Association sponsors Lobo, candidate debate

Editor,

As a student in a diverse range of student organizations, I have seen the concern toward ASUNM Bill 5B. I attended the Senate meeting where Daily Lobo representatives and Sen. Grant Nichols gave both sides regarding the future of the Daily Lobo’s funding.

At the Senate meeting, I was likely to be considered a pest for continually asking for more information from both the senators and the Daily Lobo: “Hey, the senators have a piece of paper that I don’t get ... Psst … Mr. Senator can I have that … Psst .. Hey, Daily Lobo, can I have a copy of your budget?”

Well, I got the numbers in front of me, I heard all the arguments and I was there. So, why am I still confused? Perhaps it is because I am part of six on-campus student organizations who have fought tooth-and-nail to get four cents more just to make a copy. Those same four cents needed to be on an itemized list along with everything else we intended to spend for the next fiscal year.

I keep hearing the Daily Lobo stands to lose $38,000. That is a whole lot of money, but it is only five percent of the newspaper’s budget. I did the math, and that is seven times the funding for all my student organization’s budget combined. In short, taken from Sen. Nichols numbers, 76 new student groups (at $500 each), or as I estimated 29 organizations being sustained at minimal operating cost (at $1,290.25 each — the average budget of my organizations) could be generated if Bill 5B passes.

Yet, I question how I am voting come April 11. Do I really want the Daily Lobo to be denied student funding, if ASUNM feels there’s a better place for it? I know there are several organizations that wouldn’t mind seeing a one page, black-and-white Daily Lobo if that meant for them just a few copies more. The Daily Lobo, however, is sometimes the only information source for faculty, staff and students on and around UNM. For some, the Daily Lobo is the only source of information concerning what the ASUNM Senate is even talking about. The Daily Lobo are the people who congratulate student organizations on a job well done, who are sometimes the only way of alerting students of an organization’s existence and sometimes the “Independent Voice” when ASUNM is passing controversial bills and amendments.

I have come to the conclusion I need more information. I present to the public my solution: An open forum in which ASUNM presidential candidates, Sen. Nichols and Daily Lobo representatives will speak more openly about their stances on all that has come, and is coming about, before elections on April 11.

Therefore, Phi Alpha Delta/The Pre-Law Association (which I represent) cordially invites you to participate in the ASUNM Candidate Debate, Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Room 123 of Dane Smith Hall. This debate will be presented as a means of information, with all views being respected.

--Amanda S. Zubiate

Vice president

Phi Alpha Delta