At the end of October the David Horowitz Freedom Center named UNM one of the top 10 most terrorist-friendly universities in the country, due in part to students groups like the Muslim Student Association and Students for Justice in Palestine. Now, the center is asking University President Bob Frank to take action.
At their final senate meeting of the semester on Wednesday, the Associated Students of UNM unanimously voted its support for students carrying pepper spray on campus for their safety, something that might soon be allowed pending a policy change. Resolution 3F states that the undergraduate student governing body “supports the adoption of a policy to allow pepper spray on campus as a commitment to promoting safety ... and empowering students with the ability to protect themselves.”
UNM Libraries is moving its databases from e-reserves to the Learn system, giving students a one-stop shop for class materials. Library Operations Manager Aaron Blecha said they began to advertise the switch in June, and the process is currently underway, with e-reserves to no longer available after Dec. 11.
Should the cost of online courses be shared by all students?
The UNM Board of Regents on Friday approved the next phase of renovations at Lobo Field: a clubhouse for the baseball team. By a unanimous decision the regents voted for the design, construction and lease for the R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard Baseball Clubhouse. According to a memo provided to the regents, the 5,764-square-foot clubhouse will feature a locker room, players’ lounge, training and hydrotherapy rooms, restroom facilities and showers, coaches’ offices and stairs leading to a second-floor deck.
The Associated Students of UNM, the undergraduate student governing body, held their final senate meeting of the fall semester on Wednesday.
The National Jurist Magazine ranked the UNM School of Law sixth best in the nation for best value, based primarily on value of education. Other factors included the amount of debt students take on post-graduation, cost of living and graduate employment rate. UNM has made the top 20 on the list eight times since 2007, improving their ranking from 11th over that span in the process.
The work of two UNM faculty members may redefine the procedures and concept of environmental conservation by comparing changes that occurred after the last ice age to the changes we face today. Felisa Smith, a biology professor, and Melissa Pardi, a biology doctoral candidate, have contributed to a series of research that addresses the environmental changes that occurred after the megafauna extinction of the Pleistocene epoch. Smith's and Pardi’s research is comprised of computer models based on fossil distribution of Pleistocene predators in different environments and core samples which model the effects the Pleistocene extinction had on ecosystems.
People from across the United States, and the world, have witnessed the recent events at the University of Missouri: students from Mizzou’s campus protesting for the removal of university president Timothy M. Wolfe for acting passively towards racially-charged incidents on campus. After a hunger strike by a graduate assistant at the university, and constant pressure from students and university football players alike, he eventually stepped down from his position. UNM has also experienced racial tension on campus, but the administration acted differently.
An American watchdog website has listed UNM as one of the top 10 “terrorist-friendly” universities nationwide — a claim that some on campus are calling unfounded and illegitimate. The David Horowitz Freedom Center wrote the article for stopthejihadoncampus.org, stating that two national student groups — the Muslim Students Association and Students for Justice in Palestine — are being supported by universities in their efforts to allegedly “spread the propaganda lies of the terrorist organization Hamas, and to demonize the Jewish state” through events. But Masood Mirza, president of the Muslim Students Association at UNM, said the group’s goals are leaning in the opposite direction.
For 15 years, every online class taken at UNM has a delivery fee of $100. But after Friday’s Board of Regents meeting, that fee may change — and not just for students taking online courses. Vice Provost of Extended Learning Monica Orozco Obando and Associate Vice President of the Office of Planning, Budget and Analysis Andrew Cullen will propose an end to the delivery fee for all online classes at UNM. What would replace it is a mandatory fee that all students would pay each semester, regardless of their enrollment in online courses.
Marvinn Croizeau, a non-degree status exchange student at UNM from France, was sitting in his room listening to live coverage of the soccer match between France and Germany on his radio when he heard explosions. Initially, he thought some youngsters were using fire crackers near the stadium to enjoy the match. But then he suddenly received a notification on his phone that “the stadium (was being) evacuated.” “To my devastation, it was François Hollande, the French president, who was escorted from the stadium,” said Croizeau. “I suddenly realized that something was terribly wrong.”
Six out of every 1,000 college students in the United States, are victims of sexual assault, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Molly R. Morris, a senior psychology major, wants to see that figure decline. That desiret led her to start a new organization this semester called Revoking Silence, designed for students who have been victims of sexual assault or domestic violence. “I feel as though UNM does not take the needed steps to help survivors and instead pushes them aside or ignores them, which is why I decided to join Revoking Silence,” she said.
A team of students and faculty representing UNM’s School of Architecture and Planning and School of Engineering took home the gold at the 2015 National Design-Build Student Competition earlier this month, despite being first time contenders. The competition was held at the Design-Build Conference & Expo from Nov. 2-4 in Denver, Colorado. According to the Design-Build Institute of America’s website, the team of Lobos went on to beat teams from the Universities of Washington and Colorado-Boulder in the final round. The competition originally started at the regional level with 31 teams representing 26 different schools from across the country.
One UNM student has achieved more than a large majority of the student body, and he’s only 14 years old. Noah Rodney, a dual credit student, said age should not be an obstacle for anyone when it comes to achieving their dreams. “If you set your mind to it, you can do whatever you want,” he said.
Buoyed by a new, more convenient method of voting, more students submitted ballots for last week’s Associated Students of UNM elections than in any other fall election in the last 10 years. According to the official count 1,746 undergraduate participated in selecting 10 senators, who will serve two semesters beginning in the spring, compared to 682 last year. That represents a 256 percent growth. Elections Commission Executive Director Nadia Cabrera said she is hopeful for improved turnout in future elections, but thinks this semester’s could have gone better. Less than 10 percent of UNM undergraduates took part in this year’s elections, Cabrera said.
Last week, UNM announced their new interim director of choral activities in Juan Hernández, according to a University release. Hernández, who was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia, graduated from Los Andes University in Bogota with an undergraduate degree in Choral Conducting. He specializes in piano, violin, and clarinet. Hernández has a lot of experience in his field, according to the release.
UNM graduate assistant Sarah Wilkinson was recently awarded a New Mexican humanitarian award, according to a UNM release. Wilkinson has a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Illinois and is a professor in the UNM’s Peace and Justice Studies program. The award was created in 2008 and was started by the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque. It recognizes “people who have embodied an outstanding spirit of humanity in a local, national, or international capacity,” according to the release.
UNM Anderson School of Management is hosting its annual Boerigter Business Breakfast Program at Hotel Andaluz on Dec. 4, featuring Col. Eric Froehlich of Kirtland Air Force base, according to a University statement. “As part of his presentation, Froehlich will outline the mission of Kirtland, give details about his planning process and offer examples of how his leadership style contributes to the success of the billion dollar operation,” according to the statement.
COSAP is holding its second annual Diary of a Lady Lobo, or DOLLS, event this month to provide students with an outlet outside of alcohol and substance abuse. COSAP Health Educator Tiffany Martinez said the event, titled “Paint Your Heart Out,” will be held in the SUB Atrium this Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. There is no entry fee, and anyone who wants to sign up can do so in the COSAP office, she said. The first 50 students to register will have a seat reserved for them.
Solutions by The State News
