News

News

Graduation rates, staff morale discussed at Board of Regents meeting

Hannah Eisenberg | February 15

Innovation Academy Professor Robert DelCampo, of Anderson School of Management, attended UNM’s Board of Regents meeting Tuesday morning to discuss The Innovation Academy, a new school program of which he is the executive director. The Innovation Academy launched in August 2015 with the intention to foster innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurship among students. With over 541 students signed up across 31 different majors since its conception, the program has blown past the goal set by former President Bob Frank of 15 students enlisted per year.

---

News

Training spotlights mental health crises

Cathy Cook | February 15

Nursing, physical therapy, dental hygiene, emergency medicine and medicine students were all brought together Tuesday to learn about helping someone in a mental health crisis. The Interprofessional Education Office in the Health Sciences Center put together the two-part mental health first aid certification course and Amy Levi, director of interprofessional education, said they thought it would be a good tool to give students. “I don’t know that students often have the skills or the tools to say to a classmate, ‘I think you’re feeling a little stressed out’ or ‘are you feeling like you want to hurt yourself’ or something like that,” Levi said. “Those are taboo subjects unless you feel like you have the knowledge to be able to interact with somebody that is experiencing that kind of crisis.”

---

News

LoboAlerts delays causing concern for UNM community

Denicia Aragon | February 15

At UNM, there is a communication time delay regarding safety advisories between the University and the campus community. The delay — the amount of time from when an incident occurs until a LoboAlert is distributed — exposes potential dangers on or around campus that are cause for concern for some in the campus community LoboAlerts is the means of communication that lets the campus community know, via text message and email, when there is a safety issue on campus, typically related to a reported criminal act.

---

News

Crime Briefs for Feb. 16

Elizabeth Sanchez | February 15

Battery at Casas Del Rio On the afternoon of Feb. 5, three victims arrived at the UNMPD station to report that their roommate at Casas Del Rio had been battering them for a few months, according to a police report. Victim One (who had a small red mark on the left side of his neck) said early that morning, the suspect asked him to turn down his already low music and began to yell at him. The victim said he asked the suspect to leave him alone when the suspect placed him in a headlock for around three minutes. Victim One said after the suspect released him from the hold, he stayed on the other roommates’ side of the suite until the following morning.

---

News

Assisted suicide bill makes the rounds at the Roundhouse

Celia Raney | February 14

“I don’t know if I want to go to the very end, with a death from cancer,” said Aja Riggs of Santa Fe, addressing a room full of decision makers at the Roundhouse as she recalled the day she considered ending her life. Riggs’ testimony was in support of making assisted suicide legal in New Mexico. “I thought that if it came to choosing a more peaceful death I would have to do it all by myself to keep from implicating anyone else,” she said.

---

News

Acting UNM prez touches on budget situation, campus climate in first town hall

Cathy Cook | February 14

UNM acting President Chaouki Abdallah held his first town hall Monday in the SUB so students, touching on the current University atmosphere and its budget situation. The event only lasted about a half hour, and though only three questions were asked, Abdallah answered them all thoroughly. Abdallah outlined three specific goals he has as acting president: focus on student academic success, work to improve the campus climate and the level of trust between students, faculty and administration, and to work with legislators and regents on UNM’s difficult financial situation.

---

News

Newly selected regent steps down due to constitutional conflict

Jonathan Baca | February 14

Former New Mexico House Speaker Don Tripp announced Tuesday that he will step down from his appointment to the UNM Board of Regents, due to a regulation in the state Constitution. Governor Susana Martinez announced the appointment of Alex Romero, CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, to replace him on the board. Tripp was appointed to fill one of the two vacant seats on the board just three weeks ago, but in a statement released Tuesday, he said he was removing himself from consideration due to a section in the state Constitution that prevents legislators from serving in a civil government post during or within a year after serving in Congress.

---

News

ASUNM approves funding for Women's Rugby amid calls for team to join the Athletic Department

Denicia Aragon | February 13

During last week’s Associated Students of UNM Senate meeting, the UNM’s Women’s Rugby team was granted an appropriation of $17,347 for travel and uniforms, while ASUNM Student Special Events received $16,583 for the upcoming Fiestas event. The appropriation originally requested by the Women’s Rugby team was $29,534, which would pay for travel, professional services and new uniforms to replace the 5-year-old ones currently being used. SSE requested $20,000 for the Fiestas — one of the biggest events the group hosts on an annual basis — on the grounds that the money with help with booking a reputable musician for the event.

---

News

Football: Season ticket prices to drop for 2017

Robert Maler | February 13

The University of New Mexico announced Friday that season ticket prices for the upcoming football season will be reduced by 10 percent across the board. Head coach Bob Davie said he has appreciated the support from Lobo fans and feels everyone should focus on the people that show up to see the team play, instead of trying to figure out why there are more fans in the stands. But he said he would surely welcome more filled seats, and the University is making a targeted effort to boost attendance.

