UNM faculty information and opportunities guide
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For information on UNM resources for faculty, visit our Faculty Resources Guide.
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To support your students, visit our Faculty Guide to Student Resources.
- If you are a new faculty member, visit our new faculty page.
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To stay informed about research opportunities, be sure you’re subscribed to the PI listserve.
- To see our current faculty development workshops, be sure to check out our events calendar.
Spring 2026 semester information
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The Provost’s Office has published spring 2026 information for faculty, including syllabus language, new opportunities for the year and enhanced instructor information from the Center for Teaching and Learning.
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The Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) will be changing its organizational structure January 5, 2026. We will move away from the proposal, award and contract teams structure, and into a Departmental Assignment Structure. This means that beginning in January, your departmental org will have set contacts for proposal, award and contract actions.
Working with the same individuals will give you a trusted point-of–contact in OSP to direct questions and receive consistent feedback. Check out who your contacts are by using our OSP Department Assignment list.
Continue to plan ahead for your upcoming proposal submissions by using OSP’s Proposal Review Scheduling System to book your review times now.
Erin Fitzgerald, MBA, CRA
Associate Director
UNM Office of Sponsored Projects
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The UNM Center for Teaching and Learning is offering instructors a variety of workshops, including their Course Design Institute, Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching Online, Feedback that Counts: Designing and Implementing a Mid-Semester Survey and more.
CTL now also offers 1:1 instructional designer consultations for instructors. Sign up.
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Spring 2026 courses are now available for development in UNM Canvas. Online and hybrid courses are automatically added to the system and web-enhancement is available for face-to-face courses.
General Information
Courses are added to UNM Canvas in an “unpublished” state. Students will have access to courses in Canvas when the following conditions have both been met: the instructor publishes the course and instruction is scheduled to begin. We recommend instructors publish before the start date to be ready for students on the first day of class.
For information on using UNM Canvas, see Canvas Resources for Instructors. See How to get training for links to video tutorials, an Instructor Guide, Open Labs, webinars, and more.
Section Groups
If you plan to group multiple course sections in Canvas, it is important to submit your request at least a week before the class start date to allow time for processing. Sections should be grouped prior to the start date for the course to avoid loss of student work. Once sections are grouped, you will lose access to any content developed in the original course sections, so it is important to either have that content in a Temp course or to export and download any content you want to keep from the sections in the request prior to submitting the form.
Publisher Integration Update: McGraw-Hill
The new “McGraw Hill Integration” is now available in Canvas, replacing the previous “McGraw-Hill Connect” tool. The old Connect integration will be retired by the vendor, so instructors preparing Spring 2026 courses that use McGraw Hill materials must transition to the new integration. This updated tool provides a single access point for multiple McGraw Hill products — including Connect, Go, SIMnet, and eBooks — directly within Canvas. ALEKS will still remain its own integration and is unaffected by this change.
Instructors currently using the old Connect integration will need to relink or migrate their content using the new “McGraw Hill Integration” migration tool in their Spring 2026 courses to ensure continued access and grade synchronization. The old integration will continue to work in Fall 2025 courses until the term ends.
Canvas Support Resources
Please visit the UNM Canvas Help Site for more information and resources and contact UNM Canvas Support with any questions.
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Learn more about new faculty at UNM by reading some of the bios we’ve posted.
Are you a new faculty member? Welcome! See our information page just for you, and check out the new faculty onboarding checklist from the Office of Academic Personnel.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FACULTY
Find a variety of faculty development opportunities on our events calendar.
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UNM Online is accepting online course proposals (OCPs) for Fall 2026. The best consideration deadline is Friday, February 6th, 2026.
OCP forms can be accessed through the Online Course Proposals webpage. OCP forms must be signed by the instructor who will build the course, the department Chair, and the college Dean before submission.
OCPs must be submitted to unmonlineproposals@unm.edu to be considered for review. Departments who submit an OCP by the best consideration date will be notified of the development decisions by February 20th.
