A group of University of New Mexico School of Law alumni and others are demanding that the university not renew the contract of the law school’s current dean, Camille Carey.
At a Monday press conference on the UNM campus, New Mexico Immigrant Law Center attorney Jessica Martinez and others cited multiple concerns, especially what organizers described as a decline in students from New Mexico studying at the School of Law.
“Traditionally, about 12 percent of each class were nonresidents,” Martinez said. “Today, roughly one-third of the classes of 2026 and 2027 are not residents.”
The decline of in-state students has contributed to a corresponding drop in Hispano and Native American students, organizers said.
“In my graduating class alone, there were only three students from Northern New Mexico, five if we include those from Santa Fe,” said Jacob Griego, a recent graduate of the School of Law. “That should concern all of us.”
As the only law school in New Mexico, UNM has a mission to ensure the education of attorneys familiar with the region’s cultures who can serve the diverse communities of the state, organizers said.
“The dean has pointed to LSAT (Law School Admissions Test) scores and national rankings as part of this rationale for admissions decisions,” Griego said. “As we know, the LSAT is not an indicator of intelligence or success, nor is it an indicator of a student's potential.”
New Mexico Hispanic Bar Association President Sarah Gorman expressed frustration with what she described as flagging efforts to attract students from New Mexico’s regional universities.
“Admissions efforts to recruit our talented students in northern New Mexico at New Mexico Highlands University and southern and eastern New Mexico at Eastern (New Mexico University) and Western (New Mexico University) have died off,” Gorman said.
Provost Barbara Rodriguez is expected to make a decision regarding Carey’s contract by the end of this month, organizers said.
UNM spokesperson Steve Carr said the university was aware of the concerns expressed and would follow standard procedures in reviewing Carey’s contract.
“The university evaluates all academic leadership appointments and reappointments in accordance with the policies and procedures outlined in the faculty handbook. Decisions regarding those appointments are informed by multiple factors and are made after a comprehensive review; no single criterion or timeline determines the outcome,” Carr said.
“UNM remains committed to the School of Law’s mission of educating lawyers who serve New Mexico’s diverse communities and will continue working with faculty, students, alumni, legal community partners and other stakeholders to support the School of Law’s long-term success,” he said.