Students will soon have the chance to voice concerns to ASUNM senators about everything from campus lighting to new dorms.
The undergraduate student government will host a town-hall meeting Monday in the SUB Atrium. The main discussion will be about the Master Plan, which is a document guiding UNM’s growth over the next 10 years, Sen. Zoila Alvarez said.
Alvarez said a major part of the plan is making UNM less of a commuter school by moving parking off campus and providing more on-campus housing.
“As of right now, they want to make it a more community-based university,” she said. “That’s great, but I just don’t feel that with how much of a commuter campus we are, that’s going to be exactly what the student’s want.”
Michael Hoodless, ASUNM senator, said the forum is an opportunity to talk about lack of parking, increased lighting around campus and printing charges.
“This is to let students know, ‘Hey, the reason these things are being done is because students aren’t speaking up,’” he said. “If they know what’s going on, then they’ll speak up a little more.”
Alvarez said students may not know the details of the plan and will miss the opportunity to give their input on it. She said ASUNM organized the forum to hear students’ ideas on these issues.
“If nobody says anything, they’re going to continue with these plans,” she said. “They’re good in the larger scheme. I’m just not sure if they’re appropriate for the entire student body, and we’re here to represent everybody.”
Mary Kenney, UNM planning officer, said she will be at the forum to answer students’ questions about the Master Plan. She said she is eager to hear student input on transforming UNM into a campus that fosters community and moves away from commuting.
“We want to create an environment that’s exciting,” she said. “Right now, it’s kind of boring, frankly.”
She said there is no set date for presenting the Master Plan to be approved by the Board of Regents.
Hoodless said many students are uninformed about issues that will end up affecting them in the long run. He said the forum can help students get informed.
“That’s the whole idea — to open up students’ eyes to what is going on,” he said. “A lot of students just don’t know. We want to help them out as much as possible.”
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He said he is hoping that 50 to 100 students will show up, but isn’t sure if it will happen. Alvarez said ASUNM will probably host only one more forum this semester.
*ASUNM town-hall meeting
Monday
Noon to 1 p.m.
SUB Atrium
To find the Master Plan online, visit iss.unm.edu/PCD*
