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News

Budget Summit to tackle enrollment, tuition

Danielle Prokop | April 8

Despite a bump in state funding, the University of New Mexico still feels budget pressure due to enrollment shortfalls, resulting in declining tuition and student fee revenues. Those concerns are front and center in UNM’s 2020 fiscal year proposals, which include a tuition increase, a pay bump for employees and an additional fee for technology. Proposals will be vetted on Tuesday at the Budget Summit, which will be held in the Student Union Building in Ballroom C at 9:00 a.m. The summit will be incorporated into the regularly scheduled Board of Regents meeting.

News

Muhammad Afzaal elected president of GPSA

Justin Garcia | April 8

Graduate and professional students at the University of New Mexico now have a new president. Muhammad Afzaal was elected as President of the Graduate and Professional Student Association. Afzaal swept opponent Sara Gutierrez, collecting 72 percent of the vote. Gutierrez received 136 votes, while Afzaal picked up 391 votes. Including eight write-in votes, 537 people voted in the election — about 8.8 percent of all graduate and professional students at UNM. Vote totals are unofficial until April 12.

Culture

Inside the Fine Art Library's massive vinyl collection

Sophia Sambrano | April 8

In the depths of the Fine Arts & Design Library lives The "Archives in the Grooves," a collection showcasing the range of the University of New Mexico's large LP collection. The various cases on display showcase a select few of the 20,000 LPs kept by UNM Libraries. The showcase covers a range of musicians and styes such as African American Classical Musicians, a Cecil Taylor display case, as well as displays dedicated to flamenco music, blues music and audiobooks. LPs, or long play records, hold importance in 20th century history, and the collection aims to showcase the multiple ways that these recordings are important. This is not only through musical recordings, but through audiobooks, oral histories, broadcast recordings and the infamous album artwork of the LP. The display cases were curated by UNM Library staff Stephenie Akau, Jonathan Hartshorn and William Kinney. Stephanie Akau, a library information specialist, curated the display case dedicated to African-American classical musicians, and discussed not only the volume of LPs available, but the range of different materials hosted in the showcase.

Culture

Art show calls for reflection on experiences

Amanda Britt | April 8

Can I reflect? – A question that not only asks you to think deeply, but a common question asked in the field of pathology. “We always have to ask during our examination, before we open up the head, we ask them ‘can we reflect’. That means reflecting tissue back,” said Alivia Magaña, a master's of Fine Arts student at the University of New Mexico. Magaña came to UNM in 2016 from Junction City, Kansas looking for a “ground shaking experience." She found just that working as a forensic photographer for the Office of the Medical Investigator.

Culture

NM Humanities Council hosts talk on album artwork

Luisa Pennington | April 6

Last Thursday, members of the Albuquerque community gathered to discuss album artwork and the personal sentiments that listeners attach to them. The New Mexico Humanities Council launched their exhibition, “Stories on the Sleeve,” with an opening reception. Walking into the exhibit, visitors were immediately drawn to the records displayed along the tall white walls. At eye level, cover art of albums created by the Rolling Stones, Joy Division, Dolly Parton, Rush and Iron Maiden illustrated the sounds of the physical copies within them. On the wall next to each album sat little black letters, telling the contributors’ stories. According to Jodi Hedderig, program officer for NMHC, the organization put out a call for entries. He said the idea behind the exhibit was to get community members to communicate about the common grounds found within music.

News

UNM undergrad to present research in D.C.

Justin Garcia | April 6

Have you ever compared extreme wave height estimation techniques for classifying energy resources and conditions? No? Well, University of New Mexico senior Bibiana Seng has. Seng is getting set to graduate in May, but before then, she is going to Washington D.C. in late April to present her research on wave height at the Council of Undergraduate Research Posters at the Hill event, where students can talk to members of Congress about their research. Suffice it to say, it’s going to be a busy few months for the senior studying mathematics and statistics.

