In the final hours before the start of Fall Break, Senators of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico voted on three bills: a resolution, nearly $12,000 in appropriations and the fall budget.
ASUNM passed a bill that would prohibit the funding of “classroom components” starting in the spring 2019 semester.
As for what qualifies as a classroom component, the working definition, according to Standing and Rules Chair Jorge Rios, is “including but not limited to assignments, work for projects that may result in academic grade and credit. This does not include extra credit.”
Rios added that this bill was to clarify a 2016 ruling that resulted in the defunding of Scribendi, a UNM Honors College literary magazine, and that it was not about the ongoing investigation into Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE).
Previously, FSAE had used some of their ASUNM funding to build and race a Formula One car as part of a senior design project since 1998.
“Student Fees shouldn’t be going towards things that tuition should cover,” said Attorney General Emily Hartshorn. “The FSAE conversation definitely spurred us on to thinking about it again,” Hartshorn said.
ASUNM discussed the matter with their legal counsel.
Senators also voted to pass a resolution supporting the Paris Climate Accord after representatives of the UNM chapter of Environment New Mexico spoke in public comment.
The UNM chapter of Environment New Mexico said they had collected about 1,000 signatures from people around campus and wanted to encourage decision-makers to push for renewable energy.
“This is about something bigger than using solar panels and not using plastic,” said one of the members. “We can’t stand by and wait for the inevitable.”
The fall budget awarded $18,733 of the $32,710 requested by 23 student organizations. Awards were reduced by an average of about 35 percent. The budget was passed unanimously.
Two other bills meant to clarify some of the wording in the law book were also passed. This comes as a part of an effort from Senators and the ASUNM President’s office to clarify the wording in the ASUNM Lawbook.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“The Lawbook is a mess, so we all need to fix the Lawbook,” said Senator Jorge Rios as he introduced one of the bills.
Four Associated Justices were appointed to Student Court, along with 15 other appointments voted on by ASUNM.
James Valerio, Kevin Garcia, Jasper Cook and Beth Brader will take the bench with Chief Justice Ian Carrillo. Their terms as justices last for one year.
Carrillo said he was pleased the student court bench has been filled out. He said the justices would begin working on the yearly mock trial until a case came before Student Court.
All 19 appointments were confirmed.
Appropriations Round-up
Lobo Hockey, who had their appropriation fail last month, was awarded $2,566. American Nuclear Society received $1,257. Circle K International received $581. Deviate, a Christian group seeking funding to travel to Rocky Mountain Ministries, received $1,742.
Brothers Leading and Cultivating Knowledge received $240. LoboTHON received $1,817. Navigators received $1,273. Men’s Frisbee received $1,088. Anthropology Society received $1,179.
All eight appropriations were passed unanimously.
Justin Garcia is a freelance news reporter at the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers ASUNM. He can be contacted at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @just516garc..
