News

News

Fiestas 2017 promising big name performers, less cost to students

Gabriela Garcia-Huff | April 5

For this year’s Fiestas, UNM’s annual Arts and Music Festival on Johnson Field, ASUNM Student Special Events strived to bring the biggest names to the most students, without breaking the bank. Claire McNallen, the executive director of SSE, said that unlike previous years, she and her team were very selective and conscious of whom they were appealing to. She said they chose not to advertise outside of UNM this year, in an attempt to mainly target students. “We’ve been really purposeful about getting as many students involved as possible. We were just trying to figure out who we don’t service with Fiestas every year and get them pulled in,” she said.

---

News

New York Times reporter talks WikiLeaks, national security at UNM

Elizabeth Sanchez | April 5

New York Times national security reporter Scott Shane visited UNM to give insight from his illustrious career as a journalist. In his career Shane has covered the Russian hacking during the 2016 election, the recent Vault 7 CIA leak and other incidents, and also served as Moscow correspondent for the Baltimore Sun. He is the author of “Objective Troy: A Terrorist, A President, and the Rise of the Drone,” which describes Anwar al-Awlaki’s participation in al-Qaida and his death by a drone strike ordered by former President Barak Obama. A reporter for 37 years, Shane spoke at UNM’s National Security Studies Program’s seventh annual symposium on Monday. He then gave a presentation about Anwar al-Awlaki at the SUB and later, gave a Q&A on WikiLeaks on Tuesday.

---

News

DACA: Dreaming beyond the new political landscape

Diana Cervantes | April 5

Since the election of President Trump, the future of students under DACA is unknown and many Dreamers are worried not only about what this means for their future, but also for the safety of their families. Medical student Yazmin Irazoqui Ruiz remembers the moment when her world didn’t seem so certain anymore, just five days after President Trump’s inauguration. “Jan. 25 was the first border security executive action, and that was the proof I needed to realize that Trump was going to go after what he said he was going to do,” Ruiz said.

---

News

Students form campus group to promote mental health

Nichole Harwood | April 5

In a time when nearly 20 percent of Americans suffer from some form of mental illness, a group of students has started a UNM chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI is the largest grassroots organization addressing mental illness in the U.S, and UNM’s newly formed chapter is joining that fight. “Most people that are going to suffer from mental mental illness in their lifetime are going to be diagnosed by the time they're 25,” said Matthew Rush, a UNM graduate pursuing his PHD and the president of NAMI UNM. NAMI UNM is in its first semester as an on-campus affiliate, having been only recently recognized by the national organization it shares its name with. NAMI UNM became an official affiliate on Feb. 24, just months before Mental Health Month, which begins in May.

---

News

UNM's Russian program teams up with Russian language institute

Cathy Cook | April 5

The Pushkin State Language Institute signed an agreement with UNM’s Russian program on Tuesday, making UNM the second U.S. school to partner with the Institute. The 50-year-old Institute is based in Moscow and focuses on teaching Russian as a foreign language. Russian program director Tanya Ivanova-Sullivan said it first contacted UNM in September about creating an agreement, which is not a typical exchange program, but instead an academic exchange of educational materials and experience. As part of the agreement, two professors visiting UNM from Pushkin taught an hour-long lecture in Russian on Wednesday and the school donated children’s textbooks to UNM, Ivanova-Sullivan said. UNM’s Russian program works with a local Russian school that teaches children Russian, especially heritage learners.

---

News

News in Brief: UNM hosts 8th annual Spring Symposium

Matthew Reisen | April 4

According to a UNM press release, the University’s Global and National Security Policy Institute and National Security Studies Program will host the 8th annual Spring Symposium on April 4-5, in the SUB Ballroom A. The symposium, titled “Global and National Security Challenges and Opportunities Facing the New Administration," will focus on challenges faced by the new U.S. administration which includes a myriad of regional, country-specific and thematic issues over the next four years, according to the release.

---

News

News in Brief: UNM highlights success in research

Matthew Reisen | April 4

According to a UNM press release, the Spring 2017 Shared Knowledge Conference will provide students an opportunity to learn about the depth of research work being done at UNM. The conference, organized by Graduate Studies, will be held on Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in SUB Ballroom C, according to the release, providing the campus community with a look into the diversity of programs while recognizing research excellence.

---

News

News in Brief: Smith Plaza / Union Square community workshop presentations planned

Matthew Reisen | April 4

According to a UNM Newsroom release, with the Smith Plaza/Union Square Renovation project underway, the next step in the process involves a series of community workshop sessions scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday. Three events are planned as part of the sessions. A preview of the renovation designs will be held Wednesday in Smith Plaza from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.; a lecture and discussion hosted by Surfacedesign, Inc. will be on Wednesday in George Pearl Hall at 5:30 p.m.; and a roundtable discussion on the renovation plans is scheduled for Thursday in SUB Acoma A/B from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

---

News

News in Brief: STEM students honored as Goldwater Scholars

Matthew Reisen | April 4

STEM students honored as Goldwater Scholars According to a University press release, the Goldwater Scholarship has been awarded to UNM students Jonathon Cordova and Randy Ko, with an Honorable Mention for Jane Nguyen. The scholarship, which was founded in recognition of U.S. Senator Barry M. Goldwater, recognizes exemplary students studying in the fields of mathematics, science and engineering, according to the press release. The Goldwater Scholarship provides financial support for juniors and seniors who are planning to pursue a doctorate and a career in STEM research.

