New Mexico Daily Lobo
URL: http://www.dailylobo.com/index.php/article/2009/11/gpsa_meetings_still_offer_nothing_but_bureaucracy_
Current Date: Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:45:22 -0700
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GPSA meetings still offer nothing but bureaucracy
More than 30 graduate students packed into the GPSA office Monday, hoping to hear their student leaders discuss a no-confidence vote in UNM’s athletics administration. The students who attended could only find space to sit on the floor or stand as their elected representatives wrestled with the important issue.
This contrasts sharply with typical Graduate and Professional Student Association meetings. Council chairs historically have had to bend over backwards to find meeting times that encourage students to go; they often have asked for a show of hands from council representatives to determine whether quorum can be reached at their next meeting.
But this time, students were eager to engage in the democratic process. Concerned about the actions of UNM administrators, graduate students turned to GPSA to voice their opinions. But instead of support, these students found bureaucracy.
After more than two hours, all that was resolved at the meeting was that GPSA would have a special election — online, at a later, undecided date — for students to vote about the issue they showed up to discuss.
At the first sign of disagreement, the GPSA administration set aside the questions of exactly what students will vote for, when the vote will happen and other fundamental aspects of such an election. Rather than working through the argument, the GPSA administration readily sanded down the teeth of their resolution and accomplished exactly nothing.
Graduate and professional students actually showed up at a GPSA meeting, only to be greeted by the same bureaucratic machinery they were hoping to dismantle.
Hopefully, the GPSA will consider their methods before inviting students to their next meeting.
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5 comments
Anonymous
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I am sure that Danny will attempt to spin this meeting, the apparently robust attendance / discussion and subsequently predictable INACTION in something positive and meaningful (and I don’t begrudge him for that) but the fact remains that the GPSA has devolved over the years into an organization that is less concerned with issues in which they can make some meaningful difference in regards to the populous they serve (i.e. the graduate students) and more about useless grandstanding and the issuing of resolutions on everything from opposing the war in Iraq, to hate speech, to university wide diversity training mandates to the issuance of a vote of no confidence in UNM athletics. One can be certain that the University admin gets a chuckle on the Monday morning following a meeting when they read that GPSA has passed a resolution demanding X or condemning Y. Ohhh a vote of no confidence. That has got to sting. The GPSA would be better off hosting public forums and debates with University officials in attendance. Open to the public and the media. This would generate a slightly more realistic sample of public and perhaps grad student opinion than a meeting of like minded socially progressive types who are afraid to step on anyone’s toes or make any definite statement / opinion lest they be accused of racial / religious / gender / ethnic insensitivity. As it stands GPSA has now had two meetings, one official and another in the GPSA office, regarding athletics and the affair de Locksley with ZERO to really show for it. The apathetic image of the GPSA amongst the graduate student body at large is only further diminished by this lame ineffective, mollycoddling, self congratulatory nonsense. Stick to the real issues that matter. Childcare was great. Focus on the issues where you can make a difference for your constituents aka the graduate students. Stop the quixotic feel good motions and getting bogged down in the minute details. Issue a statement and move on people
Corrupt Krebs Exposed by Emails
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Emails reveal administration tension in Locksley incident
Posted at: 11/25/2009 5:23 PM | Updated at: 11/25/2009 6:08 PM
By: Jeremy Jojola, Eyewitness News 4, and Kurt Christopher, KOB.com
Eyewitness News 4 has uncovered what University of New Mexico officials were saying behind the scenes as the investigation into football coach Mike Locksley unfolded.
Investigative reporter Jeremy Jojola filed a records request more than a month ago to obtain emails regarding the incident. In one of those emails, UNM athletic director Paul Krebs writes that he is worried about his own future. He also expresses frustration over leaks in the department and how the story unfolded.
Read more …
It all began with the September 20th scuffle between UNM head football coach Mike Locksley and former assistant coach J.B. Gerald. Statements said an argument over football plays resulted in Locksley lunging at Gerald. Locksley was initially verbally reprimanded by the university and later placed on a ten-day suspension.
A month after Eyewitness News 4’s record’s request, the university did provide emails that had been sent out by Krebs during the time he was dealing with the media swarm.
In one email to a media consultant, Krebs writes about an October 13th ESPN article that broke the news about Locksley’s suspension: “Story broke on ESPN. Not sure how or where the leak came from as none of my staff knew except Greg [Remington] and Kurt.”
Krebs asks the consultant, “Any last minute advice? Feel like he may take me down with him.”
In another email sent to the same consultant, Krebs writes, “It is incredible how many people are using this as an opportunity to bash Mike [Locksley] and taking shots about everything about him.”
The emails also reveal an effort to get J.B. Gerald to speak about the incident. Nine days after the scuffle, athletics spokesman Greg Remington wrote to Krebs, “J.B. coming forward and saying something [positive] would sure soothe the situation.”
Krebs responded, “Suggest you try and reach out to him.”
Also among the emails is criticism about a sports reporter with The Daily Lobo school newspaper, Isaac Avilucea, who requested Locksley’s phone records and text messages. Associate director of athletics, Richard Pickering, writes to Krebs, “I just want to be careful dealing with Isaac because we know he will be subjective in his reporting and will look to portray us in a negative light.”
Krebs responds, “If we have to release them, we will. No way to spin numbers.”
Avilucea calls the “subjective” reference conjecture aimed at trivializing the true issue.
Eyewitness News 4 also requested emails sent out by UNM coach Locksley. We were told by the university that no sent emails exist from the coach.
Attempts were made to get comments from the university regarding this story, but calls and emails to the athletic department were not returned.
Read the UNM emails released to Eyewitness News 4
Professor
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Also among the emails is criticism about a sports reporter with The Daily Lobo school newspaper, Isaac Avilucea, who requested Locksley’s phone records and text messages. Associate director of athletics, Richard Pickering, writes to Krebs, “I just want to be careful dealing with Isaac because we know he will be subjective in his reporting and will look to portray us in a negative light.”
Isaac Avilucea reports the stories from an objective standpoint, and can not be manipulated by this corrupt brunch of imbeciles; his reporting has exposed the deception of the UNM’s administration. AD-Krebs, President Schmidly, Coach Locksley and HR VP Gonzales should all be fired immediately.
Kim
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What is good about Krebs? Is it his ethics? No… Is it his decision-making? No… Is it the way he enhances the reputation of the university? No…
What is good about Locksley? Is it his ethics? No… He is going to be a great recruiter. Oh I bet.
Read more …
Alum.
Alum
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I think we are all pretty upset at how the face of UNM has been marred by a few infantile idiots that should have been turned away at the interview process. Locksley is not the first and last coach to “blow his stack” nor is Lambert the first and last “Goon.” The fact is folks, we are mad. I personally am mad with bickering and infighting at GPSA. I had approached an official about non-traditional students being passed over for grants in order to complete school. I had encouraged him to join forces with PMGC. His reply? “I am competing with (then president, name withheld) for the president of GPSA”. Wait a minute I said, this is NOT about you, but about us. Remember, those who pay our fees to keep you office open while we mainly subsist on loans?
No more grandstanding and no more popularity contests-simply put if you are in it for yourselves get out and quit wasting the students’ time and graduate student fees. We simply cannot afford you, your spin crap and your false promises. We pay enough in fees, and it is time to back up the platform you all run on.
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