While UNM-LA Chancellor Cindy Rooney, in her office Tuesday, is stepping aside as Chancellor in June, she is not retiring, but plans to reduce her work commitment and looks forward to continued service to this university, while also having time to pursue some personal initiatives. Photo by Sarah Jimenez/UNM-LA

By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com

After serving as a leader of UNM-Los Alamos from 2015 to the present, through a period of progress and challenges, Chancellor Cindy Rooney has announced that she will be stepping aside as Chancellor, effective June 30, 2022. The timing of the decision will allow the campus to conduct a nationwide search and transition.

Chancellor Rooney reminisced about her time at the college.

“My favorite moments at UNM-LA revolve around the success of our students,” Rooney said. “These include graduation, scholarship events, internship seminars, and interactions between students and elected officials, as well as conversations with individual students who share their success in academic or career environments.”

Rooney also spoke about the difficult era she faced when first taking the reins at the college.

“The greatest challenge we have faced, even beyond the recent issues related to the pandemic, relates to the extremely challenging financial situation we faced when I first accepted this role,” she said. “As is often the case, the work that we did to address our financial challenges led to some key moments of celebration: the passage of the mil levy in 2017, the establishment of a UNM-LA Endowment with the Los Alamos Community Foundation in 2018, the receipt of a $2.3 million Title V grant in November of 2020, and the creation of a new collaborative BSME program with UNM School of Engineering and Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2021.”

While Rooney desires to step aside as Chancellor, she is not retiring, but plans to reduce her work commitment to no more than .5 FTE with UNM. The discussions on specific roles and responsibilities are ongoing and will be determined by the UNM Provost, working with the leadership at UNM-LA.

“It has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve as the leader of the Los Alamos campus. I especially appreciate the opportunity to work with excellent people, both on campus and in our community,” Chancellor Rooney said. “This was a difficult decision, but I do believe it is the right decision for both UNM-LA and me.”

UNM-LA Advisory Board Chair Steve Boerigter has served on the board for several years and commended Rooney’s accomplishments.

“Chancellor Rooney has been instrumental in growing and strengthening UNM-LA for Los Alamos and Northern New Mexico,” Boerigter said. “She came onboard during a time of great uncertainty for UNM-LA – we had weathered a long period of interim leadership and the legislature had doubts about our viability. With her leadership, a new mil levy was passed that provides a strong financial base for the college. Many programs focused on the community’s needs have grown under her leadership – such as the new collaboration on a Mechanical Engineering degree. Her energy and commitment to students, faculty, and the community will be missed.”

In addition to her role with the Los Alamos campus, Dr. Rooney has served as the President of the New Mexico Association of Community Colleges and works with the UNM Executive Cabinet.

“Cindy Rooney has been a wonderful partner in leadership at UNM,” UNM Provost James Holloway said. “She has been creative and super effective as Chancellor of UNM-Los Alamos, and a dedicated advocate for the educational needs of Los Alamos and the surrounding communities. She has also been a thoughtful leader in higher education across the State of New Mexico and is respected for her work by all her colleagues both at UNM and beyond. We will miss her in the Chancellor role, but I know she will continue to contribute and strengthen New Mexico and UNM.”

UNM-LA Director of Student Affairs, Kathryn Vigil, expressed her appreciation for Rooney’s leadership. 

“I have had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Rooney over many years and see the ongoing passion that she has for higher education and for the advancement of the students, faculty, and staff at UNM-LA,” Vigil said. “She sets a daily example of what it means to work hard and give your best effort, which translates throughout everything that we do – from delivering quality instruction to providing excellent customer service. The positive impacts of her leadership can be seen within the many organizations where she serves, and New Mexico has benefited greatly from her contributions.”

Rooney references the importance of gaining positive momentum for the Los Alamos campus. Through numerous collaborative efforts, the campus has made progress on a variety of fronts.  

A few highlights for UNM-Los Alamos include:

• Improved financial stability: increased local funding for operations through mil levy; increased state funding for capital projects; funding from industry partnerships for special programs; federal and state grants (including a $2.3 million Department of Education grant); and a growing endowment program.
• New and expanded programs to target workforce needs: Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (in conjunction with UNM School of Engineering); a Nuclear Enterprise Science and Technology program for selected LANL employees; programs in RCT and Waste Management Operator for N3B employees; Personal Care Attendant and Certified Nursing Assistant programs, and an expansion of the welding program.
• New local scholarship and internship opportunities for students: Community Internship Collaboration; the Graduation Project; and the recently announced Scholarship for Education and Economic Development (SEED) program.
• Stable and increasing enrollment: Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the number of students enrolled on campus this Spring is at a record high for the campus.
• Expanded relationships with Los Alamos County, Los Alamos Public Schools, LANL, N3B, Los Alamos Medical Center, local businesses, regional community colleges, and within other areas of UNM.

“My hope is that during my time as the campus leader, we set the stage for amazing things to come,” Rooney said.

Rooney expressed her consistent passion for the value of higher education and the opportunities that it can create. Rooney is a first-generation college student. Her degrees include a BS in Accounting, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in Accounting, with a minor in Organizational Psychology, from the University of Tennessee.

Rooney has been involved in higher education for more than 30 years. Previously she taught at the College of William and Mary, Xavier University, and UNM-Albuquerque, before coming to UNM-Los Alamos. Like many in this community, she arrived in Los Alamos as a “trailing spouse.” 

She joined UNM-LA in 2000 as part-time faculty, teaching Accounting and Economics and later serving as the Department Chair for Business. In 2013, she became Dean of Instruction. She was asked to step in as the Interim Executive Director in August 2015 and the “interim” title was removed in early 2016. Although the title for the leader at each branch campus in the UNM system has changed from Executive Director, to Chief Executive Officer, to Chancellor, Rooney notes that the leadership role has remained the same.

Last year, she received the Institutional Leadership Award from the International Economic Development Council for her work with UNM-LA, her commitment to economic development, and for her efforts in advancing career pathways for underserved youth. Rooney also serves on the boards of the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation, Los Alamos Community Foundation, and United Way of Northern New Mexico.

The search for the next Chancellor at UNM has started and will be facilitated by the Isaacson & Miller search firm. Information about the search can be found at https://executivesearch.unm.edu/chancellor-for-unm-los-alamos/index.html.

“I am extremely thankful for the opportunities that I have experienced with UNM-LA. The transition to a successful new leadership, the continued success of this campus, and the future of higher education remain very important to me.” Rooney continued, “I look forward to continued service to this university, while also having time to pursue some new opportunities.”

Chancellor Cindy Rooney speaking at the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) event with President Stokes and Provost Holloway in the foreground. Photo by Sarah Jimenez/UNM-LA

LANL Director Thom Mason speaks with Chancellor Cindy Rooney, right, and Rep. Christine Chandler at an event on the UNM-LA campus. Photo by Sarah Jimenez/UNM-LA

University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes, and Chancellor Cindy Rooney at an event on UNM-LA campus. Courtesy/UNM-LA

Chancellor Cindy Rooney, center, with New Mexico Higher Education Presidents/Chancellors participating in the LANL Community Conversation on Education event held in 2019 at Buffalo Thunder Resort. Courtesy/UNM-LA