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UNM experts react to Trump DEI overhaul efforts

Maria Fernandez and Nate Bernard | March 10

Since President Donald Trump’s reelection, he has repeatedly targeted federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs that seek to increase diversity within the government. These efforts could have negative impacts, including in New Mexico, according to UNM experts. Executive orders on Jan. 20 and Jan. 21 directed federal agencies to terminate their DEI programs, before a federal judge largely blocked the orders on Feb. 21, according to The Associated Press. While the executive orders did not specifically define DEI programs, DEI refers to “programs that ensure people from different backgrounds, cultures, identities, and experiences feel accepted in their environments, whether at school, work or other organizations,” according to The Columbus Dispatch.

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White House takes control of press pool

Elizabeth Secor | March 10

On Feb. 25, the White House broke decades of precedent by announcing that the administration will now select which news outlets can cover events with President Donald Trump. This changes who is allowed into the Oval Office, Air Force One and some other meetings and conferences, according to Politico. This decision followed the Feb. 14 White House banning of The Associated Press from the press pool for not changing its editorial standards to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America — the recognized name of the gulf by the United States government — according to CNN.

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Albuquerque experiences driest winter on record

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | March 10

This year, Albuquerque saw its driest winter season on record with total precipitation amounting to 0.12 inches at the Albuquerque Sunport, according to the Albuquerque National Weather Service. In a statement to the Daily Lobo, NWS Albuquerque wrote that the average high temperature in February was also the second hottest on record, with the first being in 1907. John Fleck, writer in residence at the Utton Transboundary Resources Center — a University of New Mexico center that promotes equitable and sustainable natural resource management — said that the extremely dry and warm weather is a “double whammy.”

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What happened to UNM’s Undocumented website?

Elizabeth Bolke and Esmeralda Lozano | March 5

In January, the University of New Mexico took down its Undocumented UNM website due to outdated information and is instead routing students to the El Centro de la Raza website for resources, according to Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Cinnamon Blair. The website affirmed the University's commitment to “standing with and supporting our undocumented students and their families,” according to an archived version of it.

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University police bodycam bill headed to Senate floor

Lauren Lifke | March 3

Lawmakers voted Friday, Feb. 28 to advance to the Senate floor a bill that would explicitly require university police departments to use body cameras, after it was substituted for clarifying language. Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces) proposed Senate Bill 505 after learning that the University of New Mexico Police Department took the stance that it wasn’t subject to a 2020 state statute that required police departments to adopt body cameras. “I was disappointed to see and hear that,” Cervantes said. “I was happy to see that NMSU and others were compliant with our wishes.”

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Menstrual Equity Project seeks to become university-wide

Elliott Wood and Elizabeth Secor | March 3

At the start of the spring semester, the University of New Mexico launched the Menstrual Equity Project, which provides free menstrual products in Zimmerman Library's high-traffic bathrooms. The project was inspired by another one implemented by the UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center in 2021, according to Amy Jackson, the associate dean for the College of University Libraries & Learning Sciences. That project included menstrual products in both men’s and women’s restrooms because the library did not have gender-neutral restrooms. Zimmerman has followed suit and provided products in both women’s and men’s restrooms. The project is funded through the Student Fee Review Board, Jackson said.

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ASUNM finalizes student attorney position legislation as budget debate looms

Elliott Wood | March 3

An otherwise uneventful full senate meeting of the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico was punctuated by an impassioned appeal from Sens. Jayce McCloud and Hope Montoya on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The pair appealed for senators to involve themselves in the ASUNM budget process, as the time for full senate discussion of the upcoming budget is all-but-confirmed for the next meeting. A suspension of the standing rule that time-limits senators’ opening remarks motioned by Finance Chair Montoya allowed McCloud 15 minutes — instead of the usual five — to deliver his call to action.

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How New Mexicans may be affected by Trump's tariff plans

Nate Bernard and Jaden McKelvey-Francis | March 3

New Mexicans could see increased prices on certain goods due to new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, according to a University of New Mexico finance expert and a local business owner. The Trump administration plans to impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10% tariff on China, according to the White House. The tariffs will go into effect on March 4. In the simplest form, tariffs are taxes on goods that come from other countries, according to Reilly White, an associate professor of finance.

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Students evacuate from Johnson Center after dryer fire

Lauren Lifke | February 25

On the afternoon of Monday, Feb. 24, Johnson Center was evacuated after a dryer-related fire caused smoke to fill the building, according to University of New Mexico Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Cinnamon Blair. There were no injuries or damage to the building, Blair said. Albuquerque Fire Rescue responded to the scene and told Blair the fire was controlled, she said.

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University police bodycam bill passes first committee

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | February 25

Lawmakers voted Monday, Feb. 24 to advance a bill that would explicitly require university police departments to use body cameras, just over a year after the Daily Lobo revealed a loophole in a state statute. The 2020 statute, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces), requires law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to use body cameras. While it does not explicitly exclude university police departments, it also does not explicitly include them.

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UNM study finds high levels of microplastics in human brains

Shin Thant Hlaing | February 24

A team of University of New Mexico scientists found that the human brain is the organ with the highest concentration of microplastics and nanoplastics compared to the liver or kidney. The study, led by Matthew Campen, looked at the brains of people in New Mexico who died in 2016 and 2024. It also included samples from people who died from 1997- 2013 on the east coast. The total mass concentration of plastics in the analyzed brains increased by about 50% in the 2024 sample compared to the 2016 sample, according to the study.

