of New Mexico Foundation divest as early as possible from companies that invest in or are involved in fossil fuel extraction and production; and further that the University of New Mexico Foundation release a date by which divestment will occur and give annual updates to the Board of Regents detailing progress made toward full divestment from investments in fossil fuels; and further be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests that the University of New Mexico President and Board of Regents request that the University of New Mexico Foundation make no new investments in companies that invest in fossil fuel extraction and companies that facilitate fossil fuel production and use; and further be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests that the President and the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico partner with other institutions of higher education across the state to request that the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board divest from companies that invest in or are involved in fossil fuel extraction and production; and further that the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board releases annual updates to the Board of Regents detailing progress made toward full divestment from investments in fossil fuels; and further be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests the President and the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico partner with other institutions of higher education across the state to request that the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board make no new investments in companies that invest in fossil fuel extraction and companies that facilitate fossil fuel production and use; and further be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests that the President and the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico partner with other institutions of higher education across the state to directly support companies involved in fossil fuel extraction and production that seek to transition to alternate business models; and further be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests the President and the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico support New Mexico communities economically disadvantaged by divestment through a suitable funding mechanism that supports innovation (e.g., UNM's Grand Challenges) that includes community-based participatory research to develop innovative and sustainable community economic development, entrepreneurship, and improvement in quality of life, among other social and technological initiatives and innovations related to climate change

Passed at

February 23, 2021 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Zoom

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February 10, 2021

WHEREAS the 4th National Climate Assessment Volume II (NCA4), mandated by the US Congress and completed in November 2018, a comprehensive and authoritative report on climate change and its impacts in the United States https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/, finds that “climate change creates new risks and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities in communities across the United States, presenting growing challenges to human health and safety, quality of life, and the rate of economic growth”; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that “Without substantial and sustained global mitigation and regional adaptation efforts, climate change is expected to cause growing losses to American infrastructure and property and impede the rate of economic growth over this century”; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that “Climate change affects the natural, built, and social systems we rely on individually and through their connections to one another. These interconnected systems are increasingly vulnerable to cascading impacts that are often difficult to predict, threatening essential services within and beyond the Nation’s borders”; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that “The quality and quantity of water available for use by people and ecosystems across the country are being affected by climate change, increasing risks and costs to agriculture, energy production, industry, recreation, and the environment”; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that “Climate change increasingly threatens Indigenous communities’ livelihoods, economies, health, and cultural identities by disrupting interconnected social, physical, and ecological systems”; and

WHEREAS the NCA4 finds that “Ecosystems and the benefits they provide to society are being altered by climate change, and these impacts are projected to continue. Without substantial and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, transformative impacts on some ecosystems will occur; some coral reef and sea ice ecosystems are already experiencing such transformational changes”; therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests that the President and the Board of Regents at the University of New Mexico partner with other institutions of higher education across the state to directly support companies involved in fossil fuel extraction and production that seek to transition to alternate business models; and further be it2

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests that the VP for Finance and Administration head a taskforce to develop a comprehensive clean energy plan for the University of New Mexico. The taskforce will develop a plan as soon as possible but complete it no later than the end of 2022 to reduce the university’s carbon footprint1; and further be it

RESOLVED that the University of New Mexico discontinue burning fossil fuel, by 2035, for the purpose of the production of utility electrical power, district heating, and district cooling; and further be it

RESOLVED that the University of New Mexico establish a plan for all campuses to reach carbon neutrality2 by 2030 and zero carbon3 by 2040; and further be it

RESOLVED that the University of New Mexico commit immediately to discontinue the purchase of vehicles (including buses and shuttles) that emit greenhouse gases; and further be it

RESOLVED that the University of New Mexico commit to invest in additional charging stations for electric vehicles in public parking lots by end of 2022; and further be it

RESOLVED that the faculty senate requests that the VP for Finance and Administration head a taskforce (including faculty members and at least one staff member and one student) to develop a comprehensive campus sustainability plan for the University of New Mexico. The taskforce will begin to develop a plan as soon as possible but no later than 2022 to reduce the university’s environmental impact; and further be it

RESOLVED that the University of New Mexico request that UNM vendors and catering commit to zero waste4 operations by 2025. 1 In this context the carbon footprint is defined as the total amount of carbon dioxide and methane emitted by the University, considering all relevant sources, sinks and storage on its landed property, calculated as carbon dioxide equivalent using the relevant 100-year global warming potential (GWP100). 2 Zero-net carbon emissions; carbon offset mechanisms can be used to achieve neutrality. 3 Zero carbon in this context is referring to an elimination of carbon released from fossil fuels from power, heating, and cooling. 4 Zero waste is defined by the Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) as “efforts to reduce Solid Waste generation waste to nothing, or as close to nothing as possible, by minimizing excess consumption and maximizing the recovery of Solid Wastes through Recycling and Composting”

