Federal Uncertainties Concern UNM’s Academic Affairs LeaderInterim Provost Barbara Rodríguez talks Nob Hill, too By Damon Scott
Barbara Rodríguez said she spends time on the golf course and doing workouts on her Peloton at home for enjoyment, but also because both are effective ways to decompress after sometimes stressful administrative duties at the University of New Mexico. “And then I start all over again the next day,” she said during an interview at the Student Union Building on July 7. The New Mexico native has been senior vice provost of the Office of Academic Affairs at the school since 2018. On July 3, she stepped in as interim provost and executive vice president—one of just three positions that report directly to UNM President Garnett Stokes. The former provost, James Holloway, was recently named president of the University of Toledo. A job posting for the permanent position is expected to be online in the next few weeks as part of a typical hiring process at UNM. Rodríguez said she’s considering applying for it herself. “The continuity at this particular point in time is really important, because all of the issues that are coming out of Washington, D.C. are going to have an impact on us,” she said. Rodríguez referenced the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that was signed into law July 4. It’s approximately 870 pages long and encompasses a wide range of provisions, legislative measures and program cuts. “What is the impact on our students [and] on our faculty who have research contracts and grants? What does it mean for our students who are on SNAP benefits?” Rodríguez said. In 2024, she said UNM had more than $300 million in research expenditures. Exactly how that money might be affected going forward isn't yet known. She and others in the school’s administration are concerned about potential effects on Pell Grants and the Grad PLUS loan program, both of which provide funds for students. Rodríguez said in the 2022-23 school year, almost 400 students used Grad PLUS loans. (Although the Grad PLUS program was eliminated, current loan recipients will be grandfathered in according to EdSource.) Additionally, there are concerns among those at the Health Sciences Center about cuts to Medicaid in the new law. The Trump administration has already canceled some contracts and grants due to UNM’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives. Rodríguez said a DEI grant was canceled that assisted students who weren’t traditionally engaged in science and technology programs, and another was cut that supported diversity in faculty recruitment. “We’re still in the early days trying to figure out what it all means,” she said. “It’s causing a lot of angst and a lot of nervousness.” New Mexico lifeRodríguez came to UNM right out of high school and studied in the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, where she earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree. She then moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, where she earned a doctorate in speech-language pathology. Rodríguez then returned to UNM as a tenure-track faculty member in 1999. “I’ve been here for a long time in many different roles,” she said. Rodríguez and her husband—Ray Rodríguez—are both from Española. They’ve known each other since elementary school and have been married for 42 years. Ray Rodríguez is a retired Highland High School and UNM graduate who grew up in the Nob Hill area and was a longtime Albuquerque Public Schools physical education teacher, basketball coach and athletic director. The couple’s daughter, Lauren Rodríguez, is chief of staff for Attorney General Raúl Torrez at the New Mexico Department of Justice. UNM, Nob Hill’s neighborRodríguez said she considers UNM’s proximity to area neighborhoods and Nob Hill as one of a next-door neighbor that shares similar ideals. She’s concerned about public safety and wants UNM students to have a good experience on and around the main campus. Rodríguez also wants neighborhood residents to know they’re welcome at all the school’s public-facing amenities, like its museums, theaters and at its athletic events. One of the UNM projects she’s excited to update the Nob Hill community about is the renovated duck pond that’s soon to reopen. Another is the construction of the new Center for Collaborative Arts & Technology on Central Avenue across from the Frontier restaurant. “It’s going to be beautiful; it’s going to be amazing; it’s going to transform that segment of Central,” Rodríguez said. A big project in the early stages, she said, is the soon-to-be-demolished and then rebuilt Humanities & Social Sciences Complex near Zimmerman Library. For more information on the provost’s office, click here. Route 66 Summerfest on SaturdayThe official kick-off to the Route 66 Centennial celebration will be July 19 at the annual Route 66 Summerfest. The one-day festival will take over a mile-long stretch of Central from Girard Boulevard to Washington Street this Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. There will be four stages for music (see map below). Food trucks, activities for kids and car shows will also dot the landscape. The headlining act will be Los Angeles rock band, Ozomatli. For a list of all shows and other information about the event, go here. A Look At Area Churches (Part One of Three)By Roland Penttila
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