coronavirus

News

COVID-19 pandemic may impact US census count in New Mexico

Lissa Knudsen and Alex McCausland | March 13

The COVID-19 pandemic may mean an even lower census count in New Mexico this year — which could lead to the loss of hundreds of millions in federal funding over a decade. In 2010, New Mexico was the second most undercounted state in the nation, according to outreach campaign NM Counts 2020. In a statement released on March 12, the Census Bureau said depending on future COVID-19 recommendations from public health officials, they may need to delay or discontinue nonresponse follow-up visits in particular communities but will attempt to adapt their operations to ensure they get a complete and accurate count.

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News

Faculty prepare as expectations rise to move classes online

Makayla Grijalva | March 13

As the number of COVID-19 cases increase in the state, University of New Mexico faculty have quickly adjusted and are beginning to move many classes to an online format.  On the morning of March 12, an All-Faculty message solidified that classes would not be canceled after spring break as of yet, but encouraged faculty to decrease in-person interactions. 

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News

ASUNM: Fiestas canceled

Justin Garcia | March 12

Fiestas, one of the largest and most expensive events on campus, has been canceled for 2020.   The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM) announced the event’s cancellation over a press release Thursday. Student Special Events (SSE), the ASUNM entity that hosts the densely-populated event, canceled Fiestas because of the growing spread of the novel coronavirus.   According to the New Mexico Department of Health, there are six cases of COVID-19 in New Mexico as of March 12. Shortly before the fifth case was announced, the New Mexico Secretary of Health banned large gatherings over 100 people. 

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News

UNM prepares amid coronavirus scare

Makayla Grijalva | March 10

As universities across the country cancel in-person classes amid escalating numbers of COVID-19 illnesses and deaths, the University of New Mexico is preparing its own contingency plans amid revelations of the first presumptive cases of the virus in the state. UNM officials said the school hadn't identified any novel coronavirus cases among the campus community. Student Health and Counseling reported on the evening of March 11 that they tested two people for the virus and are waiting on results. "At present, there is no evidence of any COVID-19 coronavirus cases in the UNM faculty, staff, and student community, and UNM does not need to close or establish quarantines," the University said in a release on its dedicated coronavirus website. "However, the potential impact on our community is evolving, so we all need to remain informed, wise, and supportive."