At some point between the evening hours on Monday and 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, a portion of the cement steps on the north side of the SUB were vandalized, with a small area of the steps being destroyed and rubble strewn nearby.
Willie West, manager of grounds and landscaping at the Physical Plant Department, said the damage, which includes a portion of an area that measured about 10 feet by 15 feet, was apparently caused by “someone driving a vehicle up the steps.”
West said UNM staff barricaded the area off early Tuesday “so that no students or visitors would be injured.” Further, a contractor arrived during the day to repair the damaged steps.
He said the steps should be fully open once again by Wednesday, after the steps have had some time to finish curing, which is the process by which newly-applied cement strengthens and solidifies. West said it is possible the process may take longer than a day, but it shouldn’t be too long before the steps are repaired and the area is open again.
One of the ongoing initiatives of the Physical Plant Department, which maintains campus foundations and structures, is to protect the interior of main campus and the students utilizing it, West said.
To that end, UNM has bollards – short, vertical posts intended to reduce outside vehicle traffic – placed around the campus perimeter. But on Monday night those weren’t enough.
“Obviously somebody got around them, and caused this issue last night,” West said.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, UNM police have not had any leads, according to UNMPD Public Information Officer Lt. Tim Stump.
If anyone has any information about the incident they are encouraged to contact UNMPD at 277-2241.
David Lynch is the news editor at The Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @RealDavidLynch.
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