UNM has invited former Mexican President Vicente Fox to deliver the 2009 commencement address.
Some campus groups are taking issue with the choice, citing allegations of human-rights abuses during Fox's tenure as president.
The selection of Fox as commencement speaker coincides with an agreement signed between UNM and Centro Fox, the former president's public policy and educational institute. The agreement will allow UNM faculty and staff to collaborate on educational and research projects with colleagues throughout Latin America.
Schmidly said the partnership with Fox represents an opportunity to strengthen ties with Mexico.
"By his new close association with UNM, President Fox is carrying on his bold and historic vision of bilateral friendship, understanding and trade," Schmidly said.
But Clayton Beverly, a graduate student and elementary school teacher, is outraged at UNM's link with Fox.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"It's shameful. It's appalling," he said. "He is not qualified to talk about democracy."
Beverly is concerned with Fox's handling of the 2006 teachers' strike in Oaxaca and protests by flower vendors in Texcoco, a suburb of Mexico City. Amnesty International alleged the Mexican police were involved in torture and sexual assault during those incidents.
"Federal police were directly under the control of Vicente Fox," Beverly said. "He needs to be held to account for his human rights record."
Vice President of Student Affairs Eliseo Torres said he would be open to listening to students' concerns about Fox but that the former president's accomplishments are largely positive.
"He is admired by a lot of people. He did a lot of good," he said. "I know a lot about Vicente Fox. I was one of his advisers."
The graduate student government plans to vote on a resolution protesting Fox's invitation in the next week, said Lissa Knudsen, GPSA council chairwoman.
"In Vancouver, he had been asked to do a similar speech, and the students were actually able to get him uninvited and keep him from coming," she said.
Ashley Fate, president of the Associated Students of UNM, welcomes the selection of Fox, even if it's controversial.
"I think it's an interesting choice," Fate said. "I think that having someone who has held a leadership position in any capacity always makes for an interesting speaker. He should speak even if he has some issues. He can speak about what he learned."
Torres said that despite the objections from GPSA, the reaction to Fox's selection has been mostly positive.
"I'm sorry to hear about this," he said. "There is a lot of support. I have received a number of calls from a lot of people from Mexico, immigrants and people with Mexican ancestry that are very proud that he is coming."
Torres said that the partnership will benefit UNM by bringing in more students from Latin America.
"I see this venture as a link between different countries," he said. "We are interested in bringing in more students.. It enriches our lives to be more diverse."