Online instructors are required to have completed one of two trainings before teaching an online course to assure high quality online course offerings. The Regular and Substantive Interaction (RASI) training is available in Learning Central and takes approximately 30 mins. Instructors also have the option of completing the more intensive Evidence Based Practices for Teaching Online (EBPTO) training through the Center for Teaching and Learning. This training is a six-week course offered multiple times per year and is extremely useful for instructors teaching online for the first time. The latest that training should be completed is the first day of Fall 2026 semester.
UNM Online will offer stipends for completing a Foundational Course Design Review, rather than for initial course development. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to enhance your course and receive compensation for your efforts. You will receive a follow-up email from our Quality Assurance Instructional Designer, Melissa Herrera, about participating in the review within two weeks after your OCP has been approved.
Please contact unmonlineproposals@unm.edu for any questions about the OCP form or OCP process.
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The deadline for fall has passed. Stay tuned for future information. The New Faculty Student Experience Project (SEP) is designed to engage early-career instructors in inclusive, evidence-based teaching strategies that support student belonging, motivation, and academic success.
Through short workshops, we will introduce easy-to-use tools such as syllabus reframing and effective feedback, and faculty will learn how to build trust and engagement with diverse learners from day one. This tailored SEP experience empowers new faculty to create equitable learning environments while building a strong foundation for their teaching practice. The CoP will start with an asynchronous activity in September and hold its first in-person meeting on September 19.Email StudentExperienceUNM@unm.edu or use this link for more information.
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UNM data show that during the pandemic, many faculty members spent less time on research and scholarship and related professional development as they revised their teaching and dealt with new and different demands in their home lives. As we transition out of the pandemic, the WeR1 Faculty Success Program seeks to support UNM faculty in new and creative ways.
The overarching goals of the WeR1 program are to:
— Modify institutional policies and processes to support faculty retention and advancement, increase transparency, decrease administrative burden, and work towards balanced service and teaching loads;
— Create structures that acknowledge and address the impact of the pandemic, which may last well into the next decade;
— Provide resources that allow faculty to transition, rebuild, recover, and/or refocus their research, scholarship, and creative work, through support that encompasses both small steps and expansive interdisciplinary initiatives;
— Develop new mechanisms for recognizing faculty success in all areas of the university’s mission;
— Build communication, collaboration, cooperation, and community across all UNM campuses.
Explore currently available opportunities below and visit the UNM Research page to see others.
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ECURE is an NSF-funded grant designed to leverage UNM’s research mission to enrich undergraduate education in STEM general education and portal courses. It is led and supported by Academic Affairs, the Office of the Vice President for Research, the Division of Equity and Inclusion, and the Office of Student Affairs. ECURE is based on the following key concepts:
— Engaging students in undergraduate research (UGR) experiences will positively impact their science literacy, science identity, and research self-efficacy, as well as their likelihood to persist and graduate at UNM.
— Engaging students in UGR in general education and portal courses will allow us to serve more students than co-curricular programming alone, and will help students connect course content to professional, community and research applications.
— Engagement in undergraduate research can be offered at varying levels of research immersion. These levels range from students learning about research without actually conducting research to students implementing all stages of their own authentic research projects (see descriptions of the levels below). All levels of early research immersion are useful to achieving desired student outcomes described above, and to creating more effective and diverse pathways to more advanced co-curricular research engagements within their majors.
To this end, ECURE supports instructors in incorporating undergraduate research components into their general education and portal sections, and studies the impact of these enriched engagements on student perceptions and behaviors.
Learn more.
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Please note that this year’s deadline has passed. Stay tuned for next year’s information.The WeR1 GROWL program, which will take place during the upcoming fall semester, is designed to support UNM faculty in revising and resubmitting previously declined grant proposals or funded grants that were terminated. Resubmissions can be revised/reframed proposals to the same or a different sponsor/program. By leveraging the higher success rates of resubmissions, the program will help participants gain insights into sponsor review processes and new agency priorities, improve competitiveness, and build confidence in interpreting and responding to feedback.Participants will engage in a variety of topics, including interpreting reviewer feedback, adapting proposals to meet sponsor guidelines and priorities, and refining communication strategies. Sessions will also provide peer review and support to create personalized plans for resubmission, with priority access to OVPR resources based on participants’ specific needs.Eligibility
- Participants must have submitted an extramural funding proposal that was declined or have been PI on a project that was terminated by a sponsor.
