Climate strike demands UNM to call state of climate emergency

Students, staff and members of the University of New Mexico community called for the University to declare a state of climate emergency Friday afternoon. University President Garnett Stokes was not in attendance to hear that message.

The climate strike included a march from Johnson Field to the outside Stokes' office in Scholes Hall. UNM LEAF —  a climate group —  and Fight For our Lives led the march in order to present Stokes with a letter demanding a regenerative campus, investing in education on climate change action and the elimination of UNM’s investment in the fossil fuel industry. 

Law students offer legal advice to Española residents with contaminated water

University of New Mexico law students are assisting Española community members with legal advice as the town faces water contamination through the Environmental Law Clinic. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a remedy a decade ago but has reported that the fix was inadequate at cleaning the deeper portions of the aquifer, which remain contaminated. 

UNM sexual assault cover-up suit settled

The University of New Mexico settled a civil lawsuit pertaining to the school’s handling of a 2016 rape allegation by a former student. What UNM will pay the plaintiff — or to what degree they will admit fault — remains unclear.

The settlement stemmed from a civil lawsuit brought by former UNM student Teriana Bagley, on Jan. 23 this year which alleged: “a campaign of misinformation, intimidation and retaliation (was) being conducted by and through Coach (Bob) Davie and the UNM football program.”

UNM declined to provide a statement about the settlement or its terms except to say “the settlement is confidential per state statute.” 

ASUNM plans for NM Legislature

As 2019 comes to a close and next year’s New Mexico legislative session nears, ASUNM President Adam Biederwolf is preparing to request new capital outlay funds from the Roundhouse, While previous ASUNM President Becka Myers’ capital outlay request has yet to see completion.

Last spring, Myers’ administration secured capital outlay from the legislature to fund solar panel installations on the roof of the Student Union Building (SUB). Before the project could start, it was discovered that the SUB roof had extensive weather damage. 

And that's a wrap: ASUNM Senate closes for the semester

In the culmination of the fall 2019 semester defined by budget concerns, the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico held their final full senate meeting of the semester on Wednesday, Nov. 20.

The liveliest debate of the night centered around Resolution 3F, supporting Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s proposed “Opportunity Scholarship.” Senator Matthew Zank decreed the resolution as partisan legislation which would set a “precedent” for politicizing Senate business. He also took issue with the Senate passing a bill that Zank said not all students would agree with. 

UNM to terminate internet service at SFH

The University of New Mexico provided internet service at the Student Family Housing (SFH) apartment complex will be terminated in July 2020 —  leaving residents to pay for their own internet. 

SFH is an off campus UNM Resident Life & Student Housing complex of 200 apartments designed specifically for “UNM students, both undergraduate and graduate, with spouses, domestic partners or families,” according to the UNM housing website.

According to an internal survey conducted by the SFH community, most of the residents at the SFH are graduate students and are employed by the University as teaching assistants or graduate assistants.