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UNM launches First-Year Promise scholarship

Amanda Britt and Cameron Ward | March 11

Freshmen coming to the University of New Mexico may receive free tuition and have their first-year college fees covered through the "Lobo First-Year Promise" program. The incoming freshman fall class at UNM's main campus must earn a minimum 2.5 GPA for the 2020-21 academic year, enroll in a minimum of 15 credit hours for the fall and spring, be a New Mexico resident, be a graduate of a New Mexico high school within the past 16 months, submit a 2020-21 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a family income of $50,000 a year or less to qualify. Vice President for Enrollment Management Dan García said New Mexico residents with financial needs will have the resources available to cover tuition and fees through the scholarship. He also said the scholarship will give greater assurance to students who may not believe they can afford a four-year university by showing the University wants them here.

News

Mia Amin, Ana Milan take ASUNM election

Justin Garcia | March 11

SUB ATRIUM — Mia Amin will serve as the next president of the undergraduate student body. Amin garnered 870 votes — about 57.8% of the total undergraduates that participated in the election. The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico president essentially acts as the main representative to UNM's administration when it comes to tuition and fee raises and advocating for what students want. Amin ran on a platform of increased inclusivity, accountability and a mentality shift within ASUNM.

News

APD investigates shooting west of campus

Justin Garcia | March 11

The Albuquerque Police Department is investigating an area west of the University after they said a man was shot near the FreeRange coworking space on Central Avenue Wednesday afternoon. APD spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said in a statement provided to the Daily Lobo that officers were dispatched to 1710 Central Avenue SE shortly after noon in response to a shooting call. APD officers found a victim, later identified as Carlos Nolasco, half a block away on the corner of Central and Pine with at least one gunshot wound "near his upper torso." The shooting preceded a campus-wide Lobo alert warning "APD out at shooting at 7-11. Central/University. Avoid the area."

News

UNM approves cost hike

Justin Garcia | March 10

SUB BALLROOM — Unanimously and without debate, the University of New Mexico greenlit a tuition and fee raise on Monday, March 9. The decision continued a multi-year trend of increasing the cost of attendance at New Mexico's flagship public institution. The total cost bump is $125.08 per semester for an undergraduate taking 12 credit hours, which is considered full-time. For graduate students, the increase is $156.72 per semester for those taking 12 credit hours. The Board of Regents — UNM's ultimate decision-making body — also reduced the undergraduate block discount, from essentially three free credit hours when taking at least 15 credit hours to one-and-a-half free credit hours.

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."

News

Historic ASUNM elections approaching

Alyssa Martinez | March 8

Voting for a $5 fee raise and on student body presidential and vice-presidential candidates is just over a week away. Beginning at 8 a.m. on March 9, undergraduate students can log onto their my.unm.edu account or make their way to the Student Union Building to vote on the constitutional amendment (Bill 5S) and for one of the two presidents and vice presidents vying for the positions. The constitutional amendment would upcharge all undergraduate students $5, bringing the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico-mandated student fee to $25 per semester. The bill was touted by many senators as a more transparent option when it passed on Feb. 13 because it would clearly label the $25 amount as a government fee on the Bursar's website.

News

Spruce Park condemns homeless shelter placement near the neighborhood

Beatrice Nisoli | March 8

The Spruce Park Neighborhood Association met at the Central United Methodist Church to protest on March 4 the potential installation of a homeless shelter on University of New Mexico property. The meeting showcased an hour of public comment, culminating in the Neighborhood Association board approving a statement condemning the use of University land for the Gateway Center. The neighborhood residents’ primary apprehensions ranged from overarching safety concerns to questions of why the University would utilize its plot of land for a homeless shelter, rather than expanding the UNM Cancer Center.

News

Museum of Southwestern Biology opens their doors for annual public event

Megan Gleason | March 8

From cryogenic freezers to butterflies pinned up and trapped behind glass — the Museum of Southwestern Biology (MSB) opened its doors to the public Sunday for the second time. MSB hosted the second annual Open Collections Event for the public on March 8, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Museum is a research facility within the Department of Biology at the University of New Mexico, with research done by both students and faculty. Self-lead tours ranging from one to two hours took place throughout the day via online reservation.

News

Voting for ASUNM President and VP begins

Alyssa Martinez | March 8

Four candidates, two positions, one election. Beginning March 9, undergraduate students can cast their votes for either of the two students vying to be student government president and vice president. The election ends March 11 at 5 p.m. Jacob Silva and Emma Hotz — #1 on the ballot for president and vice president, respectively — and Mia Amin and Ana Milan — #2 on the ballot — are running to assume the highest roles in the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico body.

Sports

Baseball captures three wins against Hofstra

Spencer Butler | March 8

The University of New Mexico’s baseball team captured three walk-off victories this weekend against Hofstra, which also gave them a sweep of the weekend’s games. The first game happened on Friday, March 6 and saw the Lobos win 12-11. UNM scored the first run of the game, which came on a single by Shane Podsednik and put the Lobos up 1-0. Hofstra, however, plated four runs in the top of the third, which gave them the lead.