- If reviewer feedback was provided, participants should be prepared to share and discuss it during the program.
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The resubmission must be processed through UNM (via OSP, not an individual award).
Applications will be accepted until May 22 through the InfoReady Review portal. -
Please note that this year’s deadline has passed. A call for participants for the 2026-2027 cohort will be issued in spring 2026.
The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) is pleased to announce that the 2024 application window for the Program for Enhancing Research Capacity (PERC) is now open in UNM’s InfoReady Review portal. PERC supports acquisition of shared instrumentation or enhancement of shared facilities that enable major endeavors to advance discovery, creativity and innovation across campus. This program seeks to add or augment research capacity through the acquisition or upgrading of instrumentation for use by multiple investigators. Thus, the proposed equipment must be housed within a space accessible to more than one PI/lab group and must have multiple committed users either within a single department/college, or preferably from multiple departments and colleges. See this document for program eligibility and details.
Important dates for PERC:
- September 9, 2024: Application window opens in InfoReady Review
- October 25, 2024: Proposal due date
- December 11, 2024: Notice of award
- January 6, 2025: Proposals awarded/funds transferred for projects who have completed the required progress reports.
Learn more about past PERC awardees and the WeR1 Program for Faculty Research Support.
Federal Funding Updates
UNM Vice President for Research Ellen Fisher and HSC Vice President for Research Hengameh Raissy have been posting frequent updates for faculty related to federal funding actions. We’ve included the most recent ones below. Read more on the OVPR website.
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Lobos,
As we approach the winter break, we have updates that may be of interest to our research community, including recent developments from federal funding agencies, insights into legislative activities, as well as other relevant information that supports our collaborative efforts in advancing research.
We would also like to thank the UNM Research Rapid Response Team for their dedication and contributions throughout this past year. In addition to addressing a range of requests and emerging needs resulting from shifts in the federal funding landscape, we watched as our cross-campus team (OUC, OGCR, SPO/SPO, VPRs’ offices & faculty reps) built stronger ties and relationships across operational structures with an emphasis on solidarity, communication, and transparency. Our team truly epitomizes the One University approach. Thank you!
National Science Foundation (NSF)
NSF has officially released part of its organizational realignment under the current administration. You can read more about this here.
Science recently reported that NSF will be making major changes to their proposal review process. According to this report, the changes are designed to help NSF adjust to their reduced workforce. In addition to giving program officers more latitude in their decision making, it may also mean less detailed reviews being provided to researchers, which may disproportionately impact early career scientists.
On Dec. 8, the NSF issued policy changes to its Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures (PAPPG). Updates are effective for awards issued on or after Dec 8. Major changes include:
- Increased funding thresholds for special proposal types
- Research security requirements (e.g., new foreign financial disclosures and restrictions tied to Confucius Institutes)
- Incorporation of scientific-integrity principles and a new definition of research misconduct that includes AI tools.
It also raises the equipment threshold to $10K, updates rules about property, formalizes new processes for SBIR/STTR submissions, introduces restrictions on procurement/use of certain foreign-manufactured drones, sets new data-sharing expectations, and clarifies research administration processes.
On Dec. 12, the NSF Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP) announced the launch of a new initiative designed to launch and scale a new generation of independent research organizations. These organizations will focus on technical challenges and bottlenecks that traditional university and industry labs cannot easily solve on their own. NSF seeks feedback on this initiative through a Request for Information (RFI).
Congressional Budget Activity
On Dec 10, the House of Representatives voted to pass the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Several provisions related to research funding and security were included. You can read more here. The Senate passed the NDDA on Dec 17.
