News - The Daily Lobo

News

UNM Students Attend Domenici Public Policy Conference

Denicia Aragon | September 22

Nine UNM students were given the chance to question top U.S public policy leaders last week at the Domenici Public Policy Conference hosted by New Mexico State University held at the Las Cruces Convention Center, according to a UNM release. Nineteen students from NMSU, UNM, Eastern New Mexico University, New Mexico Tech and Western New Mexico University collaborated over the summer to develop questions to ask each speaker at the conference. For this year's event, the speakers included “former North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt, former U.S secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, a former U.S ambassador to Syria, and New Mexico's current governor Susana Martinez,” according to the release.

Priscilla Mendoza (left) laughs with Mimmi Muleta while they separate rice in individual bags with other volunteers. Groups of students gathered in front of La Posada to volunteer in a food initiative that was designed to put together bags of rice and beans to give to the Road Runner Food Bank.

News

UNM food initiative calls for volunteers to prepare community fare

Matthew Reisen | September 22

UNM held a food initiative on Monday to benefit local farmers and call for volunteers to help a good cause. Daniel Maldonado, marketing director for UNM Food, said the event, called the “Local Food Initiative,” was held from four to six on Monday afternoon in La Posada Plaza. UNM collaborated with La Montanita’s Co-op and Bueno Foods to provide donations to Roadrunner Food Bank

News

UNM's BA/MD program a finalist for Examples of Excelencia Award

Denicia Aragon | September 22

UNM's School of Medicine is receiving national recognition for its work to boost Latino enrollment in higher education achievement, in addition to shedding light on the lack of physicians in New Mexico, according to a University statement. Excelencia in Education, a nonprofit organization created to advance Latino student success in higher education, nominated UNM’s Combined BA/MD program as a finalist for its annual Examples of Excelencia award.

The Interfaith Vigil for Immigrant Justice and Dignity walks along 4th Street to support four Albuquerque women who are attending a 100-mile march.

News

New Mexico women join march for migrant recognition

Isaac De Luna | September 21

A group of locals is joining 100 migrant women as they set out on a 100-mile pilgrimage from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Washington, D.C. in hopes of attracting the support of Pope Francis during his visit to the nation’s capital this week. With more than 100 attendees, El Centro de Igualdad y Derechos – a local grassroots effort that fights for Latino rights – organized a vigil in support of the four Albuquerque women who will be joining the march to amplify its message of justice, said Fabiola Bawden, one of the four women who will participate.

News

Monday on the Street: Albuquerque transportation

Matthew Reisen | September 21

What do you think about the current public transportation system in Albuquerque, and how do you feel about proposed plans to change it later this year?

News

UNM alum starts foundation with programs to help underprivileged

Sayyed Shah | September 21

A UNM alumnus has established a foundation to show solidarity with underprivileged communities, and to help reduce health disparities across the globe. David Ishmael, a political science and geography graduate and founder of the Ishmael Global Foundation, said that the organization is dedicated to three primary issues: health, sustainability and education. “The healthcare part of the organization will focus on oral health,” Ishmael said.

Demetrius Johnson and Cody Artis watering the cornfield.

News

KIVA Club provides relief for mine spill victims

Marino Spencer | September 18

UNM KIVA club members distributed about 1,100 gallons of water and 100 cases of bottled water donations to Navajo Nation communities near the Four Corners area in an effort to ease the burden of an area affected by the Gold King Mine spill in August. Residents near Shiprock, NM affected by the spill, a disaster releasing three million gallons of contaminated water into the Animas River, face the decision of keeping off their irrigation systems, which could lead to crop failure, or turning them on, resulting in possible crop contamination. KIVA President Demetrius Johnson said the association collected water from several donors, exceeded their goal and needed at least four vehicles to haul the donations from Albuquerque to Shiprock on Sept. 5. Cody Artis, the public relations officer for the KIVA club, said they distributed donations to five families in the Shiprock and Aneth, Utah communities. Both towns are located near the Four Corners area, along the San Juan River.

UNM graduate student Cyler Conrad works to explore the relationship between climate change and prehistoric subsistence in mainland SE Asia. Conrad is a National Geographic Young Explorer who will be one of the speakers at Saturdays Young Explorer Grant Workshop.

News

National Geographic offers grant workshop for hopeful researchers, explorers and conservationists at UNM

Elizabeth Sanchez | September 18

The National Geographic Young Explorers Grants workshop, which is being held this Saturday at UNM, aims to inspire future explorers, researchers and conservationists to use their program to see the world and share new discoveries. The workshop will cover all the ins-and-outs of the program via presentations by Young Explorers and National Geographic representatives followed by refreshments, allowing students to interact with National Geographic grantees and staff. The National Geographic Society’s (NGS) Young Explorers Grants (YEG) program, which has given more than 450 grants for work in 90 countries, awards individuals between 18 and 25 years old with some of their first fieldwork grants. Director of the National Geographic Expeditions Council and the National Geographic YEG Program Rebecca Martin said that the grants, offered year-round, focus on “research in social, natural and physical sciences; conservation of species, habitats, ecosystems and biological diversity; (and) exploration through expeditions, filmmaking, photography, arts, journalism, etc.”

Tia Reid, a CAPS tutor, helps a student at the algebra and pre calculus table on the second floor of Zimmerman Library. CAPS tutors are found at different locations on campus through out the week depending on time and subject matter.

News

UNM's CAPS and CTE merge, offering new programs for students and faculty

Matthew Reisen | September 18

UNM has merged the Center for Academic Program Support and the Center for Teaching Excellence to form the Center for Teaching Learning, with the mission of helping students succeed through new methods. “Now we’re working together, because the bottom line is the exact same result: we want students to learn more,” said Aeron Haynie, CTL director. “We’ve got to teach faculty some things and we’ve got to empower students at the same time.”

