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CONNECT  |  Wednesday,  Feb. 18  |  Message from the VP

Message from the Vice President

Dear Student Affairs Colleagues,

It was an absolute pleasure to be with so many of you at our division all‑staff gathering this past Friday in the Student Union Building. Taking time to come together as a team each semester and recount the achievements we have made in our shared commitment to innovating the student experience is both gratifying and inspiring, as we endeavor to create a culture of excellence and shared prosperity for our students and for New Mexico.

While I am always grateful for the strong attendance we regularly see at these events, I recognize that not everyone has the opportunity to attend, and I appreciate those whose roles and responsibilities require them to stay in the office during this time.

This semester, we focused on a mid‑year update from year one of five for our new strategic plan, outlining meaningful progress on each of our 31 objectives. Our drivers have been hard at work, and significant achievements across the division are advancing our progress as a campus. Prime examples include the completion of our Lobo Well‑being Insight Report; an expanded partnership with Nusenda to support the Center for Financial Capability; new, expanded initiatives to consider servingness as an MSI and the rural student experience; the launch of a new parenting‑student space in the SUB aligned with our Family U efforts; professional development offerings including First Fridays and new employee orientation for the division; and significantly expanded and standardized assessment practices.

Across the division, each of our units is also working through continuous improvement through the framework of our annual planning and annual inquiry projects, while some units have taken a deep dive through CAS evaluations. Seeing the ways these collective actions elevate the individual talents and contributions of our dedicated staff shows that the UNM Division of Student Affairs remains positioned and committed to ensuring students have the opportunity to succeed, while being poised to lead the way in creating and sustaining an innovative, equitable, and culturally responsive student experience grounded in a sense of place and tradition.

With appreciation,

Eric