Daily Lobo
Students wandered through the new ASUNM and Student Activities offices eating cookies, turning in budget forms and getting to know people during an open house Friday.
Members of the three new offices provided refreshments and welcomes to visitors in the Student Services Center to let people know about their new locations.
Sen. Steve Aguilar said he misses the old Associated Students of UNM office in the Student Union Building.
"I'm thankful we have a building," he said. "It's not what we had before, but I'm thankful."
Aguilar said he likes being right next to the Student Government Accounting Office because students don't have to walk as far to get there.
Sen. Ahna Mee said the offices are too small to fit all 20 senators.
"You kind of lose community when you can't hang out together," she said.
Mee smiled and welcomed members of student organizations, who peeked into the doors of Room 262 to see if they were in the right place. Many had come to turn in their spring budget proposals before the 5 p.m. deadline.
Mee said some student organizations turned in budget forms, but failed to attend the mandatory budget workshops. She said 15 percent of funding for those groups will be rescinded as a penalty.
She said a few students asked about vacant ASUNM positions during the open house. Mee said she encourages students to apply and be open to other ASUNM positions that might not have been their first choice.
Ryan Lindquist, a graduate assistant in the Student Activities Center, said about 100 students came into the Student Activities office to ask about student programs.
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Lindquist said the center deals with all non-academic undergraduate activities.
"We like to call ourselves the fun part of UNM," he said. "We're a resource to get you involved."
The Student Activities Center, Room 280, offers pamphlets about student organizations, scholarship and award applications and help student groups become official.
Some of this year's UNM scholarships include the $2,000 Macey Scholarship for outstanding campus service and the $1,500 Class of '42 Memorial Scholarship, awarded to students for campus involvement and financial need.
Student groups need to be chartered, or recognized by the University, before they can receive funding through ASUNM or the Graduate and Professional Students Association. Each group must fill out a one-page chartering form and submit a constitution and by-laws to the Student Activities Center.
Latoya Taylor, who works in the Student Government Accounting Office, said people wandered into Room 260 to see how the room had changed from an executive conference for the Dean of Students to an office with small cubicles.
"It had a big round table, big swivel chairs," she said. "Now it's a more relaxed atmosphere."
Employees in the accounting office oversee the funding of student organizations and receive most of their mail and packages.
"It helps to know people on a first name basis," Taylor said.
Taylor said she is happy with her new location.
"Students can hit our office, go to ASUNM and SAC in the same place," she said.
