Student activism integral to checking cronyism, corruption

Editor,

Events in recent weeks underscore how crucial student involvement and activism are in maintaining the integrity of our public University.

First, $150,000 went missing from the coffers of student organizations. The money was returned only when administrators got caught with their pants down, and the Daily Lobo admirably reported on the situation. When asked by a student at a recent campus town-hall meeting for an explanation of this "re-assignment" of student funds, President David Schmidly said that the money was returned and that it's "behind us."

Second, there was an outpouring of student concern over the decision to move Student Services, which forced administrators to respond to many tough questions: How will student employees be transported in a timely manner from campus to their jobs at the new Student Services office? How will disabled students be transported to the new Student Services office? Will the remaining "one-stop" campus office truly provide all necessary services? And will these changes eventually lead to an increase in tuition? Last, revelation of conflicts of interest compelled Schmidly's son, Brian, to decline a $94,000 job offer from UNM. In each of these cases, student organizations, including GPSA, ASE, PIRG and ASUNM, proved crucial in giving students a voice and holding administrators accountable for what they do at our University. Without student activism, it is impossible to keep institutional cronyism, corruption and profit-driven interest in check.

In the spirit of this activism, UNM students and community members have started to write a UNM "Disorientation" guide. Modeled after DisGuides prepared at other universities, our guide will cover the history of activism on campus, raise critical consciousness of the privatization, corporatization and militarization of UNM, and it will become a broad resource base and forum for student collaboration and activism. Released this week for students to use during campus Disorientation tours and to build awareness, the guide is in early development.

We need ongoing input from UNM faculty, organizations, students and the community in order for this guide to be the best it can be. It is reassuring and commendable that Schmidly and administrators stated a commitment to creating solutions for the problems that were communicated during the town-hall meeting, but that is not enough. Students must have a voice in the process of making sure that these commitments are fulfilled.

I want to congratulate all the students and organizations that are working hard for a better University. Keep an eye out for the pilot edition of the UNM "Disorientation" guide. Contact us with your contributions and suggestions, and help us make it better.

Carla Josephson

UNM student