Nikole Mckibben

Monthly drive helps provide food to students, community

The Lobo Food Pantry, designed to help UNM students and their families in need of assistance, is on year three of its run at the University of New Mexico. The Roadrunner Food Bank delivers the food to “mobile food pantries,” like the one held at South Lot every month, where families pick out from a variety of fresh and non-perishable items at the drive to stock up their pantries. “Families are able to choose food that meets their needs,” Roadrunner Food Bank Communications Officer Sonya Warwick said, adding that the pantry is flexible with diet restrictions so families can get food to support their family.

UNM to help develop skills for Young African Leaders

UNM has been chosen to be part of the Young African Leaders Initiative headed by the U.S. State Department. The program is set to for summer, where fellows will come to UNM to learn leadership, organizational and entrepreneurial skills. The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders allows 1,000 “outstanding young leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa the opportunity to hone their skills at a U.S. college or university with support for professional development after they return home,” according to the program’s website.

Column: Milo has as much a right to a platform as protesters do

While attending the Milo Yiannopoulos event last Friday night, I was met with apprehension. But questions were swirling in my head: Will I be safe at this event? Is this one man really as bad as everyone says he is? I knew nothing about the Breitbart editor; only what people have said about him. Most of that has been negative, but this made me want to see what he was about all the more. Many of those I talked to felt the same way. They had no opinion one way or the other, they just wanted to see what the fuss was about. I hope that most people realize Milo Yiannopoulos is a provocateur. Despite his love for dramatics, people still chose to get very upset over his comments. Protesters attending his talk that chose to interrupt his “racist rhetoric” only resulted in being more offended than when they began. All of the protesters in the event added more fuel to the fire.

Yiannopoulos talks at UNM, touches on immigration, progressive movement, Islam

After weeks of not knowing for certain whether the University would allow the event to go on as scheduled, polarizing right-wing Breitbart writer Milo Yiannopoulos was met with acceptance and some resistance inside the SUB Ballroom Friday night, where touched on immigration, Muslims in America and his distaste for the progressive movement. Yiannopoulos’ speech, titled “America Deserves Borders” was part of his country-wide “Dangerous Faggot Tour,” which has encountered opposition and, in some places, violence. Yiannopoulos cast these leftist activist and minority groups in a negative light, but last night he ensured that no one was in a bubble. The speaker is known to be a provocateur in many places.

Yiannopoulos speech still on, despite safety concerns

The upcoming talk by alt-right speaker Milo Yiannopoulos on UNM campus, part of his “Dangerous Faggot Tour,” has been a controversial and hotly discussed topic for students lately. Several student groups and individuals have taken it upon themselves to protest the provocative nature of Yiannopoulos’ political views and ultimately shut down the event. The event organizers, from the University’s College Republicans and Young Americans for Liberty, have been working to promote their value of free speech throughout this entire process. Ryan Ansloan, a member of both groups, said he fears the possible actions of groups who disagree with Yiannopoulos’ political ideologies.

ASUNM prepares for UNM Day at the Roundhouse

ASUNM Governmental Affairs is offering a training for anyone wanting to be a team advocate for UNM Day, a day when the New Mexico State Legislature focuses on UNM-specific issues. These advocates travel to Santa Fe every year to meet legislators and lobby for issues that benefit UNM students. “With the capitol in Santa Fe, it creates distance between the legislature and students,” ASUNM Governmental Affairs Executive Assistant Royce Dellar said. “UNM Day allows legislators to put a name to a face.” Executive Director Nathan Cowan and his assistants Dellar and Jack Hodge started with a video highlighting “What to Expect” as an advocate. It presented UNM Day as an opportunity for UNM organizations to head to the state capitol to talk about what is most important to them. The 20-minute training session outlines what is means to be an advocate, and how to best interact with legislators and other professionals in Santa Fe.

Student government leaders looks ahead to 2017

ASUNM and GPSA hope to surpass their accomplishments from last semester by increasing student engagement, introducing new legislation and advocating to the State Legislature on UNM Day. GPSA President Glenda Lewis and ASUNM President Biederwolf, along with the Governmental Affairs team, will be in Santa Fe on Jan. 30 for UNM Day to speak to legislators about the importance of saving the Lottery Scholarship and other initiatives important to UNM. “The Lottery Scholarship is in danger of losing many portions of its funding, and lawmakers will need to act this session in order to keep New Mexico higher education accessible for all students,” Biederwolf said. Lewis said they are “definitely” in preparations for UNM Day, and hope to see a successful outcome from this year’s event. Lewis said she wants to “start the spring semester with a bang.” One of her goals is to increase student engagement and find how to better serve the students.

As student regent's term ends, potential successors interviewed

The search for a new student regent continues, as student governing entities have interviewed and selected potential candidates that they believed will be suitable for helping decide the strategic direction of the University, and also be the voice of the student body. “Student regent is the only member of the Board (of Regents) to walk, live and breath the UNM community on a daily basis,” said current Student Regent Ryan Berryman, whose term finishes at the end of the month. “It is vital to bring that grassroots perspective to the board.”

Board of Regents ASAR committee briefs

ASUNM constitutional amendment gains momentum An Associated Students of UNM constitutional amendment was passed by the Board of Regents Academic Student Affairs and Research committee on Thursday that, pending full Board of Regents approval, will change the way spring elections are conducted. The proposed amendment would set the vice president and presidential election three weeks prior to the senatorial election.

Absence of Lobo Alert raises concerns

On Nov. 9 Daniel Arushanov walked into the Student Union Building with a loaded gun. A Lobo Alert was not sent out that day, although he was taken into custody, and is now banned from campus. The Clery Act states that alert must be sent out as soon as an immediate and present danger to students has been confirmed. “We have to verify there is a threat, there was no threat to the campus and no time to alert to what was going on,” Byron Piatt UNM Emergency manager said. Arushanov violated the law by bringing a weapon on campus, which is when the SUB manager made the call to the UNM Police Department, UNMPD Lt. Tim Stump said.

Valle Encantado growers sell locally grown produce at Robinson Park. 

People sit and listen to a band play at the Downtown Growers Market at Robinson Park.