---

News

National Briefs for April 5, 2017

Matthew Reisen | April 4

Sweeping federal review could affect consent decrees nationwide According to a New York Times report, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ordered a review of federal agreements with various law enforcement agencies across the country, an order that reflects President Donald Trump’s focus on law and order and could lead to a retreat on consent decrees with troubled police departments nationwide. In a memorandum made public Monday, Sessions directed his staff to look at whether law enforcement programs adhere to principles put forth by the Trump administration, including one declaring that “the individual misdeeds of bad actors should not impugn” the work police officers perform “in keeping American communities safe,” the article states.

---

News

Rally Against Sexual Violence unites community, discusses progress

Elizabeth Sanchez | April 3

On Sunday, Civic Plaza was flooded with songs, speeches and support for those affected by sexual assault, in the hopes of eventually eliminating it altogether. As part of the Rally Against Sexual Violence, the UNM Office of Equal Opportunity, the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center, the New Mexico National Guard, the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice, Planned Parenthood and other groups united to kick off Sexual Assault Awareness Month with the community-centered event.

---

News

Journalism students prepare for an evolving industry

Andres Del Aguila | April 2

As the news industry evolves alongside technological advancements, students in the UNM Communication and Journalism department are honing their multimedia and mobile reporting skills to meet the demands of future employers. Kate Nash Cunningham, a distinguished print journalist and UNM professor, said journalists must have the ability to portray a story on multiple platforms. “It used to be in journalism that students would go and write for the newspaper, and that was it,” she said. “You would go to the City Council, write the story, file it and go home. Now, a student who is working for a news organization or writing for their own blog, not only are they writing a story for deadline, they are going to be live tweeting, taking photos, sending video and audio.”

---

News

Several businesses suffering from ART

Andres Del Aguila | April 2

“No one wants to be on Central, not even the students,” Olympia Café owner Charlie Akkad said, frustrated over the restaurant’s 30 percent drop in revenue since the start of ART construction. “Mayor Richard Berry should have represented the people -- [ART] is a hindrance and it’s going at a snail’s pace.” Many owners and managers of local restaurants along Central Avenue echoed Akkad’s frustrations. Since the start of the project, many businesses in the area have experienced consistent drops in revenue, requiring them to cut hours and work with a smaller staff to prevent layoffs.

---

News

ART funding uncertain under Trump budget

Nichole Harwood | April 2

Federal funding for the Albuquerque Rapid Transit project, otherwise known as ART, is in limbo after the proposed budget plan under the Trump Administration. The project's budget was originally formulated using federal funds for $69 million, more than half the total budget. The funds were to come through Obama's New Starts grant program, but the ART project has not officially secured the grant yet. President Trump's proposed budget is for the 2018 fiscal year, and cuts all funding for the project. ART funding is in Obama's 2017 budget, however, which Congress will deliberate on soon. 

---

News

GPSA Elections: Presidential candidates

Celia Raney and Celia_Raney | April 2

The Graduate and Professtional Student Association at UNM will be holding its elections for president this week from Monday through Thursday. Here are the three candidates for GPSA president, and their goals were they to be elected.

---

News

UNM rolls out 1-on-1 sexual assault training

Kelly Urvanejo | April 2

Last week UNM, via email, notified students of the start of Department of Justice-mandated one-on-one sexual harassment and assault training. The DOJ last spring concluded a review of UNM’s policies and procedures that pertain to sexual assault response and prevention, to see if the University was in accordance with Title IX policy. The investigation prompted an agreement between UNM and the DOJ, which Torrez said gives UNM an outline “for how we are going to do the best job we can with Title IX and be in compliance with the law.”

---

News

The challenges of being a homeless student

Celia Raney and Celia_Raney | April 2

In 2013, FAFSA reported more than 58,000 college students nationwide were experiencing homelessness. After the throes of a recession, Joseph Haynes became one of those students. When he was laid off in 2014, Haynes realized he did not have the right experience to get a job in a post-recession market, so he chose to go back to school — choosing education over a place to live, a degree over a hot meal and a warm bed.

---

News

Pair of UNM regents to continue serving past term

Gabriela Garcia-Huff | April 2

UNM Regents Jack Fortner and Bradley Hosmer will remain on the board passed their allotted terms after the New Mexico Senate did not complete the confirmation hearings necessary for their replacements during the recently-adjourned legislative session. The nominated replacements — former state Sen. John Ryan and Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce CEO Alex Romero — were selected by Gov. Susana Martinez and sent on for approval by the Senate Rules Committee. However, the session ended before these hearings could be held.

---

News

Crime Briefs for March 30

Elizabeth Sanchez | March 30

Criminal Sexual Penetration and Assault with Intent to Commit a Violent Felony on Johnson Field On the evening of March 21, two officers were dispatched to the southeast corner of Johnson Field regarding a disturbance between a male and a female, according to a UNMPD report. When officers arrived, several witnesses said the male subject had already run through the parking lot to the east side of the Redondo Village Apartments.

---

News

Brooks wins ASUNM presidency, running mate Sally Midani wins VP

Brendon Gray | March 29

In what the ASUNM Elections Commission called a record voter turnout, UNM junior Noah Brooks was elected president of the Associated Students of UNM for the 2017-2018 school year. Brooks, who currently serves on ASUNM Senate, garnered 757 votes, just 40 over runner-up Gabe Gallegos, current director of communications for ASUNM. Brooks’ running mate, Sally Midani, was elected the vice president with 804 votes. The two ran on a platform focused on combatting sexual assault on campus, streamlining the advisement process and providing free transportation to athletic events for students.