OSTP-Request for Information
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) released a request for information (RFI) on Nov. 26, “Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise,” seeking input on federal policy updates. The RFI asks specific questions related to:- Public-private partnerships
- Optimizing technology transfer and translation of scientific discoveries
- Supporting regional innovation ecosystems
- Improving grantmaking; enabling more high-risk, high-reward research
- Preparing for potentially transformative uses of AI in scientific research
- Reducing regulatory burdens on research
- Addressing STEM workforce and career and training pathways
UNM Federal Priorities – A Word from Our Gov Rel Team
UNM’s Office of Government & Community Relations is in the process of gathering annual “federal funding priorities” requests for FY27, in collaboration with the UNM’s research offices and pending final approvals from UNM senior leadership. U.S. House and Senate appropriators continue to work across the aisle at the committee level and move forward with negotiations on final FY26 congressional appropriations.
Whether or not Congress can come to an agreement on FY26 appropriations ahead of the next extended deadline of Jan. 30, 2026, remains to be seen. The outcome of those negotiations will greatly influence Congress’ receptivity to new appropriations requests for FY27. If a deal cannot be reached, Congress may resort to funding the remaining months of federal FY26 through another continuing resolution, as they eventually did for all FY25, essentially deferring for another year any changes to current appropriations targets and levels. Of the 12 appropriations bills congress considers every year, it only adopted 3 of the 12 as part of the re-opening of the federal government in November. We will update you once Congress returns in January.
We hope everyone enjoys a rejuvenating winter break and we look forward to continuing our conversation with the UNM research community in the new year.
Ellen R. Fisher, Ph.D.
UNM Vice President for Research
Professor of Chemistry
Hengameh Raissy, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Research, HSC
Professor of Pediatrics
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Lobos,
We hope all of you enjoyed a bit of a break last week and were able to spend time doing things you enjoy with people you enjoy being with.
There are several updates from various funding agencies as they continue to ramp back up after the shutdown:
NIH/HHS Updates
Shutdown Resumption: Information concerning how the National Institutes of Health is resuming normal operations.
Change to NIH Review Process: NIH recently announced new steps toward implementing a funding framework, effective for the January 2026 Advisory Council Round, that indicates they will be moving away from “paylines” or cutoffs based on peer review scores or percentiles.
Expanded Termination Authority: Effective Oct. 1, NIH Notice NOT-OD-26-009 updates award terms to allow NIH to terminate grants that no longer align with program goals or agency priorities, in addition to existing reasons such as funding or compliance issues. Notices of Award will now reference 2 CFR 200 and any termination enjoined by court order will not be enforced. Meaning, NIH awards that were terminated in the spring and reinstated this past summer will remain reinstated unless a higher court overturns the lower court order.
Extramural Recipients Compliance Requirements: Reminder to NIH awardees that changes in scope represent new terms and conditions for grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions with which recipients must comply.
Common forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending Support: NIH will be adopting the common Forms for Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (other) Support. This will be effective for application due dates and Research Performance Progress Report submissions on or after Jan. 25, 2026.
HHS Adoption of Uniform Guidance: On Nov 18, the Department of Health and Human Services released updates to its adoption of Federal grant regulations in the Uniform Guidance. This resulted in changes to conflicts of interest reporting, inclusion of for-profit entities, and adherence to national policies, among other issues.
National Science Foundation updates
Resumption of Operations: The most recent information, including FAQs concerning how NSF is approaching the backlog of work resulting from the shutdown.
NSF Relocation: NSF recently announced it will be relocating its offices in the coming months, which may also affect operations.
Archived Opportunities: Recent information circulated from AAAS suggests that NSF is archiving some of its doctoral dissertation research improvement grants (DDRIGs) in some areas like anthropology.
Department of Energy Updates
Agency Realignment: DOE recently announced a complete reorganization that includes a unit focused on artificial intelligence and quantum, as well as one focused on geothermal energy along with the elimination of units focused on other forms of renewable energy.
We hope everyone enjoys a smooth, low‑stress conclusion to the fall semester. We will continue to monitor agency announcements as well as judicial decisions affecting our research enterprise and will keep you apprised of any changes as they arise.
Ellen R. Fisher, Ph.D.
UNM Vice President for Research
Professor of Chemistry
Hengameh Raissy, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Research, HSC
Professor of Pediatrics
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Lobos,
Now that the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history has concluded, we want to update you on the status of key federal research agencies as they resume more normal operations. We are also sharing several internal notices and reminders to help you navigate funding processes during this transition.