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UNM reaffirms commitment to diversity following federal guidance against race-based programs

Maria Fernandez and Nate Bernard | February 24

The University of New Mexico will risk losing federal funding if it does not end race-based programs by Feb. 28, according to a Department of Education memo sent to schools across the country Feb. 14. The memo cited Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which bans discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin against any person, including within programs that receive federal funding. As of Feb. 21, UNM will not make any changes to its operations, nor to its academic programming or student support services, according to UNM Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Cinnamon Blair.

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Speakers discuss Trump’s policies, free speech, divestment at Regents meeting

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | February 24

On Thursday, Feb 20, speakers at a University of New Mexico Board of Regents meeting raised concerns about President Donald Trump’s executive actions, including on immigration, funding cuts, and diversity, equity and inclusion. The meeting, held at the Student Union Building, was the first open session of the spring semester and the first for newly appointed regents Patricia Williams and Christina Campos. Some student and faculty speakers also asked the Regents to consider divesting from Israel and the fossil fuel industry. During advisors’ comments, Graduate and Professional Student Association President Michel Rivera Ramirez spoke to the Regents about his concerns related to Department of Education guidelines for schools to end race-based programs by Feb. 28.

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Stokes sets vision for UNM’s future at State of the University address

Lily Alexander and Jaden McKelvey-Francis | February 24

On Friday, Feb. 21, University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes reflected on the past year and outlined plans for UNM’s future in her seventh annual State of the University address. During the speech, she mentioned the University’s response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive actions that target funding for higher education. Part of the University’s response, Stokes said, includes maintaining UNM’s resource centers and health programs in the face of Department of Education guidance telling universities to end race-based programs by Feb. 28 or risk losing federal funding. The University’s rapid response teams, which were implemented after Trump’s inauguration, will continue to analyze executive orders and regulations, she said.

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Darkness visible: the University of New Mexico’s archive on the sexual abuse of children by priests

Alex Heard | February 21

This story was originally published by Searchlight New Mexico. If you have experienced sexual assault, sexual violence or unwanted sexual contact, you can contact the Rape Crisis Center of Central New Mexico at (505) 266-7711. Links in this story contain graphic descriptions of sexual abuse of ...

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Uncertainty looms over UNM with proposed federal research funding cuts

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | February 17

The future of medical research at the University of New Mexico remains uncertain after a federal judge temporarily blocked funding cuts for overhead costs at research institutions. President Donald Trump announced the cuts Feb. 7, which would put a cap on funding from the National Institutes of Health for “indirect costs.” These costs are used for things like laboratory space, faculty and equipment. The proposed cuts aim to maximize the amount of funds that go toward “direct” research costs, according to the announcement.

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UNM reverts to Trump-era Title IX regulations after federal actions

Lily Alexander | February 17

Universities across the country, including the University of New Mexico, have reverted to 2020 federal regulations that increased rights for students accused of sexual misconduct and did not explicitly protect LGBTQ+ students. This follows a Feb. 4 Department of Education notice that instructed schools to revert to the Title IX regulations that were in place during President Donald Trump’s first administration. The last major shift for Title IX occurred in August 2024, when some universities, including UNM, implemented regulations put in place by then-President Joe Biden’s administration. Passed in 1972, Title IX is a federal law that, in part, protects people from sex-based discrimination at public universities that receive federal funding. It also requires universities to prevent, assess, investigate and resolve complaints, according to UNM Compliance, Ethics & Equal Opportunity.

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ASUNM sees rush of appropriations, elects new president pro tempore

Elliott Wood | February 17

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico voted on 12 appropriations requests from student organizations and elected a new president pro tempore during its full senate meeting Wednesday, Feb. 12. This was the second election for the president pro tempore position in three months. The newly elected president pro tempore, Sen. Gabbie Gonzales, won over Sen. Charlie Doyle in the roll-call ballot, with endorsements from former President Pro Tempore and current Finance Chair Hope Montoya and Steering & Rules Committee Chair Mary Garcia.

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‘Our fight is not over’: Deb Haaland launches governor campaign tour in Albuquerque

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | February 14

Former Secretary of the Interior and United States Rep. Deb Haaland kicked off her gubernatorial campaign tour in Albuquerque Thursday, Feb. 13 with a message of resilience. Two days before the Albuquerque rally, which was held at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Haaland formally announced her ...

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James Monroe Middle School educates students on Black history in New Mexico

Elliott Wood | February 10

At James Monroe Middle School located in northwest Albuquerque, seventh grade New Mexico history teacher Jon Stauss teaches lesser-known Black History Month lessons to his students. “For Black History Month, my classes engage in a three-day unit on the town of Blackdom near modern day Roswell,” Stauss said. “It was established and settled by Black sharecroppers coming into the state from places like Georgia at the turn of the 20th century.” Francis (Frank) Marion Boyer, the leader of the group who created Blackdom Townsite Company in 1903, began his search for an area to settle after being threatened by the white supremacist group the Ku Klux Klan in his home state of Georgia, according to the National Park Service.