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News

Candidate says diversity is key

UNM dean helped improve finances, minority hires, faculty retention

By Sam Khan Jr.
The Daily Cougar

Provost candidate Reed Way Dasenbrock stressed the importance of balancing UH's diversity with rising tuition before a group of faculty and staff Wednesday at the University Hilton.

Dasenbrock, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of New Mexico, said the University shouldn't sacrifice its diversity to revenue.

"You don't want to lose that distinction at the University of Houston," Dasenbrock told about 45 people gathered for an open forum. "We could raise tuition by three times, but then you're losing that distinction of being such a diverse institution."

Dasenbrock is responsible for an increase in diversity among faculty at UNM, having increased minority faculty in his college by 40 percent. He also was essential in diversification in his previous post as an associate dean at New Mexico State University, a school that became "majority-minority" in its undergraduate program.

He also played a vital role in improving UNM's financial situation, securing the first substantial increase to UNM's College of Arts and Sciences budget in some time despite inheriting a large budget deficit upon his arrival.

"We spent a lot of time in my first and second years there turning off a lot of leaky faucets," Dasenbrock said. "We've been able to accomplish much in terms of turning around our program financially."

The college has also increased student success and brought UNM's retention figures to all-time highs, Dasenbrock said.

He answered questions about helping UH reach "Tier I" research status as well as questions regarding faculty retention, something he was vital in improving at UNM as he implemented flexible leave plans, maternity leave plans, spousal hiring and a preemptive counteroffer program in order to retain faculty.

Dasenbrock said that given his experience at New Mexico, the move to provost, while challenging, is a natural step for him.

"The jump from a dean to provost, to me, is a logical jump," he said. "There are times where I work with (our) provost every day and there are days when I step back and say ‘maybe it would be easier to just be the provost.'"
 

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