Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 51.71
Liaison Anne Jakle
Submission Date Oct. 18, 2024

STARS v3.0

The University of New Mexico
PA-6: Institutional Climate

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.00 / 3.00 Anne Jakle
Director of Sustainability
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

6.1 Support for students from underrepresented groups

Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of students with disabilities?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for students with disabilities:
The UNM Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) recognizes individuals with disabilities as an integral part of a diverse community and is committed to the provision of comprehensive resources to the University community (faculty, staff, and student) in order to create equitable, inclusive, and practical learning environments. ARC ensures that qualified students are supported by trained staff advisors and receive appropriate accommodations, for example sign interpretation, closed captioning, course materials in accessible formats, use of smart pens, and additional time on assignments. See: https://arc.unm.edu/. The ARC administers the Anne B. Thomas No Bounds Scholarship to provide support for UNM undergraduate students with permanent disabilities: https://arc.unm.edu/Resources/no-bounds.html.

Career Services works with the Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) that connects college students with disabilities to federal and select private sector employers for internships and permanent employment. Students work with Career Services staff to prepare their applications, resumes, cover letters and interviewing to obtain these positions. https://career.unm.edu/resources/individuals-with-specialized-abilities.html

 
At the UNM Health Sciences Center (HSC), the Vassar House provides services and programming associated with ARC to health sciences students and provide advocacy, counseling, deaf and hard of hearing services, and resource navigation. See: https://hsc.unm.edu/student-affairs/vassar-house.html

Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of students that identify as members of marginalized racial, ethnic, and/or Indigenous groups?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for students that identify as members of marginalized racial, ethnic, and/or Indigenous groups:
UNM and New Mexico more generally has a long history of diversity and inclusion, and the institution has many programs, initiatives, and networks designed to address the specific needs of students that identify as members of racial, ethnic, and Indigenous groups. Some of these include:
 
El Centro de la Raza: its core mission is to serve the Chicano/Nuevo Mexicano/Latina/o/x student population in reaching their goals in higher education and beyond. In additional to academic guidance and advocacy, the El Centro de la Raza provides mentoring, recruitment, cultural programming, civic engagement, advocacy, student internships, professional development, and emergency scholarships to Chicano/Latinx student populations. El Centro de la Raza also administers scholarships targeted toward Latinx/Chicanx/Nuevo Mexicano students, along with emergency funding assistance. See: https://elcentro.unm.edu/index.html
 
American Indian Student Services (AISS): AISS was founded to increase the recruitment and retention of Native students, and has evolved over the last 40+ years to provide a range of student support programming for American Indian Students attending UNM. AISS provides academic and financial aid advisement, a computer pod for students to access, and is a clearinghouse of scholarship opportunities for Native students. See: https://aiss.unm.edu/index.html
 
The Center for Native American Health (CNAH) at UNM's Health Sciences Center supports Native students currently enrolled in health-related degree programs at UNM HSC, including mentorship, books and supplies, and individual support, including scholarships. CNAH also hosts community and outreach events and assist with recruitment. See: https://hsc.unm.edu/cnah/for-students/
 
African American Student Services (AASS): The mission of African American Student Services is to recruit, retain, and uplift the Black student population at UNM by providing educational discourse, leadership development, holistic wellness, and community engagement. AASS provides cultural events, mentoring, academic tutoring, advising, and advocacy for Black students at UNM and administers a number of scholarships for black students. After a hiatus during the pandemic, AASS again in 2024 hosted the annual Black Cultural Conference, that gathers Black scholars and students in the Western U.S. See: https://afro.unm.edu/index.html
 
The Project for New Mexico Graduates of Color provides workshops for international, underrepresented, or first-generation undergraduate students to plan for and apply to graduate school. See: https://pnmgc.unm.edu/
 
Asian American Pacific Islander Resource Center (AAPIRC): AAPIRC's mission is to build a sense of belonging for AAPI students during their studies at UNM and provide culturally relevant programs that cultivate Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders within communities. They also provide advisement and resources and host programs and events. See: https://aapirc.unm.edu/index.html
 
Career Services offers specific educational/career workshops and 1:1 sessions to address cultural topics around career paths and career goals. Examples of programming include: Finding your Cultural Identity in the World of Work.

Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of LGBTQ+ students?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for LGBTQ+ students:

The UNM LGBTQ Resource Center provides education, advocacy, and support through events, trainings, and student groups for Trans and Queer Lobos, Allies, Advocates, and Accomplices. The Center provides many services to students, including educational programming, counseling, HIV Testing, and trainings, among others, administers a Pride Scholarship, and provides Safe Zone training for students, staff, and faculty. See: https://lgbtqrc.unm.edu/index.html

Career Services offers specific educational/career workshops and 1:1 sessions to address cultural topics around career paths and career goals. Examples of programming include: How do I come out at Work for LGBTQ Identities?