Music

Concert Review: George Thorogood tours ABA, electrifies audience

Cole Space | April 6

For the last 45 years, George Thorogood and the Destroyers have brought their unique blend of blues and rock to concert halls across America. Last Friday night was no exception, the band packed Route 66 from the front to the back with eager fans ready to hang onto every note. The murmur of the growing crowd became louder as the clock approached 8 p.m., with anticipation hanging in the air. As the lights dimmed the murmur exploded into a raucous applause as each member of the band took the stage. Jeff Simon took his seat behind the drums, as bassist Bill Blough, guitarist Jim Suhler and saxophonist Buddy Leach spread out across the stage. George Thorogood took his place as the center piece, the spotlight gleaming down on him as the first song began.

Culture

Review: 5th Annual Food Truck Festival

Cade Guerrero | April 5

Last Saturday the Food Truck Festival took over Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta Park. 27 food truck vendors, were lined up next to 26 beer vendors, for the public to enjoy. Cover band, SourPuss, entertained the hundreds of food truck fans in attendance. My first stop at the festival was Cheesy Street, a food truck that ran off variations of grilled cheese sandwiches. I grabbed the “Yo Mamma’s” grilled cheese and the bread pudding. The sandwich was a bit underwhelming due to its basic ingredients, there was nothing special about it but the bread pudding made up for it with a blend of milk and cinnamon that melted in my mouth.

News

ASUNM: Students share why they voted

Justin Garcia | April 4

If you were one of the 1,476 undergraduates who voted in the 2019 undergraduate presidential and vice presidential elections, you might have noticed a couple of survey questions underneath the candidate's name. The poll was conducted by the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Elections Commission during Adam Biederwolf and Madelyn Lucus’s successful bid for President and Vice President, respectively. The election saw nine percent of the 15,609 UNM undergraduates turnout to vote.

News

ASUNM prepares for senate election

Justin Garcia | April 4

Two down, one to go. Starting on April 15, the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico will conduct their third and final election of the 2018-2019 school year. This time around, 15 undergraduates are looking to fill no less than 10 open seats on the ASUNM Senate. Every semester at least 10 Senate seats are automatically up for election. Some senators elected in the fall term may decide to resign, opening up more seats. “If you want to win, you got to campaign,” said Executive Director of Elections Commissions Jordan Montoya to the 15 students at the candidates' meeting on Tuesday.

Culture

UNM readies for Fiestas

Shayla Cunico | April 4

This Saturday, Johnson field will be transformed into a gated performance space that will play host to DJ, Ookay and Boogie for Fiestas 2019. Every year the Associated Students of New Mexico Student Special Events (SSE) puts on Fiestas, an annual music festival held at the University of New Mexico. The festival starts at noon and will be lighting up the faces of attendees until around 9 p.m.

Sports

Albuquerque Isotopes ready for upcoming season

Cameron Goeldner | April 4

The Albuquerque Isotopes are almost ready to play ball and kick off the 2019 season against the Salt Lake Bees on Thursday, April 4 at 6:35 p.m. The team returns familiar faces such as 2018 Pacific Coast League MVP Josh Fuentes as well as top prospects Brendan Rodgers and Peter Lambert. A trio of the longest tenured 'Topes, Jordan Patterson (368 games), Mike Tauchman (351) and Tom Murphy (215) will not return after moving on to new organizations during the offseason. 10 players on the opening day roster will make their Triple-A debuts, a group that is headlined by Sam Hilliard, an outfielder who is listed as the No. 10 prospect in the Rockies Organization according to MLB Pipeline.

Sports

Baseball: Lobos win after dramatic comeback

Matthew Narvaiz | April 4

It looked as though it was going to be Texas Tech baseball's day for the second game in a row over the Lobos, on UNM’s home field early Wednesday afternoon. But after going down 8-2 to the Red Raiders, who put together a six-run inning in the third, a mix of relief pitching and timely hitting helped the Lobos make the improbable comeback, as they went on to win 12-9 and split the series against the 11th best team in the nation. But UNM (15-14) didn’t shy away from Texas Tech’s (19-8) large lead and was able to put up a run each in the first and second innings. The Lobos big break came in the bottom of the fifth when they put together their first three-run inning.