Sports

Lobo Men's basketball ends 2019-2020 season

Joe Rull | March 8

A true tale of two halves, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball 2019-2020 season came to an end in the quarterfinal round of the Mountain West Championship tournament. After a promising 15-3 start, the Lobos (19-14, 7-11) stumbled to the finish line, entering the tournament on a 3-10 skid. UNM’s lackluster mark in conference regular-season play was good enough for the seventh seed in the 11-team conference tournament. The seeding drew UNM a play-in round matchup against San Jose State, with whom the Lobos split their two-game regular-season sla

News

New vaping bill raises legal age to purchase

Lissa Knudsen | March 8

The New Mexico Tobacco Regulation Act (Senate Bill 131) was signed into law on Wed. March 4. The new law requires manufacturers, distributors and sellers of tobacco products — including e-cigarettes — to be licensed in New Mexico and to be subject to criminal penalties if they manufacture, distribute or sell tobacco products in the state without a license. It also raised the legal age for purchases of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products from 18 to 21, aligning New Mexico law with recently passed federal law.

News

Census looks to hire temporary workers in NM

Lissa Knudsen | March 8

The 2020 U.S. census count will happen on April 1, 2020, and the federal government is still looking to hire thousands of temporary workers. A census worker in Bernalillo County will receive a pay rate of $16 to $17.50 per hour with checks disbursed weekly, according to the Census 2020 website, Jobs for the 2020 census include both field and office positions. A single application allows you to be considered for several positions, including census taker, census field supervisor, recruiting assistant, office clerk or office staff supervisor.

Culture

CMF challenges students to make short films in a week

Loreena Cain | March 5

Students at the University of New Mexico will be competing to create five-minute films in a week with the Campus Movie Fest (CMF). Currently, 58 UNM students have registered as of the CMF information night on March 2 to participate in the film fest. Students can, however, continue to register until the event ends on March 9. The festival launched on March 3, and student films are scheduled to be completed by March 9. The films will then be sent to a panel of judges made up of students and professors at UNM. The top 16 films will premiere at a red carpet event on March 11.

Culture

oSTEM to host Transgender 101 training

Beatrice Nisoli | March 5

Out in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (oSTEM) is partnering with the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico (TGRCNM) again to host an on-campus event aimed at educating on how to be allies for gender-diverse communities. The Transgender 101 training will take place on Thursday, March 12 in the Centennial Engineering Building Auditorium, room 1041, from 5:30-7 p.m. This marks the second occasion oSTEM has partnered with TGRCNM. Indeed, the training itself will be directed by a representative from the resource center.

Music

CFA thesis shows Guatemalan sociopolitical system through queer lens

Amanda Britt | March 5

DOWNTOWN, ABQ — Martin Wannam's thesis show "La Eterna Resistencia" examines the sociopolitical system in Guatemala through a queer, brown lens with content based off of religious narratives and normative societal ideologies. Wannam's work manifests itself through large-scale prints hung from the walls of the Center for Fine Arts Downtown Studio. The prints showed queer men and women from Guatemala dressed as folklore legends, both from South America and Wannam's own imagination. "I started taking Guatemalan legends and queering them out," Wannam said. "I would change their narrative and change the way they're perceived as queer."

News

Panel discusses NM prison system issues

Spencer Butler | March 5

ZIMMERMAN — A group of about 60 people gathered in the Willard Room in Zimmerman Library on March 2 for a panel discussion titled: "Who is Caught up in New Mexico's Criminal Justice System? Considering Race, Ethnicity, Class, Gender." Jeff Proctor, an investigative reporter for New Mexico In Depth, hosted the panel on the prison system in New Mexico and the flaws within it. New Mexico Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, University of New Mexico law professor Sonia M. Gipson Rankin, director and co-founder of the Institute for the Study of "Race" & Social Justice Nancy López and deputy director of the New Mexico Sentencing Commission Douglas Carter sat on the panel.

Music

Orwellian story brought to life by small cast at Popejoy

Megan Gleason | March 5

POPEJOY HALL — Albuquerque was just one stop along the "1984" tour, but I'm glad they performed here. Seeing a live performance of such a fundamental novel is something that I won't forget. The Aquila Theatre presented George Orwell’s "1984," as adapted by Michael Gene Sullivan, at Popejoy Hall on March 1 at 3 p.m. This production had only six cast members on stage, with five others on the creative team and five more on the production team. "1984," along with "The Odyssey," are the two shows performed on the Aquila Theatre's national tour.

News

Grad students protest for better wages and work schedules

Alyssa Martinez | March 5

SMITH PLAZA — Nearly a dozen graduate employees convened on March 2 in solidarity with the 74 University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) graduate employees that were effectively terminated over the weekend after a months-long strike. UCSC teaching assistants refused to submit final grades as leverage for a cost of living pay adjustment. After denying the university's ultimatum, the striking graduates were either fired or had contracts unrenewed for the spring leaving many undergraduate classes vacant, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "It's ridiculous to expect graduate workers in California to live off of $18,000 per year," said Emma Mincks, a graduate student in the English department and employee at the University of New Mexico. "They just can't live off of that in California when your rent is $1,800 to $3,000 a month."

News

UNM reps push census turnout

Lissa Knudsen and Alex McCausland | March 5

SMITH PLAZA — Beginning March 12, homes across the country will start receiving invitations to complete the 2020 census, and University representatives are working to ensure everyone in the state is counted. A small group of impassioned advocates, students, professors and government representatives gathered in Smith Plaza on March 4 for a press conference designed to encourage New Mexico residents to participate in the 2020 census. Cathryn McGill, appointed by Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and the Bernalillo County Commission to chair the Albuquerque/Bernalillo Complete Count Committee, spoke at the gathering and emphasized that the financial return on the individual time investment would be well worth it for the state.