President David Schmidly discussed the future of UNM during a Web cast Tuesday.
Students, staff and faculty tuned in and watched the Web cast around campus.
About 15 people watched the Web cast in the SUB Theater.
Schmidly said UNM must become a role model for higher education.
"We must become the leaders in improving K through 16 education in New Mexico," he said. "We are the flagship University, and we must take ownership in finding a solution."
Schmidly said faculty pay was one of the most important concerns for the University.
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"The best thing in your education is to be taught by the best professors," he said. "What you want is your faculty to be well-paid, not over-paid, but paid as well as their peers are. Because if they are, then we're more likely to keep them, and they're more likely to work harder than ever for the University."
Schmidly said student success is another concern.
"I think we need to look carefully of what we expect students to have done in high school, and if they haven't done those things, we may ask them to start taking their classes at CNM before they come to UNM," he said. "I want students in the classes at UNM from Day One to have the greatest chance at succeeding."
Schmidly said students must be passionate about UNM if they want it to be more successful.
"Attitude is everything, in my opinion," he said "There's no substitute for a positive outlook and to thinking about how to make things work, as oppose to focusing on why they might fail."
Cate Wisdom, executive director of ASUNM Lobo Spirit, said Schmidly has done an excellent job communicating with students.
"Whenever he sent out an e-mail letting us know he was going to be addressing the University, I thought it was important that I go hear what he has to say and what his plans are because, as a student here, it affects me," she said. "I want to continue to see our University grow and prosper, and I think the best way to do that is to get engaged."
Schmidly said he might have more Web casts in the future.
"We are talking about doing two or three a year," he said. "At least one in the fall when school starts, one after the first of the year and one at the end of the year."
Schmidly's Web cast topics are available on his site, unm.edu/president. He said he wants students to send him feedback.
"Hopefully, there was a lot people listening who will become engaged and take this seriously," he said. "We'll see how it goes. I'm optimistic."
