University of New Mexico

The University of New Mexico

Motto	Lux Hominum Vita (Latin)
Motto in English	Life, the Light of Men
Type	Public, State Flagship
Established	February 28, 1889 (1889-02-28)
Endowment	$393.2 million (2016)
President	Chaouki T. Abdallah (acting)
Administrative staff	6,899
Students	27,353 (Fall 2015)
Undergraduates	19,886 (Fall 2015)
Postgraduates	7,467 (Fall 2015)
Location	Albuquerque, New Mexico
Campus	Urban, 600 acres (2.4 km2)
Colors	Cherry, Silver
Nickname	Lobos
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Mountain West Conference
Website	www.unm.edu

The University of New Mexico (also referred to as UNM) is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is New Mexico's flagship research institution, the largest post-secondary institution in the state in total enrollment across all campuses as of 2012, and one of the state's largest employers.

Founded in 1889, UNM offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degree programs in a wide variety of fields. Its Albuquerque campus currently encompasses over 600 acres (2.4 km²), and there are branch campuses in Gallup, Los Alamos, Rio Rancho, Taos, and Los Lunas.Coordinates: 35°05′02″N 106°37′07″W / 35.08389°N 106.61861°W / 35.08389; -106.61861 UNM is categorized as an R1 doctoral university (highest research activity) in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, with three Nobel laureates affiliated or associated.

The University of New Mexico was founded on February 28, 1889, with the passage of House Bill No. 186 by the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of New Mexico; stipulating that "Said institution is hereby located at or near the town of Albuquerque, in the county of Bernalillo within two miles north of railroad avenue in said town, upon a tract of good high and dry land, of not less than twenty acres suitable for the purposes of such institution," and that it would be the state university when New Mexico became a state. Bernard Shandon Rodey, a judge of the territory of New Mexico, pushed for Albuquerque as the location of the university and was one of the authors of the statute that created UNM, earning him the title of "Father of the University." Two years later, Elias S. Stover became the first president of the University and the following year the university's first building, Hodgin Hall, opened.