Passed at

February 23, 2021 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Zoom

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The UNM Faculty recognizes that supporting instructional continuity during the COVID-19 pandemic will require unprecedented collaboration between UNM faculty, students, and staff and seconds the administration's efforts to ensure that students can continue their course work remotely in Spring 2020 and make progress to degree completion. We also understand that because of COVID-19, students may be experiencing unforeseeable challenges in accessing food, housing, health, family care, employment, and computers and the internet throughout the remainder of the semester. We implore the University to work diligently to meet these needs. Student financial aid is also at risk, and while we have supportive guidance from both the state and federal levels, there are still concerns in this area. For discretionary academic scholarships managed by UNM, we encourage the University to use GPAs from either Fall 2019 or Spring 2020 whichever is greater, to determine scholarship eligibility for Fall 2020. We are especially concerned about students who are approaching graduation. We feel that the University has an obligation to support our students through this crisis which includes eliminating administrative obstacles that may prevent them from graduating on time. For example, any incomplete that requires a student to enroll for a credit in the next semester, we strongly recommend that the University waive tuition and fees for said course. As a faculty, we encourage the administration to use wisdom and humanity in its decisionmaking and to trust in the UNM Faculty’s judgment in academic matters. We anticipate that the University’s administration will fully support the UNM Faculty as we work to keep our students engaged and focused on degree completion during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whereas the University of New Mexico is taking extraordinary measures to address the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on our academic community

Whereas the UNM Faculty feels strongly that UNM students should not suffer from or be held accountable for circumstances produced by the COVID-19 pandemic

Whereas the UNM Faculty is unequivocally committed to student success; now, therefore, by unanimous vote, be it

Resolved that the UNM Faculty is:

1. committed to exercising flexibility with respect to deadlines and attendance. In order to facilitate communications during this time of crisis, Faculty commit to communicating due dates for graded assignments with a minimum of one week of advance notice. Agree to suspend graded assignments during the soft roll out period March 23 – April 5. This would apply to all courses regardless of their format or period of time offered during the semester.

2. committed to providing alternative and make-up assignments for students who have been sick or have cared for someone diagnosed with COVID-19 and will not require medical notes.

3. committed to providing students with information about electing the CR/NC grading option and will support a student's decision to choose that option throughout the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester.

4. committed to using incompletes as a last resort and only under extreme circumstances, given the undue burden that incompletes will place on both faculty and students in these uncertain times.

5. committed to working with colleagues in their degree programs to ensure that vital content is reviewed in the Fall 2020 semester to prevent penalty to students for partial gaps in prerequisite knowledge due to Spring 2020 instructional continuity challenges.

Further, be it Resolved that the UNM Faculty Senate:

6. authorizes faculty to record a grade of CR for a student who has elected a CR/NC grading option if the student has demonstrated a good faith commitment to learning and meeting the Student Learning Outcomes for the course.

7. authorizes a waiver of CR/NC requirements for Spring 2020 for undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. CR/NC courses taken in Spring 2020 will not count against the standard maximum of 24 credit hours for undergraduates and 6 credit hours for graduate and professional students.

8. authorizes that a grade of CR in a course completed in Spring 2020 may count for all degree requirements, including prerequisites within a degree program sequence, even if the degree program does not allow CR grades.

9. authorizes that if an instructor of record is impacted by COVID-19 and cannot deliver coursework in a remote instructional form, they will be allowed to grade the entire roster of students as CR/NC based upon work performed prior to March 30, 2020 unless the instructor’s department decides to assume responsibilities for completing grading on behalf of the instructor of record.

10. authorizes that any existing incomplete that is scheduled to lapse automatically to an F grade in Spring 2020 shall be extended through the Fall 2020 semester.

Passed at

March 24, 2020 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Online

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WHEREAS, the University of New Mexico (UNM) is committed, like all institutions of higher education, to fostering a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment for our whole community; and

WHEREAS, UNM is committed to its policies of non-discrimination and equal opportunity; and

WHEREAS, the UNM academic community, and post-secondary institutions across the country are concerned about the increase in hate crimes and inflammatory language around the United States, including New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, the proposed statements of the current presidential administration could undermine the safety and security of members of the UNM community and their families, particularly those students and staff who are not United States citizens; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of UNM and the State of New Mexico to not deny admission to public post-secondary institutions because of a student’s immigration status, NMSA 1978, § 21-1-4.6(A); and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of UNM and the State of New Mexico to extend certain tuition rates or state-funded financial aid regardless of immigration status, NMSA 1978, § 21-1-4.6(B); and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of UNM and the State of New Mexico to not discriminate on the basis of race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, physical or mental disability, serious medical condition, spousal affiliation, sexual orientation, and gender identity (NMSA 1978, § 28-1-7); and

WHEREAS, two internal 2011 memos issued by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) indicate that United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are subject to certain restrictions upon entering college campuses, and should exercise discretion in the prosecution of high school and college students (Memorandum Regarding Enforcement Actions at or Focused on Sensitive Locations, issued October 24, 2011, and Memorandum Regarding Exercising Prosecutorial Discretion Consistent with the Civil Immigration Enforcement Priorities of the Agency for the Apprehension, Detention and Removal of Aliens, issued June 17, 2011); and

WHEREAS, a large number of universities and colleges throughout the country are in the process of declaring themselves to be a “Sanctuary Campus” to signal their continued commitment to protect all members of their campus communities regardless of their immigration status.