News

ASUNM event promotes student self-care

Anthony Jackson | April 4

Booths lined Smith Plaza on April 2 during an Associated Students of the University of New Mexico event centered around self-care. Students and faculty came together to promote on-campus resources at the self-care carnival. ASUNM Vice President Emily Wilks and Outreach and Appointment Chair Emerald Goranson spearheaded the event. “(UNM Students) should know that there are a lot of resources on campus, and there are a lot of people who care about them on campus,” Goranson said.

Culture

UNM community has mixed reactions to smelly trees

Danielle Prokop | April 4

The smell of spring is in the air at the University of New Mexico. The birds flutter and tweet, people and turtles alike sun themselves at the Duck Pond and the flowers are all a-bloom — some more noticeable than others. The Bradford Pear's flowers can be especially “pungent.” That’s how Alan Billau, the arboriculture supervisor for UNM, described the white blooms located around the Anthropology Annex, North Zimmerman and around the Student Resource Centers.

Culture

Movie Review: Tim Burton's "Dumbo" fails to entertain

Justin Schatz | April 3

The latest of Disney’s corporate ordered live-action remakes, Tim Burton’s “Dumbo,” benefits from the director’s trademark aesthetic, but fails to rise above its uninspired predecessors. The only inspired element of this movie of outcasts is a director who has made a career turning outcasts into empathetic characters. Despite its “play it safe” storytelling, “Dumbo” attempts, and largely fails to build on several themes presented within the first thirty minutes. “Dumbo” opens in 1919 with Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell), a former circus equestrian performer, returning home from the war to reunite with his two kids, Milly and Joe (Nico Parker and FInley Hobbins). A shaken and hollow Holt is without an arm and his kids are unsure of how to interact with their father. The relationship between a war-scarred father and his children never develops. The scars of both Holt and his children are immediately dismissed once Dumbo enters the story.

News

GPSA presidential elections begin today

Justin Garcia | April 1

Two graduate students are running to become the next president of the graduate student government in an election that runs (online) from April 1 to April 4. Graduate and professional students at the University of New Mexico will select either Muhammad Afzaal or Sara Gutierrez as the next president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association. “Are you prepared for your whole life to change?” asked Andrea Abeita to Afzaal during his pitch to the council at the March meeting, referring to the responsibility and stress that she said comes with the job. Afzaal is studying community outreach and planning and Gutierrez is studying public administration. Both candidates have limited experience with GPSA.

News

UNM students win diplomacy award in Spain

Justin Garcia | April 1

From bioweapons to blockchains, Andrew Baker and James Goodman know their stuff. During Spring Break, while a lot of students were taking it easy, the student organization World Affairs Delegation was winning awards in Madrid, Spain. Baker and Goodman both took home diplomacy awards, given out to members who “seek to empathize, to understand, and to collaborate with their fellow members to produce the most positive change and advancement they can,” according to the Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMUN).

Culture

March celebrates civil rights leader Cesar Chavez

Makayla Grijalva | April 1

The steady beating of drums echoed through the streets Saturday as a long line of people marched from the National Hispanic Cultural Center to downtown Albuquerque. The march happens annually— it is now in its 26th year honoring the late civil rights leader, Cesar Chavez. “I think it's important for our community and young folks to really appreciate whose shoulders we stand on,” said Emilio Huerta, son of civil rights activist Dolores Huerta. “If not for the sacrifices of folks like Cesar, my mother and other labor and civil rights leaders, we would not have a lot of the rights we have today, that we enjoy today.”

Culture

Student org helps Lobos showcase their art

Luisa Pennington | April 1

The University of New Mexico's Arts Entrepreneurship Club was originally started by faculty sponsor Regina Chavez Puccetti of the UNM College of Fine Arts and Anderson School of Management, in collaboration with former President, Miguel Lastra, a Fall 2018 UNM Graduate, to aide students looking to meet art-focused entrepreneurs and broaden their network. "Students in all disciplines of the arts often don't take the time to develop solid entrepreneurial skills. In college, the focus tends to be only on developing their artistic talent,” Chavez Puccetti said. “The UNM Arts Entrepreneurship Club works to help all creative students build their network and find entrepreneurial opportunities... we want to help our graduates increase their chances of success as creative entrepreneurs."