Faculty Senate Resolution — Compensation Adjustment to Address Rising Living Costs and Basic Needs Insecurity
Presented to the UNM Faculty Senate, Oct. 27, 2026
In its representative and advisory role, the Faculty Senate communicates the concerns and priorities of the University of New Mexico (UNM) faculty and works with University leadership to advance policies that support the University's academic mission. Faculty compensation and benefits directly affect UNM's ability to recruit and retain excellent faculty, sustain high-quality teaching and research, and serve students and communities throughout New Mexico. Rising living costs and healthcare expenses can disproportionately affect lower-paid faculty, including lecturers and other faculty whose salaries may provide limited capacity to absorb substantial increases in insurance premiums. Whereas, on September 3, 2026, the University of New Mexico Staff Council adopted the Resolution on Compensation Adjustment to Address Rising Living Costs and Basic Needs Insecurity, which affirmed the critical need for the University to alleviate the burden of rising living costs, increasing health insurance premiums, and ongoing inflation on UNM’s employees; and
Whereas, on September 29, 2026, the Faculty Senate voted to endorse this Staff Council Resolution; and
Whereas, the University of New Mexico Faculty Senate recognizes that rising living costs, increasing health insurance premiums, and rapidly increasing rates of inflation have placed significant financial pressure on faculty across the University; and
Whereas, competitive compensation and affordable health benefits are essential not only to the well-being of current faculty but also to UNM's ability to recruit and retain highly qualified educators, researchers, and academic professionals; and Whereas, UNM employee salary data show that half of all employees (one out of six faculty and three out of five staff) make less than $80,000, less than the amount required for a family of four to survive in the State of New Mexico. Further, two thirds of all employees (two out of five faculty and almost four out of five staff) make less than $111,571, which is half the minimum required for a family of four to live comfortably. Be It Therefore Resolved that the University of New Mexico and the New Mexico Legislature support a health insurance premium cost-sharing model that minimizes the financial burden on employees and promotes affordable healthcare benefits for faculty and staff; and Resolved, that the University of New Mexico continue to advocate for recurring faculty compensation increases sufficient to keep pace with the rising cost of living, inflation, and increases in employee health insurance premiums; and
Resolved, that the University of New Mexico continue to prioritize faculty compensation as a critical strategy for recruiting and retaining highly qualified faculty, maintaining academic excellence, and addressing the documented basic-needs insecurity experienced by members of the UNM community; and
Resolved, that if the New Mexico Legislature approves a health insurance premium cost-sharing model under which employees contribute 20% of premium costs and the State of New Mexico and the University of New Mexico collectively contribute the remaining 80%, the University advocate for a minimum 4% recurring compensation increase for faculty and staff, recognizing that employees earning $54,999 or less already contribute approximately 20% of their health insurance premiums and therefore may receive little or no financial benefit from the proposed cost-sharing model; and
Resolved, that no health insurance cost-sharing model compromise the quality of medical care or coverage for faculty and staff; and
Be it finally resolved, that if the proposed 20% employee / 80% State–University health insurance premium cost-sharing model is not approved, the University advocate for a minimum 6–7% recurring compensation increase for faculty and staff to help offset increases in employee health insurance premiums and support employees' purchasing power.
Faculty Senate Rationale
The next step is for the Faculty Senate to work collaboratively with university administration and staff to develop priorities for the New Mexico Legislature that support meaningful recurring compensation, affordable health benefits, and the economic well-being of both faculty and staff at the University of New Mexico.
Passed at
October 27, 2026 Senate meeting at , IN PERSON! SUB Ballroom A