Editor, I want to commend Daily Lobo journalists for doing an excellent job in reporting on the current economic crisis at UNM. Every day, even if I have a busy schedule, I have made it a point to check the latest in the Daily Lobo and to read the lead articles carefully.
Editor, I strongly believe that government's role in economic hard times like these is to help the common man get by and to help our nation's workers prepare for what could be a very different future economy. Given the recently declared recession, I particularly appreciate UNM going ahead with major capital improvement projects.
One thing is certain: UNM's new head football coach Mike Locksley likes his bright red jacket. "I look good in red - oh, cherry. I look good in cherry," he said. "I don't want to make that mistake." UNM introduced Locksley, former Illinois offensive coordinator, as head football coach in SUB Ballroom C on Tuesday.
The Lobo Spirit Club has set out to rethink the way UNM is perceived. The group began as a homecoming committee, but it has developed over time and started activities such as Red Rally, where club members create and burn a giant papier-mache NMSU Aggie. Junior Cate Wisdom, director of Lobo Spirit, said the club has steadily gained momentum.
Students in UNM's Relay for Life organization are raising money for the American Cancer Society, encouraging their peers to help cure a disease that affects all walks of life. The Relay for Life event takes place in communities and colleges across the country, and UNM's chapter is hosting the Celebration of Hope Week in the SUB this week.
UNM's hiring freeze is putting pressure on departments such as English, Psychology, and Communications and Journalism, where faculty must cope with empty administrative positions that won't be filled anytime soon. The English Department recently lost its department administrator, who was promoted to another position.
While the debate about abortion heats up in the letters to the editor, so do the comments posted on DailyLobo.com. Here's a look at what some of our online readers have to say: Rich Latta, while your letter is an interesting look at scripture, it does not speak to the issue of abortion: Why is it OK to kill the unborn baby? Do you doubt or deny the medical science that clearly identified you as a new, unique, distinctive human being at the moment of conception? If you agree with medical science, do you agree that we should end abortion except to save the life of the woman when no other choice is available? Philip Howell posted on DailyLobo.
The UNM head football coaching position is not only filled - it's a lock. Mike Locksley accepted the head coaching position in front of fans and media in the SUB on Tuesday. And the charismatic coach is winning over UNM students and fans already. "He brings a new excitement because I think he is young and energetic," UNM student Jesse Hathoot said.
The Board of Regents will spend $3 million to install a steam turbine that will provide energy for campus. The money comes from the $6 million cogeneration unit project the regents axed last week. The remaining $3 million will go toward renovating The Pit.
UNM and Albuquerque Public Schools will align their spring breaks in 2010 in an attempt to accommodate employees' needs. Laurie Mellas, executive director of the UNM Parent Association, said she has been working with APS for four years to align the breaks but that the proposal has not caught on until this year.
About 50 students and faculty members agreed that President David Schmidly must justify his decision to spend more on a top-heavy administration while scaling back on academic programs. The mix of graduate students, professors, associate professors and department directors met in the SUB on Monday to prepare for Schmidly's Friday forum.
Mike Locksley's holidays just got a lot brighter. According to ESPN, Locksley, Illinois' offensive coordinator, will succeed Rocky Long as UNM's head football coach. Long resigned Nov. 17 after the Lobos went 4-8 overall and 2-5 in the Mountain West Conference.
Last month, the American work force took a big shock to its system. Productivity fell, and absenteeism rose to levels not seen since January 2007. Many workers seem apathetic about their jobs, and most appear to be getting less sleep than they need. The reason for this should be obvious to all.
Editor, I would like to publicly say thank you to the UNM transportation team. I commute to UNM for classes and park in South Lot. Last semester, this was not a pleasant experience; I had to wait in line, sometimes for 20 minutes, for a bus to come around, and sometimes, I barely made it to class.
Editor, On Feb. 12, Lawrence King, 15, was shot and killed in his classroom by a 14-year-old classmate. In the same month, a black transsexual woman, Duanna Johnson, was beaten and pepper sprayed while handcuffed in a police station in Memphis, and then in November, she was found dead.
Daily Lobo: What are you majoring in? Andriea Pirlot: I'm majoring in sign language, or I plan to, but I want to go to dental school. DL: How does that work? AP: I get my degree in sign-language interpreting, but I get all the prerequisites that you need for dental school, so I can still apply.
In light of the economic crisis, many pet owners are giving up their furry friends because they can no longer afford to take care of them. The number of pets being surrendered has increased by 45 percent compared to last year, said Peggy Wiggle, executive director of Animal Humane Association of New Mexico.
Friday is the last day to submit writing, art and music to Conceptions Southwest. Editor Jennifer Olson said the publication usually gets between 200 and 300 submissions. "For the size of the University, that's not very much," Olson said. "People shouldn't hesitate to submit.
Solutions by The State News