In addition, the Student Health & Counseling Center (SHAC) maintains a Gender Affirming Healthcare Team (GAHT) composed of licensed medical, nursing, and counseling providers who address students presenting with Gender Dysphoria and requesting treatment. SHAC also ensures that it maintains a culturally sensitive and experienced staff ready to address any clinical issues present for this often underserved group of students. Health Education programming and resources are created with UNM's LGBTQ student population in mind.


Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of low-income and/or first-generation students?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for low-income and/or first-generation students:
Nearly half of the student body at UNM is a first-generation student, so many academic and student support services are geared toward serving this community. The College Enrichment Program (CEP), which serves all students, has a particular focus on students who are first generation, low income, and/or from rural areas. CEP has a comprehensive suite of programs that include academic support, financial aid advisement, scholar cohort programs, scholarships, and coordinates New Student Orientation. CEP has three full-time advisors that assist with the transition and adjustment to college, financial issues and concerns, academics, finding a community on campus, and even issues that happen outside studies at UNM. See: https://cep.unm.edu/index.html
 
A specific program that serves first-generation and low-income students is the federally funded Student Support Services TRIO Program, which targets 160 undergraduate students who are first-generation to college, low-income, or have a documented disability and assists them with academic advising, tutoring, mentoring, career advisement, personal guidance, financial guidance, graduate school guidance, workshops, and social/cultural events to increase retention and graduation rates. See: https://ssstrio.unm.edu/index.html
 
The Student Health & Counseling Center (SHAC) restructured its fee model for students to include a designation for fiscal hardship using criteria already in use at the Bursars Office. Students who do not have health insurance and who are not eligible for other coverage through the Marketplace or Medicaid, may now apply for fiscal hardship where a sliding fee scale or waivers of cost will apply. This new designation was created to further reduce barriers to healthcare for low-income students.
 
UNM is designated as a "First-Gen Forward Institution" by the FirstGen Forward Network. 
 
 

Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced, and/or undocumented students?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced, and/or undocumented students:
UNM is committed to supporting undocumented students, and provides services through a number of resources, including the College Enrichment Program (CEP), El Centro de la Raza, the UndocuTask Force, and the Division of Equity and Inclusion, among others. See the "Undocumented UNM" website for a comprehensive listing of resources, academic support, legal support, grants and funding, and other information valuable to undocumented students: https://undocumented.unm.edu/resources/index.html
 
El Centro de la Raza provides assistance with applications to UNM for undocumented students, and, once enrolled, provide confidential, trained academic support for UNM’s undocumented community: https://undocumented.unm.edu/academic-support/index.html
 
The UNM Health Sciences Center (HSC) provides an overview of resources for DACA students interested in attending medical school: https://hsc.unm.edu/student-affairs/resources/daca.html
 
Career Services offers specific educational/career workshops and 1:1 sessions to address cultural topics around career paths and career goals. Examples of programming include: Finding jobs as undocumented and/or international student.
 
Beyond UNM programs, initiatives, and networks, it is noteworthy that the State of New Mexico has a law, commonly referred to as SB 582, that establishes: (1) Universities are prohibited from discriminating against students based on their immigration status; and; (2) Students receive in-state tuition and are eligible for state scholarship funds if they have attended a year of secondary education in New Mexico and graduated or obtained a GED in New Mexico.

Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of students from additional underrepresented groups?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for students from additional underrepresented groups:
The UNM Women's Resource Center offers educational, social, and cultural programming aimed at encouraging women’s self-determination and community engagement. The center plans special events that enhance, support, and empower women on campus and in the local community; educates, supports, and provides a safe space for women on campus through cultural and educational programming; provides peer education, mentoring, and scholarship opportunities; and enhances students persistence toward degree completion. See: https://women.unm.edu/index.html
 
UNM is among the top ten military- and veteran-serving Research I institutions, partially because of the comprehensive support and services offered by the Military and Veterans Resource Center, including facilitation of use of G.I. Bill and military educational benefits, its “Green Zone” training to faculty and staff about best practices in supporting military and veteran students, peer advising, and onboarding for students to campus life. UNM is a Gold-level Military Friendly school.  See: https://vrc.unm.edu/index.html
 
Career Services offers specific educational/career workshops and 1:1 sessions to address cultural topics around career paths and career goals. ExamWomen and Negotiating Salaries and How to translate your resume from Military to Civilian Life.
 
