Editor,
I found Student Union Building director Walt Miller's comments in the Daily Lobo greatly troubling, and I suggest he clarify them.
In the Nov. 30 edition of the Lobo, Miller said that street vendors had been excluded from campus because "the mall is for campus activities, not to become retail space." Yet, as anyone knows who has seen the MTV-style tours, computer giveaways and "model dorm room" that students could win - all of which have clogged the campus mall in recent months - I can assure you that UNM has already made the campus mall a retail space.
UNM has shown that the University is ready and willing to sell its space to the corporate retail world, and has inconvenienced students like myself who are insulted that you deem it perfectly acceptable to let these "free" product pests clog our learning environment.
Now, I am willing to put up with some stupid MTV jock filming some stupid show while I am walking across campus - I know it pays UNM's bills and Miller's salary - as long as UNM has a consistent policy and accurately describes that policy to the University public.
If the vendors are willing to pay your permit price, they should be allowed to return. On the other hand, if UNM is only interested in the big money of corporate retailers who can afford to pay the University the big bucks to park their RVs on campus, at least let us know.
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And if the University's first priority is the campus community, as Miller said, why doesn't UNM let the campus community decide whether to bring back vendors? While we're at it, we could also vote on whether we want that model dorm room. Please clarify.
Matthew Bernstein
Graduate student
