Why Does UNM Love Drunk Drivers and Money?

Does the screwed up moral compass of UNM bother anybody else? UNM President Bob Frank was “saddened” when the UNM lobbyist, Marc Saavedra, who has endangered the lives of multiple people by getting behind the wheel of a car drunk, was arrested and charged with his 3rd DWI. On flip side, he believes that a faculty member, Prof. David Correia, who stands up for the rights of people facing abuse by the Albuquerque Police Department, is not in line with the high standards expected of UNM faculty.

What is wrong with this world? President Frank was so upset by Prof. Correia’s actions that he said the university will “monitor” the situation. Maybe he should have monitored the high paid lobbyist ($156,000 per year) who promised to seek help and quit drinking after his 2nd arrest in 2006. Maybe he should have monitored that same lobbyist after he ran away after he refused to pay $28 for a taxi ride for him and a lady friend.

So why would President Frank speak so highly about Marc Saavedra and be “truly sorry” to see him resign? Probably because he was effective at bringing in big money from the state legislature. UNM Regent Jamie Koch said that Saavedra would be “hard to replace” because he knew more about state finance and how the legislature works than anybody. I guess “high standards” are not expected of UNM lobbyists if they know how to get money for the university.

This situation highlights the degraded mission of higher education. A professor who walks the walk is frowned upon for being “radical” and not worthy of praise. That is because he does not bring in the money that Saavedra does. Prof. Correia gets news coverage that corporations and state legislators are afraid to associate with. Although he was doing something honorable and respectable, it threatened the money supply of the beast. On the other hand, drunk driving and stiffing a taxi driver out of $28 is acceptable as long as Saavedra keeps the money flowing.

In the end, Marc Saavedra resigned from his position while Prof. Correia received tenure. The outcomes were both exactly the way they should have been, but the fact remains that UNM has some really screwed up morals and is guided by greed.