News - The Daily Lobo

News

Audit report shows fraud in SBA's account

Sayyed Shah | September 4

The New Mexico State Auditor’s office is reviewing a recently published UNM internal audit report that found embezzlements in the UNM Student Bar Association’s finances. On Aug.14, the UNM audit department issued a detailed report of its investigation into the financial embezzlement in the Student Bar Association’s account from 2011 to 2013. The report laid out a timeline of the mismanagement of funds and made recommendations to keep another incident from happening in the future.

Kristin Marquardt, left, and Lauren Topper work in the laboratory of Fernando Valenzuela, professor of neurosciences and associate director of the New Mexico Alcohol Research Center, on Thursday. The center at UNM is nationally recognized for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder research and is funded through various grants such as from the National Institute of Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse, which awarded the center more than $8 million to be distributed over five years.

News

HSC's event hoping to spread Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder awareness

Matthew Reisen | September 4

International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day is next week, and members of the Health Sciences Center community will spend the day spreading awareness about the disorder – and their facility. The nationally recognized research center opened last month, but it has been in development for a few years, Dr. Daniel Savage, Neuroscience Department chair, said. “The center is about improving the health and well-being of the citizens of New Mexico,” Savage said.

News

Refugees find relief in students

Jonathan Baca | September 3

Refugees from around the world are getting support they desperately need, while students working with them are learning life-changing lessons. UNM’s Refugee Well-Being Program is a two-semester course that pairs sociology, psychology and anthropology students with refugees living in Albuquerque.

News

Act helps borrowers to defeat defaults

Jyllian Roach | September 3

Student loan borrowers will soon have better options when it comes to paying off their debts. The U.S. Department of Education announced Friday that federal student loan servicers now have more incentives to help keep students from defaulting on their loans. Among these incentives are a customer satisfaction survey, which will serve as an indicator as to which servicer gets the most loans. The better the satisfaction scores, the more loans it may provide.

News

Constraints strain Cottagers' conduct

Erika Eddy | September 3

Student residents at the Cottages of New Mexico said they are unhappy with recent changes made by the property’s management. Residents of the housing development, which is marketed to college students, received an email over the weekend stating that each resident will be allowed to invite one guest at a time, and parties will no longer be permitted. Previously, residents could invite up to five guests and register a party with management that could run until 2 a.m. Brianna Gallegos, a junior multimedia journalism major, said living at the Cottages is different than she thought it would be since the implementation of the new rules.

News

UNM could face fines for not complying with Cleary Act

Jyllian Roach | September 2

UNM could be looking at heavy fines if the Department of Education turns its eye on the University. According to an internal auditor’s report released in mid-August, UNM is “not substantially compliant” with the Clery Act, which requires schools to properly communicate and monitor campus safety issues. The school is working immediately to resolve the issues, said Deputy UNM Police Chief Christine Chester, who was also named interim Clery coordinator based on the auditor’s recommendation.

A row of bicycles sit parked at a bike rack on campus Tuesday evening. The UNM Police Department reported a 70 percent increase in bicycle thefts 2013-14 school year compared to the previous year.

News

Bicycle thefts on campus increase

Sayyed Shah | September 2

The number of bicycle thefts on campus increased by 70 percent during the 2013-14 academic year, the UNM Police Department reported. UNMPD and the UNM Global Education Office are trying to find ways to counter bike thieves operating on campus by employing random security sweeps, bicycle registration and increased outreach and awareness efforts. “From Aug.

Danny McCarthy, a senior dual major in art history and studio art, works on a project in the Fine Arts woodshop on Tuesday. McCarthy, along with other staff and students, has been affected considerably by the lack of funding to the Fine Arts department.

News

Fine Arts lacking vital money for upgrades

Matthew Reisen | September 2

Facing aging equipment and leaky roofs, some professors in the Fine Arts department are struggling to help their students succeed with limited resources. Randall Wilson, a professor in the sculpture area, said equipment is severely outdated and money to fix the problems is just not arriving.

News

UNM crime briefs

Erika Eddy | September 2

A skateboard, laptop, insurance card, scooter and camera were all reported stolen within two days last week. Aug.

News

World briefs

Jonathan Baca | September 1

Ukraine NATO announced on Monday the creation of a “very high-readiness force” in response to Russian military aggression in Ukraine, CNN reports. The force will be part of a Readiness Action Plan designed to help allied countries respond to security challenges, in addition to dealing with Russia, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a speech.

News

New UNMPD chief vows to rein in assaults

Erika Eddy | September 1

Lowering the number of sexual assaults on campus and improving general safety will be the new goals of the UNM Police Department. The department’s new chief, Kevin McCabe, said he hopes to accomplish these things by collaborating with the Albuquerque Police Department. “The focus is on the educational experience — to provide a safe campus for everybody that is a part of the UNM family: students, faculty and staff,” McCabe said. UNM hired McCabe over the summer to replace the outgoing police chief Kathy Guimond.

In an online video posted Friday, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry describes why he vetoed a five voter initiatives that, if pass, would have decriminalized marijuana and raised taxes.

