The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico Senate passed two resolutions at its last meeting of the semester on Wednesday, April 30, aimed at addressing the effects of climate change in New Mexico and students and staff who are at risk, due to “shifting federal priorities” regarding inclusion and citizenship status, according to the resolution.
Resolution 2S is a formal declaration from ASUNM urging UNM to declare a climate emergency. The resolution supports the creation of a UNM sustainability council, which resolution sponsor Sen. Jayce McCloud said is already in progress. In addition, the resolution reads that ASUNM advocates for implementing a Strategic Sustainability Plan that would lay out measurable goals for carbon neutrality, responsible investments and sustainable infrastructure on campus.
Resolution 3S is also a commitment from ASUNM to urge University leadership to “publicly reaffirm its institutional commitment to fostering an inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment for all members of the university community.”
According to the resolution, this includes upholding the rights, safety, stability and educational opportunities of all students, faculty and staff members at the University among federal research funding cuts, threats to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in education, and threats to international students by the Trump administration.
The meeting marked the departure of ASUNM President Anthony Tomaziefski and Vice President Mutazz Jaber. Tomaziefski is graduating this semester, and Jaber lost his bid for election to the presidency to Andrew Norton in April. Both served for four semesters.
McCloud was also elected president pro tempore by the senate during Wednesday’s meeting over the title’s current holder, Sen. Gabbie Gonzales, in a narrow 11-9 vote despite concern from some senators over his role in last month’s failed impeachment of Jaber. Gonzales was elected in February after her predecessor, former Sen. Bailey Rutherford, resigned at the beginning of that month.
Three bills were passed during the meeting, including Bill 36S, a collaboration of Sens. Nick Romero and Adrianna Casaus that lays out a demerit process for the ASUNM vice president. In April, both senators promised individually in the wake of the impeachment attempt to develop a demerit process in order to create alternative forms of disciplinary action for the position.
The bill looks nearly identical to the demerit process for senators as laid out in Section 3500 of the ASUNM Lawbook, with the exception that the vice president should be subject to removal from office after three demerits, whereas senators are afforded four before being considered to engage in “willful neglect of office.”
During discussion, objections were made over a lack of consultation with members of the judiciary during the bill’s creation and concern for how it could affect the balance of power between branches — a notion Romero and Casaus attempted to dissuade the senate of before voting.
In the end, the vote came to a tie at 7-7-6-0, but was broken by an “aye” vote from Jaber, leading to the bill’s passage. Jaber said that though he agreed that the bill could be “tweaked,” he believed that it was important for it to pass, saying that it provided “grace in ASUNM” and that said quality was important for student government leaders to have.
Elliott Wood is a beat reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. They can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
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