Now therefore, be it resolved that the faculty senate recommend to the UNM administration that we join the ranks of other universities and colleges by adopting the spirit, values, and principles of a sanctuary campus.

Furthermore, consistent with the spirit, values, and principles of a sanctuary campus, be it resolved that the faculty senate recommend to the UNM administration that it take the following actions, to protect the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and the broader community to the extent legally possible:

Section 1. Make a clear, unconditional statement highlighting the enormously enriching value that foreign-born and undocumented people bring to our campuses and communities.

Section 2. Protect student privacy and insure confidentiality by prohibiting the release of information about students’ immigration status to law enforcement agencies and federal agencies, except upon issuance and receipt of a warrant.

Section 3. Instruct UNM Police and UNM Staff to refrain from collaborating with or volunteering information to ICE for the purposes of immigration enforcement or employment verification.

Section 4. Refuse access to campus and other UNM-controlled property to federal immigration officials for the purposes of immigration enforcement, except in exigent circumstances or upon issuance and receipt of a warrant.

Section 5. Assign specific administrative staff to assist, on a strictly confidential basis, UNM’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (“DACA”) students and other students who lack the protections of citizenship.

Section 6. Implement campus-wide training and programs in de escalation intervention techniques, upstander intervention, and antibullying.

Section 7. Commit to providing adequate counseling services for UNM students, including mental health professionals who have competency in working with politically marginalized communities.

Section 8. Commit to maintaining and raising new scholarships for students who are ineligible for federal aid, as well as pursuing additional fundraising efforts to assist students, including fellowships, paid internships, and other sources of support.

Section 9. Implement a forum for ongoing feedback from students, faculty, and staff about campus climate and additional future actions to protect the safety and dignity of the UNM community.

Section 10. Offer workshops on knowing your rights and availability of legal services for students, faculty, staff and community members.

Passed at

February 28, 2017 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Scholes Hall Roberts Room (204)

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Whereas the University of New Mexico upholds integrity by building “trust through transparency, truthfulness, and responsibility” (Regents Policy Manual 2.18 Guiding Principles); and

Whereas the Faculty must “respect the confidential nature of the relationship between professor and student” and “avoid any exploitation, harassment, or discriminatory treatment of students,” (1987 AAUP Statement of Professional Ethics, Faculty Handbook Section B, Appendix V); and

Whereas the Faculty are also committed to upholding respectful campus by “developing and maintaining confidentiality and trust” via (FHB C09: Respectful Campus); and

Whereas the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) recommends faculty participation in shared governance to “to develop institutional policies and practices that address problems of sex discrimination while also protecting academic freedom, free speech, and due process” and objects to administrative policies that obligate faculty to report violations of Title IX (AAUP, “The History, Uses, and Abuses of Title IX,” 2016); and

Whereas federal Title IX regulations require all educational institutions to specify and train appropriately the “responsible employees” who are required to report gender discrimination and violence to the institution’s Title IX coordinator, but does not dictate which employees may be so designated; and

Whereas scholarly research on the legal and psychological implications of Title IX compliance has demonstrated the negative impact of universal mandatory reporting obligations on victims of sexual assault, reporting, and risk of litigation; and

Whereas student surveys and victims’ rights groups oppose mandatory reporting by faculty; and Therefore, be it resolved: That the Faculty Senate of the University of New Mexico recognize that the faculty have a crucial role in fostering awareness of sexual violence and supporting students and other members of the campus community impacted by sexual violence; and be it further

Resolved: That UNM employ shared governance to involve faculty in the university’s response to sexual violence and sexual misconduct; and be it further

Resolved: That all committees assigned to review, develop, implement and/or oversee policies, research, and trainings include faculty, as well as staff and students; and be it further

Resolved: That UNM administrators revise University Administrative Policy 2740: Sexual Violence and Sexual Misconduct to exclude faculty and staff from the obligation to report (i.e. “responsible employees”) except for those faculty and staff who hold decision-making and supervisory authority over the welfare of students or employees. The term administrative specifically excludes persons whose only role is as the student’s teacher.

Passed at

November 22, 2016 Senate meeting at 3:00pm, Scholes Hall Roberts Room (204)

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