News

Albuquerque mayor cans marijuana proposal

Tomas Lujan | September 1

On Friday Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry said he vetoed five voter initiatives because he does not want to approve the decriminalization of marijuana or raise taxes in Albuquerque. Berry exercised his veto authority on R-14-91 because of last-minute provisions added by the City Council that he said lack detail or circumvent state and federal law. “This is a bill that has the potential to raise the taxes of the citizens of Albuquerque without any clear or concise plan as to how those tax resources will be spent,” Berry said in a video posted to YouTube.

News

The Howl: Aug. 30 episode

August 30

Check out this week's episode of The Howl, the Daily Lobo's online newscast.

News

Voting on pot penalties in Berry's hands

Jonathan Baca | August 28

Mayor Richard Berry must decide today whether he will give residents the chance to to vote on decriminalizing marijuana in Albuquerque. On Aug. 18 the city council passed an election resolution of five ballot initiatives, including a measure that would decrease penalties for personal possession of marijuana under an ounce to a $25 civil fine. If Berry vetoes the resolution, all five initiatives would not be brought to voters on the upcoming November ballot.

The restrooms behind the locked door, at the bottom of this stairway at Hokona Hall will be renovated this fall. The new restrooms will feature new plumbing fixtures, partitions, hand dryers and trash receptacles.

News

Hokona's Cellar soon to get a facelift

Matthew Reisen | August 28

The Cellar recreation area in Hokona Hall may be getting a makeover for the first time in 40 years. The proposed budget, at nearly $400,000, will add 10 fixtures to the existing bathrooms, which will be the first improvements since The Cellar was established as a recreation area in the 1970’s, Chris Vallejos, Institutional Support Services’ associate vice president, said. The renovations would reduce wait times at the bathrooms in The Cellar, where two stalls each in the men’s and women’s restrooms serve about 750 people. But the project needs to be approved by the Higher Education Department, according to a memorandum submitted to the board of regents.

Sergio Jiménez ·

News

President Frank challenges Lobos to join cause

Daniel Montaño | August 28

Nearly $2,200 has been raised since President Bob Frank challenged the UNM community to donate to ALS research after taking the Ice Bucket Challenge on Wednesday. Frank took the icy bath with several other top UNM administrators in Smith Plaza in front of Zimmerman Library after being challenged by Mayor Richard Berry and head Soccer Coach Jeremy Fishbein last week, Ethan Rule, University marketing representative, said. Frank said campus administrators will collectively match the donations up to $1,000 dollars.

Kenneth Ellis, father of Albuquerque Police shooting victim Kenneth Ellis III, holds a photo of his deceased son at the office of Mayor Richard Berry at City Hall on Wednesday afternoon. Several relatives of people shot and killed by APD came to City Hall to call on Mayor Berry to cancel a police shooting competition taking place next month.

News

Protesters object to APD shooting contest

Zach Case | August 27

Two upcoming shooting competitions are drawing community members’ interest, but not in a positive way. Protesters rallied at Civic Plaza Wednesday against the Albuquerque Police Pistol Combat Tournament and the NRA Police Shooting Championship. The tournaments, scheduled for Sept. 10-12 and Sept. 13-18, respectively, are co-sponsored by the Albuquerque Police Department and the National Rifle Association. David Correia, an associate professor of American studies at UNM, has been actively involved in recent protests against APD shootings and said he is a proud advocate for families affected by APD’s alleged use of excessive force.

News

Lobo researchers make 'most-cited' list

Jonathan Baca | August 27

Three University of New Mexico researchers have been named among the ‘World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.’ XueXian Yang, Vittorio Cristini and Dr. Mauricio Tohen were recently recognized by Thomson Reuters on their list of Highly Cited Researchers. The list honored more than 3,000 of “the standout researchers of the last decade” from around the world in 21 different fields, according to ScienceWatch.com. “I think it’s a great pride for UNM,” Cristini said. “It’s about 3,000 researchers worldwide, in all disciplines of science, medicine, everything — and UNM has three of them. It’s pretty good, right?”

Sergio Jiménez ·

News

VIDEO: UNM president takes Ice Bucket Challenge.

August 27

On Wednesday morning, President Robert Frank and leaders at UNM took the Ice Bucket Challenge to draw awareness to ALS. Check out this video.

Mary Macias, a local farmer, sets up her produce early Tuesday morning at the Albuquerque Uptown Grower’s Market, located at Presbyterian Hospital. Macias and other vendors are part of an initiative to foster positive economic relationships between local buyers and farmers by accepting various modes of payments such as WIC, Senior Checks, EBT and Debit.

News

Growers' Market sprouts love of produce

Daniel Montaño and Matthew Reisen | August 26

Low income students can double their money at a UNM-area market. Nancy Erickson, manager of Albuquerque Growers’ Market at Presbyterian, said her market price matches any EBT or SNAP purchases up to $20, doubling the amount of food those customers can purchase. The market, which is located in the Northeast corner of the Downtown Presbyterian Hospital parking lot, focuses on providing excellent food from local growers, she said. “I have a deep appreciation for fresh local food that goes back as far as I can remember”, she said. The market has been operating for three years, every Tuesday from 7 a.m.