Yesterday, the federal government announced additional measures that would restructure certain functions within the U.S. Department of Education. We are reviewing these actions and assessing any potential implications for UNM. At this time, we do not anticipate immediate impacts on current federal funding arrangements.
NSF: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has posted a quick status update, along with a list of FAQs that are likely to be useful for researchers who are wondering how the shutdown has affected the status of their proposals and grants. In particular, if you are a current NSF awardee, please contact your program officer with questions. If you are a panelist or have a pending proposal, please continue to monitor NSF.gov for updates on operations and events.
NIH: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a notice Nov 14 providing information on their process about reestablishing due dates for grant and contract submissions originally listed for October and November, as well as the rescheduling of peer review meetings and the review of service desk tickets.
We will keep you posted as new information becomes available.
Advocacy Updates: Here are two updates on advocacy work on behalf of higher education institutions relevant to the research enterprise:
- Earlier this year, NIH launched a new initiative on strengthening and modernizing biosafety oversight. In response, the Council on Government Relations (COGR) recently submitted comments that emphasize the need for biosafety policies that are science-based, risk-based, and harmonized across federal agencies, among other recommendations. Read more on COGR’s response here.
- The American Council on Education (ACE) has also issued concerns and recommendations regarding the federal administration’s new policy on H-1B visas. ACE sent two letters to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) calling for an exemption for higher education institutions from the new $100,000 H-1B application visa by warning that this policy undermines U.S. colleges and universities’ ability to attract global talent and fulfill their role in educating the domestic workforce for high demand sectors.
OSP/SPO: As we swiftly approach the end of 2025, the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) at central campus, alongside the Sponsored Projects Office (SPO) at the HSC Campus, are eager to remind our researchers of the importance of proactive planning. We understand that navigating project deadlines can be challenging, therefore we encourage you to reach out to your specific OSP/SPO.
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Thanksgiving Break | Nov. 27-28
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Winter Break | Dec. 24 – Jan. 2
With these annual closures, OSP/SPO staff will not be expected to work or respond to emails. If you have any deadlines right before, during or immediately after the holiday, please plan ahead to ensure adequate time for OSP/OSP to do their work.
Please check with OSP/SPO for specific deadline schedules.
E40 Policy: We are happy to report that the Faculty Handbook Policy E40: Research Misconduct has recently been modified to include important regulatory and procedural updates to maintain compliance within federal regulation changes. Specifically, revisions to this policy were made to comply with new federal and state regulations. The recommended changes were approved through the Faculty Senate Policy processes. As a reminder, deans, directors, and department heads are responsible for ensuring that all related college/school/departmental processes, procedures, and/or documents are updated to reflect the policy revision.
We hope everyone has a restful and rejuvenating Thanksgiving break.
Ellen R. Fisher, Ph.D.
UNM Vice President for Research
Professor of Chemistry
Hengameh Raissy, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Research, HSC
Professor of Pediatrics
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As we dive headfirst into Research & Discovery (R&D) Week at The University of New Mexico, it’s time to pause and reflect on the vibrant tapestry of innovation and inquiry that defines our academic community. However, this week serves not only as a celebration of our collective achievements but also as a crucial reminder of the external factors that can shape our research landscape, particularly in light of the current federal administration and its implications, including the ongoing government shutdown.
Indirect Cost Litigation Update: We continue to closely follow the litigation actions surrounding proposed indirect costs (F&A) rate caps from four federal sponsors. In all cases, the American Association of Universities (AAU) and other plaintiffs have filed suit against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Department of Defense (DOD). In all cases, the rate cap policy is currently not in effect.
- NSF: The rate cap policy has been permanently vacated, and the litigation is complete with a win for the plaintiffs.
- HHS: The district court enjoined and vacated the NIH policy, and oral arguments happened yesterday, Nov. 5 before the First Circuit.
- DOE: The court has granted a stay of the briefing schedule because of the government shutdown.
- DOD: The defendants have until Dec. 15 to file a notice of appeal on the district court’s decision to vacate the rate cap policy because it is “invalid, contrary to law, and arbitrary and capricious.”