There is also an Office of Parents & Families and Parent & Families Association (https://parent.unm.edu/index.html) that advocates for student parents at UNM.

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator PA 6.1:
1.00

6.2 Support for employees from underrepresented groups

Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of employees with disabilities?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for employees with disabilities:

The Compliance, Ethics & Equal Opportunity (CEEO) office supports employees with disabilities and helps coordinate workplace accommodations and employs two ADA Coordinators. The Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) recognizes individuals with disabilities as an integral part of a diverse community and is committed to the provision of comprehensive resources to the University community and provides assistance and resources for faculty and staff, in addition to students (https://arc.unm.edu/). There is also a Staff with Dis/abilities Affinity Group run through Staff Council that helps build a social and professional network through voluntary membership.


Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of employees that identify as members of marginalized racial, ethnic, and/or Indigenous groups?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for employees that identify as members of marginalized racial, ethnic, and/or Indigenous groups:
The equity and inclusion infrastructure at UNM has been strengthened overall since 2019 through (a) utilizing the existing Diversity Council to communicate and build campus-wide diversity strategy, and (b) establishing the Liaisons for Equity, Advocacy, and Diversity (LEAD) Council which provides support to the college/school-level senior diversity officers and to college/school-level and unit-level diversity committees, with the goal of increasing and enhancing faculty diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion at UNM. Placing faculty diversity in regional and national context, a sampling of peer institutions from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2019 shows that UNM ranks first for the highest percentage of Native faculty and sixth for the percentage of Latinx faculty but lacks African American faculty diversity. The Division of Equity and Inclusion established a dashboard for tracking each college’s progress in increasing faculty diversity, relative to LEAD goals established in consultation with each college dean of a 4% baseline and 5% aspirational percentage of URM faculty by 2030. Successful diversity hiring and retention practices established through UNM’s institutionalized ADVANCE program, by DEI, and by the Office of the Vice President for Research, are yielding positive results and recognition. In addition, DEI has established several resources to address diverse hiring and retention.
 
The Staff Council Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee focuses on fostering an inclusive and equitable campus climate for the diverse staff at UNM and organizes Affinity Groups for Native American Staff, Latinx/Hispanic Staff, Black Staff, and Asian and Pacific Islander Staff.

Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of LGBTQ+ employees?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s support for LGBTQ+ employees:

The LGBTQ Resource Center on campus provides services not only to students, but also to UNM staff and faculty. These include counseling, testing, a library and lounge hangout area, safer sex resources, and Safe Zone Trainings (see: https://lgbtqrc.unm.edu/index.html).

The Staff Council Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee focuses on fostering an inclusive and equitable campus climate for the diverse staff at UNM and organizes an Affinity Group for LGBTQIA+ staff. 


Does the institution support one or more programs, initiatives, or networks designed to address the specific needs of employees from additional underrepresented groups?:
Yes

Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s programs, initiatives, and networks for employees from additional underrepresented groups:
The Women's Resource Center serves the broader UNM community and its services, resources, and programs include UNM staff and faculty. It provides a site for confidential reporting, helps facilitate access to UNM's system of lactation stations, offers mentorship, violence prevention services, counseling, scholarships, and parent support. See: https://women.unm.edu/index.html
 

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator PA 6.2:
1

6.3 Institutional climate assessment

Has the institution conducted an institutional climate assessment within the previous three years?:
Yes

Description of the methodology used to assess institutional climate:

UNM utilized the University of Michigan’s DEI climate surveys as a basis from which to create UNM’s survey for faculty, staff, and students (see: Sellers, Robert, University of Michigan Campus Climate Survey on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2016, Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research, 2019-06-13, https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR37096.v1). A Climate Survey Committee convened by the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion worked to customize the demographic and other relevant questions to be more context-specific to the UNM community. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the launch date for the survey was postponed to Fall 2022, which is when Institutional Review Board (IRB) clearance was received. Specifically, faculty surveys were completed between November 7th, 2022, and December 31st, 2022. Staff surveys were completed from January 4th, 2023, to February 28th, 2023, and student surveys were completed from March 1st, 2023, to April 23rd, 2023. The UNM Health Science Center (HSC) conducted its own climate assessment: https://hsc.unm.edu/climate-survey/.


Does the institution publish the results of its institutional climate assessments?:
Yes

Published results of the institution’s most recently finalized institutional climate assessment:
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Online resource where the results of the institution’s institutional climate assessments are publicly available:
https://diverse.unm.edu/dei-profile-and-surveys/dei-surveys/campus-climate-surveys.html

The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:

Points earned for indicator PA 6.3:
1

Optional documentation

Notes about the information provided for this credit:
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Additional documentation for this credit:
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