---

News

Q&A: Local bestselling author Michael McGarrity

Matthew Reisen | February 13

Michael McGarrity is an award-winning author who has published 15 novels over the duration of an illustrious career. He wrote about law enforcement, the judicial system and psychotherapy before penning his first novel, “Tularosa”. With the publication of “Tularosa,” McGarrity turned to writing full-time, and many of his novels have been national bestsellers. He has been recognized with several awards for this work, including the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts in Literature, the Frank Waters Exemplary Literary Achievement Award and the Santa Fe Mayor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, Literature. The Daily Lobo sat down with McGarrity to talk about his craft, student writers and the importance of literature.

---

News

UNM Football player being investigated for alleged sexual assault

Robert Maler | February 13

The New Mexico football program has put together two of its best seasons in program history, but another accusation of an alleged sexual assault has brought a different kind of attention — one that is “frustrating” and “disappointing.” KOB 4 reported that New Mexico football head coach Bob Davie confirmed that one of the players is currently under investigation. The report said Lt. Tim Stump of UNMPD confirmed a case involving an alleged sexual assault, but did not release the names of those involved.

---

News

Students, teachers forced to tolerate noise as McKinnon Center construction begins

Elizabeth Sanchez | February 12

As students returned from winter break, they were met with the sights and sounds of construction at the Anderson School of Management — all part of the creation of the McKinnon Center for Management. ASM professor Steven Yourstone said the new 61,000-square-foot facility will be almost entirely completed by March 2018, with equipment and furnishings that April and May, and staff/faculty move-in during June. Yourstone began working on the project 10 years ago and currently oversees a large portion of the project now that the demolition work has begun.

---

News

Lobo earns scholarship for study at Cambridge

Nichole Harwood | February 12

UNM chemical engineering student Julian Vigil was recently awarded the Churchill Scholarship, which will present him with the opportunity to study at The University of Cambridge in England among other accomplished scholars. “My family and friends have been wonderfully supportive throughout my undergraduate career, and I very much appreciate all of that support and the kind wishes I have received since hearing the news that I received the Churchill Scholarship,” Vigil said.

---

News

NM legislators resist Trump's wall

Brendon Gray | February 12

A group of democratic state legislators are pushing to block President Donald Trump’s proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall. House Bill 292, proposed by New Mexico Rep. Javier Martinez, would block federal use of state land for building a wall between the state and Mexico. “The idea of dividing an entire people in or out is ludicrous,” Martinez said. Rep. Bill McCamley, who co-sponsored the bill, said he supports legislation to block a border barrier because it “would be a huge waste of money.”

---

News

Monday on the Street: Is UNM a safe campus?

Matthew Reisen | February 12

Do you think UNM campus is safe? If not, what could be done to make it safer?

---

News

KIVA Club reaffirms mission to abolish the UNM seal

Brendon Gray | February 9

The effort to abolish the UNM seal — which some on campus have accused of being offensive — began in a campus apartment, and although the fight has come a long way, it’s not over. UNM KIVA Club has proposed a seal abolition to many levels of administration and, even after a frustrating November Board of Regents vote to continue using the seal, the group has not given up. On Wednesday, the group revisited its effort to abolish the seal, and reaffirmed is dedication to activism for future generations.

---

News

After travel ban, Iranian Student Association provides info to students at teach-in

Cathy Cook | February 9

There were more people than seats at an Iranian Student Association-organized teach-in Thursday to help international students understand the effects and status of President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration, as well as their rights and the work being done in Albuquerque to support them. Micah McCoy, the communications director for American Civil Liberties Union New Mexico; Linda Melville, a representative of the Global Education Office; and Sammia Assad from the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice formed the panel. Parya Nickbeen, a graduate student and head of the ISA, hosted the event.

---

News

Local group meets, discusses ways to resist Trump

Celia Raney | February 9

Excitement, joy and applause sprouted from every corner of a crowded room where community members gathered with a plan of action: stop President Donald Trump. Founded by Barbara Lemaire, the Nob Hill chapter of Indivisible held its second meeting at local restaurant Canvas Artistry Wednesday evening. A nationwide organization founded by activists and former congressional staffers, Indivisible’s goal is to proactively resist Trump’s political agenda.

---

News

HSC holds symposium on childhood adversity

Hannah Eisenberg | February 8

On Tuesday evening the Health and Sciences Center held a symposium to address the issues of childhood adversity affecting New Mexico. Dr. Andrew Hsi, professor of pediatrics at UNM’s medical school and a key figure in UNM’s fight against childhood adversity, walked on stage for his presentation with a large, black trash bag thrown over his shoulder. Hsi dropped the bag on the floor as he said that it was a visual presentation of the burden children and families carry with them after adverse childhood experiences. Being involved in the field of childhood and family adversity for over 27 years with FOCUS, a division of UNM’s Center for Development and Disability, Hsi knows the weight all too well.

---

News

#YouAreWelcomeHere Campaign Embraces UNM’s Diversity

Elizabeth Sanchez | February 8

Lights. Camera. Equality. Yesterday, students, staff, faculty and community members gathered at the SUB Atrium, taking photographs and short videos, sharing pins reading “welcome” in various languages and creating a short film. This was part of an effort to appreciate diversity at UNM through the #YouAreWelcomeHere Campaign. Danielle Gilliam, the administrative officer at the UNM Global Education Office, said the #YouAreWelcomeHere Campaign has already been brought to over 20 other universities.