Federal Shutdown Guidance: As we have now moved into the second month of the federal shutdown, we want to remind everyone of a few things that may be impacting some units more than others:
- Please let UNM sponsored projects offices know immediately if you receive any stop work orders or other communication from funding agencies. It is imperative that we continue to communicate internally to ensure we stay compliant and are able to address emerging needs in a timely fashion.
- If you believe there may be short or long-term impacts to personnel, especially students or term employees, please let your research offices know immediately.
- This is a great time to remind everyone about the Term Employee Retention Initiative (TRI) that began earlier this year. We have had several successes through this program, and it represents how strong of a Pack we are here at UNM.
- We are in limbo when it comes to processing normal requests like no-cost extensions and new awards because while UNM internal processing is happening, it is unclear what is happening on the agency side. When the shutdown ends, processing times may also be a bit longer than usual as there will undoubtedly be a backlog of actions. Please be patient with our sponsored projects administrators.
- Regarding air travel, the FAA will soon begin limiting air traffic volumes and therefore curtailing the number of flights in-and-out of major airports, with mandated reductions starting on Nov. 8. Please be aware that work-related flight delays may be shifting from “possible” to “likely” as a result.
Where to find additional guidance on shutdown: As a reminder, additional guidance can be found on the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) website for central/branch campus faculty and the Sponsored Projects Office (HSC SPO) website for HSC faculty.
We will continue to provide updates regarding UNM’s response to the shutdown. As always, feel free to reach out to the Office of Sponsored Projects (Central campus) or Sponsored Project Office (Health Sciences Center) for specific questions.
Ellen R. Fisher, Ph.D.
UNM Vice President for Research
Professor of Chemistry
Hengameh Raissy, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Research, HSC
Professor of Pediatrics
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Lobos,
In light of the ongoing federal government shutdown, UNM researchers have remained consistent in our commitment to advancing knowledge and enhancing the research community.
In April, the New Mexico Legislative Council created the Federal Funding Stabilization Subcommittee (FFSS) to “create an inventory of federal funds flowing into New Mexico and provide recommendations with regard to recurring and non-recurring funds.” The FFSS is tasked with:
- Reviewing how federal funds impact New Mexico’s budget, including:
- Major recurring federal funding streams
- One-time appropriations
- Rulemaking and grant allocations
- Other high-impact areas, including research funding
On Monday, Oct. 20, VPRs Ellen Fisher and Hengameh Raissy participated in a FFSS meeting focused on federal funding in higher education institutions. The meeting highlighted presentations from the Council of University Presidents (CUP), the Higher Education Department, and Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) staff.
Working in collaboration with government relations teams from the following institutions (UNM, UNM HSC, NMSU and NMT), VPRs gave a brief, high-level presentation led by VPR Lique Coolen of New Mexico Tech that focused on:
- The impact of research across the state
- Loss of funding
- Delay in review process and release of awards
- Potential federal funding cuts
It is important to note that the FFSS and other state legislative committees are typically bipartisan in nature. Similarly, UNM’s status as a government institution necessitates nonpartisan institutional legislative engagement. Accordingly, UNM and HSC joined other NM higher education institutional partners to present impartial perspectives to the FFSS on the realities of a rapidly evolving and complicated federal funding landscape.
At this stage, FFSS co-chairs signaled they are not yet ready to make or entertain specific recommendations regarding state stabilization funding. Between now and the legislative session in January, the FFSS will develop recommendations for state budget policymakers intended to reflect where the state can realistically infuse high-impact, short-term funding to offset reductions in federal funding, particularly on issues that closely align with the state’s various strategic plans and underlying priorities.
In addition to the presentation by university VPRs, the NM state EPSCoR office was also invited to present to the FFSS. Both Director Gunny Balakrishnan and Associate Director Selena Connealy gave a well-received presentation on EPSCoR activities and the economic impact these activities have across our beautiful state.
It is significant that New Mexico’s FFSS chose to highlight university research, while highlighting UNM’s research enterprise and role in anchoring the state’s economy. We remain steadfast and determined to share with policymakers the real-world opportunities created by robust, community-engaged, basic, translational, and applied research programming within New Mexico’s higher education institutions, including our own. Advancing New Mexico remains our shared goal.