The projected outcome of the Albuquerque Rapid Transit system on Nob Hill.

News

Transport rep: Central project will improve commuter flow through city

Matthew Reisen | September 17

Albuquerque is seeking federal funding to build new transit infrastructure in order to help relieve an already overburdened system. The item proposed is a 10-mile bus lane down Central Avenue, from Louisiana Boulevard to Coors Boulevard. Dayna Crawford, deputy director of Albuquerque's transit department, said they intend to break ground in May and be in operation by September 2017.

News

Athletics budget situation improving

David Lynch | September 17

Every year since 2010, UNM’s athletics budget has spent more than it has brought in, although its situation has improved as of late. According to University documents, UNM Athletics was in the red by more than $1 million in 2012. But by 2013 that number was shaved to $800,000, and was $23,000 last year.

News

Regents approve funds for branding agency's research phase

David Lynch | September 17

UNM is in the beginning stages of a comprehensive rebranding process after signing with branding agency 160over90, in a new effort to change how UNM is viewed nationwide. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Cinnamon Blair presented 160over90’s model and previous work to the Board of Regents last Friday, along with Vice President for Enrollment Management Terry Babbitt.

An instillation of police officers around a chalk outline stands at the Necessary Force: Art in the Police State exhibit at the Popejoy Museum. The exhibit hosts art pieces that range from an interactive police baton/microphone to a full size police interceptor flipped on its roof.

News

UNM Art Museum opens Police State exhibit

Matthew Reisen | September 16

There is a new exhibit open in the main gallery of the UNM Art Museum -- dealing with civil rights issues in our country from the past to the present. The exhibition, entitled “Necessary Force: Art in the Police State,” opened on last Fridayand will run until Dec. 12.

News

UNM society receives Gold Torch Award

Sayyed Shah | September 16

The Maia chapter of the Mortar Board National College Honor Society at the UNM has received a Gold Torch Award at the 2015 Mortar Board National Conference, according to a UNM press release. “Mortar Board is a national honor society that recognizes college seniors for outstanding achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service,” the statement said. In 2015, 36 college chapters earned the Gold Torch Award, according to the release.

News

UNM professor awarded for excellence in mentoring

Sayyed Shah | September 16

UNM Political Science Professor Lonna Atkeson has been honored with the Society for Political Methodology’s 2015 Excellence in Mentoring Award, according to a UNM press release. “The committee wishes to recognize Dr. Atkeson, for her longstanding work serving as a mentor and advisor to a diverse set of students. Her commitment to her students is clear and significant; Dr. Atkeson recognizes that mentoring is important in and out of the classroom, and that mentoring continues long after students receive their degrees,” the award committee wrote in citation for Atkeson, according to the statement.

News

University of New Mexico, Mississippi Valley State partner for cultural exchange

Fin Martinez | September 16

UNM and Mississippi Valley State University have formed a partnership to facilitate cultural exchange, joining the two institutions to provide students with the opportunity to visit the other college campus and experience what they have to offer. “(The partnership) will allow our students to attend a historically black university,” said Dr. Jozie De Leon, UNM's vice president of equity and inclusion. “What we’re going to do is alternate, so the first year MVSU students will come here in the summer for four to six weeks.” MVSU and UNM differ greatly in diversity enrollment. Last fall, MVSU had a total of 1,722 African-American undergraduate students, and only 22 Hispanic students, according to the university's website. While UNM had 4,728 Hispanic and only 558 African-American undergrads, according to the division for equity and inclusion.

News

UNM to rename Hodgin Hall Alumni Center Plaza

Sayyed Shah | September 16

UNM approved the Naming Selection Committee’s recommendation to rename Hodgin Hall Alumni Center Plaza, according to a UNM press release. The plaza will be known as Dr. Karen Abraham Courtyard to honor the retiring associate vice president of alumni relations and the executive director of the UNM Alumni Association, according to the statement. “During her tenure, Abraham has worked with the Alumni Association Board of Directors, staff and community leaders to achieve long-term sustainability for the Association through the establishment of a $7 million endowment; renovate Hodgin Hall Alumni Center to preserve the University’s history kept within its walls; has bestowed hundreds of alums with awards and has grown the Alumni Association scholarship programs,” according to the release.

News

UNM Regents approve selling $100M in institutional bonds for renovations

David Lynch | September 15

On Friday the UNM Board of Regents voted in favor of selling $100 million in institutional bonds beginning next year, which is the first step in funding several improvement projects on campus, including Johnson Center renovations. The bonds will be split in two portions: $55 million, which will be used to fund renovations to Johnson, Anderson School of Management and Smith Plaza, will be sold in January; the other $45 million, which will be allocated toward a new Physics and Astronomy Interdisciplinary Science building and expansions to the children’s care center, will be sold a year later.

News

Late UNM Honors professor had fun with students, unorthodox classes

David Lynch | September 15

Ed DeSantis, former lecturer at the Honors College, passed away last week, leaving behind memories of a caring and insightful individual to those he met during his time at UNM. Honors College professor Dr. Leslie Donovan said DeSantis was at UNM for more than 25 years before retiring after the 2010-2011 school year. Before teaching in the Honors College, he was associate dean in the School of Graduate Studies, and he also held the position of faculty senate president in the mid-2000s.

News

Sports Issue: What do you do to stay active?

Elizabeth Sanchez | September 14

Some UNM students talk with Elizabeth Sanchez about how they stay active in their busy lives.