Ellen R. Fisher, Ph.D.
UNM Vice President for Research
Professor of Chemistry
Hengameh Raissy, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Research, HSC
Professor of Pediatrics
- Reviewing how federal funds impact New Mexico’s budget, including:
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Lobo Researchers,
Despite the current federal government shutdown, the Lobo research community continues to thrive and push forward with its important work. In light of these challenging times, we believe it’s essential to keep you informed about the proactive measures being undertaken on Capitol Hill by the various organizations advocating for higher education and research—organizations that proudly include The University of New Mexico representation. These organizations include (among others):
- The Association of Public & Land Grant Universities (APLU)
- The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
- The Council on Government Relations (COGR)
- The American Council on Education (ACE).
Here are a few of the recent actions these organizations have taken on behalf of UNM and other higher education institutions (HEIs):
- APLU submitted its letter on the Department of Homeland Security proposed duration of status rule that seeks to establish a fixed time period for students and exchange visitors, among others. The letter notes that the proposed rule will weaken the nation’s ability to attract top talent. ACE, AAMC, and APLU also joined a higher ed community wide letter and APLU joined a multi-sector letter with industry, education, and legal partners.
- APLU, the Association of American Universities (AAU), AAMC, and COGR submitted a joint response to the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) request for information (RFI) on Maximizing Research Funds by Limiting Allowable Publishing Costs (NOT-OD-25-138). The letter notes some of the potential unintended consequences of limits on publication costs that ultimately could undermine the effective dissemination of federally funded research.
- AAMC and APLU joined forces on a community letter to congressional leaders supporting the reauthorization of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs, which are set to expire at the end of the fiscal year 2025 on Sept. 30, 2026. This issue, along with other FY26 program appropriations awaits final consideration and action by Congress.
- ACE, APLU, and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), among others, sent ahigher education community comment letter to the Department of Education on implementations of the One Big Beautiful Bill, advocating for implementation that fully considers the impact on all students and institutions of higher education.
- ACE and more than 60 other higher education associations sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to ensure that all funds allocated in the FY2026 appropriations process are fully spent by the administration as intended by law.
We also have a couple of additional notes/reminders regarding new compliance requirements:
- The Department of Justice (DOJ) National Security Division rule titled “Preventing Access to U.S. Sensitive Personal Data and Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern” (RIN 1124-AA01) went into effect on Oct. 6. This rule stems from Executive Order 14117, which prohibits and restricts certain data transactions involving countries of concern and other entities deemed to pose national security risks. A short questionnaire on project data transfers has been added to the proposal and contract submission forms in our eRA systems.
- NIH released NOT-OD-25-160: NIH Policy on Enhancing Security Measures for Human Biospecimens, which goes into effect on Oct. 24. For projects involving NIH funds, distribution of human biospecimens to institutions or parties located in countries of concern is prohibited, except in very limited circumstances. Compliance with this policy will be managed through our eRA systems and by the respective campus offices for export control.
Lobo researchers, please continue to work closely with the UNM Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP), the HSC Sponsored Projects Office (SPO), our Contract and Grant Accounting (CGA) offices and our Research Compliance Offices as we await additional news out of our nation’s capital regarding the federal government shutdown.
Ellen R. Fisher, Ph.D.
UNM Vice President for Research
Professor of Chemistry
Hengameh Raissy, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Research, HSC
Professor of Pediatrics
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Lobo Researchers,
As we anticipated in our email to campus on Monday, the federal government has gone into a partial shut down as of 12 a.m. EDT. Despite the challenges posed by the shutdown, UNM remains steadfast and resilient in our commitment to advancing research in our state and around the globe.
In the past 48 hours, we have gathered valuable insights into the various communications and updates being shared by individual agencies on their websites:
The Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU), released a statement on the shutdown’s impacts on public and land-grant universities and called for The White House and U.S. Congress to find the path forward to reopen.
In further news, The White House announced that agency contingency plans will no longer be collated on a central webpage. Therefore, APLU developed this compilation of agency ‘lapse plans’ that covers all the major funding agencies. For example, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) link discusses specifically what activities will continue and which will not. Notably, the NIH has also issued a separate notification (NOT) that also provides useful information related to a lapse of federal government funding.
Our UNM Contracts and Grants Accounting (CGA) office has ensured that UNM can still request payment for expenditures on grants. For example, the National Science Foundation (NSF) will use available carryover balances to continue daily operations. The Awards Cash Management Service (ACM$) and the Invoice Processing Platform (IPP) will remain available for the submission and processing of valid payments for recipients and contractors. Recipients may continue performance under their NSF awards during a lapse in appropriations, to the extent funds are available, and the period of performance of the grant or cooperative agreement has not expired. In the event of a lapse, more detailed information on NSF operations for recipients, panelists, and employees will be posted and will be updated as necessary during a lapse.
As a reminder, additional guidance can be found on the Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP) website. We will continue to provide updates regarding UNM’s response to the shutdown. In the event of a long duration shutdown, additional guidance will be issued. As always, feel free to reach out to the Office of Sponsored Projects (Central campus) or Sponsored Project Office (Health Sciences Center) for specific questions.
Ellen R. Fisher, Ph.D.
UNM Vice President for Research
Professor of Chemistry
Hengameh Raissy, Pharm.D.
Vice President for Research, HSC
Professor of Pediatrics
Other resources for faculty
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Several recent studies have shown that faculty are more stressed than ever as they balance teaching and research with managing student and personal emotions during complicated times. We’ve compiled resources that are meant to support faculty physical and mental wellbeing. Are you using a resource at UNM that’s been helpful? Let us know so we can share! Email advance@unm.edu
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Learn more about the UNM Accessibility Resource Center through their list of FAQs for faculty members.
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CARS offers a wide variety of services to assist faculty, staff, their significant others at UNM including counseling on a wide range of issues such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, stress, job burnout, coworker conflict, eldercare, parenting, alcohol and drug use, grief and loss, managaing change and preparing for retirement. CARS provides other services, such as workshops and training, supervisor and manager workplace consultations, critical incident debriefing and grief intervention and referrals for services within the UNM Community and in the larger communities the client resides in, according to their website.
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Find mental health resources for faculty, staff and students at UNM.
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Ombuds Services is a “no-barrier, first-stop for UNM employees, their co-workers, and graduate students seeking guidance, information, and insight from a trusted, skilled neutral in a setting that is confidential, independent, and informal.”
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We’ve compiled a variety of guides on topics ranging from teaching and learning support to resources for students that faculty should know about. Learn more.
Policies for UNM faculty
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Faculty at UNM have flexibility in how they choose to discuss COVID-19 impacts on their progress in annual reviews. This memo remains in effect and applies to this year’s annual review process. Some of the options include discussing the impact of COVID-19 in research, teaching, and service statements, adding an overall impact statement as a supplementary document, or using a checklist. See an example here, which includes referencing lists of potential impacts; or not discussing it.
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Whether you are chairing a faculty search or participating in one, there is a lot to know. Find out crucial information from the Office for Academic Personnel.
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The following information on the requirement for researchers is from the Office of the Vice President for Research.
“Researchers, the timely submission of grant or contract reports is a mandatory condition for funding, and federal agencies are beginning to crack down on both PIs and institutions that are out of compliance. Currently, UNM has multiple projects with overdue reports to funding agencies.
PIs are responsible for submitting complete and accurate progress reports and final reports within the timeline required by the agency. To ensure UNM meets reporting compliance requirements and that our investigators can continue to access funding, the Office of the Vice President for Research will consider timely completion of progress reports a prerequisite for new funding submissions and for the distribution of F&A allocations to units, effective Oct. 1, 2024. More information.
Although the policy will go into effect on Oct. 1, to assist chairs, deans, and directors in maintaining compliance, a reporting dashboard is available to both PIs and administrators.”
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Stay on top of the latest information related to promotion and tenure at UNM with this webpage.
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UNM has a commitment to supporting religious observances by community members. Learn more.
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A 2020 policy at UNM allows an extension of the tenure clock to acknowledge the significant impact of COVID on research and scholarship. See this document for the policy and frequently asked questions.