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United Graduate Workers and UNM begin negotiations on wage increases

Nate Bernard | April 15

The United Graduate Workers of the University of New Mexico and UNM administration have begun another round of bargaining sessions. This the first time the sessions will be in conjunction with state and University budget schedules, as decided upon by the amended collective bargaining agreement last fall. The union seeks to increase wages for all graduate students to attain “just compensation and living wages,” according to their website. The first bargaining session this round took place April 8, followed by an April 10 session. This is the first time UGW and the University has held negotiations in the spring – the same time in which the University and the state of New Mexico set their budgets, according to Wilber Dominguez, union steward for the physics department.

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Customer concern over locked-up necessities

Sadie Hopkins | April 8

Stores like Walmart and Target have been placing more products, from toothpaste to deodorant, behind locked display cases. This has prompted customer concern, per six survey respondents. These cases, often used for products like electronics, spray paint or alcohol, are now used for various basic necessities, according to USA Today. The cases can only be opened by an employee, according to Forbes. A tube of Crest toothpaste, locked up at the Target location on Montgomery Blvd, costs $3.99. Dandelion Springer, a second-year psychology student at the University of New Mexico who frequents Target stores, said he is unsettled by the practice.

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Students urge Board of Regents to address Israel divestment resolution

Ella Daniel | April 8

“My parents survived the genocide that happened in Bangladesh. My dad was two years old when it happened. He has scars on his body from being beaten by Pakistani soldiers,” University of New Mexico College Democrats President Rakin Faruk said. On Jan. 26, the International Court of Justice deemed it “plausible” that Israel committed genocide against Gaza in some cases after Oct. 7, 2023. As of Apr. 7, at least 33,137 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli army, according to Aljazeera. For Faruk, the genocide has affected her entire life, she said. The brutality inflicted upon her own family is why she has been so involved with the protests for Palestine, she said.

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How to participate in NM’s 2024 primary elections

Austin Fisher | April 8

This story was originally published by Source New Mexico. New Mexico’s primary election will determine who will appear on the general election ballot this November. Primary election day will be held on June 4. Early voting begins May 7. These dates can affect whether voters can participate in the primaries being held by political parties in the state.

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APD releases crime statistics for 2023

Arly Garcia | March 29

In recent crime statistics, the Albuquerque Police Department cited proactive enforcement as the reason they saw increased drug possession and shootings in 2023; the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico is critical of this method of policing because of the way it treats drug offenses. APD released preliminary crime statistics for 2023 on Feb. 29. The report includes comparisons to crime numbers from 2018 onward. In 2023, APD saw a total of 65,960 reported crimes. While most of the numbers represented small changes, there was a 49% increase in Crimes Against Society, including prostitution, drug offenses and weapons law violations, according to the report.

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GPSA Presidential elections: Joseph Conteh

Maddie Pukite | March 25

Joseph Conteh (ballot #2) is running for Graduate and Professional Student Association President. His campaign centers on collaboration and creating more opportunities for graduate students at the University. Conteh is pursuing a Master of Public Administration and has served as the Public Relations Director for GPSA this past year. He also served as the Student Body Vice President for the University of Sierra Leone during his undergraduate career. His work in the past has focused on supporting projects from rural communities in Sierra Leone, which fostered skills he said he would bring to this position.

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Chimps prioritization of play

Shin Thant Hlaing | March 25

A new study led by University of New Mexico alumni and faculty members reveals that mother chimpanzees prioritize play with their children even in difficult situations, like food scarcity. The study, published March 14 in the journal “Current Biology,” might shed light on the importance of play to development in other primate species, and help us learn more about our evolution, according to lead researcher and UNM alumna Kris Sabbi. Co-authors include UNM professors of anthropology Melissa Emery Thompson and Martin Muller, UNM anthropology graduate student Megan Cole and UNM alumna and University of Michigan Research Lab Coordinator Isabelle Monroe.

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GPSA Presidential elections: Michel Rivera Ramirez

Maria Fernandez | March 25

Michel Rivera Ramirez (ballot #3) is a second-year University of New Mexico School of Law student running for the Graduate Professional Student Association President with a focus on employment and labor law. If he were to win the election, Rivera Ramirez’s main priority would be preparing to advocate at the New Mexico legislature for better state investment into UNM, he said. “This will include more funding for scholarships, assistantships and other services that graduate students can benefit from,” Rivera Ramirez wrote.

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Anthony Tomaziefski and Mutazz (Tazz) Jaber win ASUNM elections

Lily Alexander | March 25

On Thursday, March 21, Anthony Tomaziefski and Mutazz (Tazz) Jaber were elected to be the next President and Vice President, respectively, of the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico. The two current ASUNM senators campaigned on campus accessibility and safety, and ASUNM involvement and outreach. A total of 1,080 students voted – 7% of the undergraduate student body – with Tomaziefski and Jaber each receiving 418 votes.

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ASUNM Presidential elections: Makayla Otero

Maria Fernandez | March 18

Makayla Otero (ballot #5) is a junior at the University of New Mexico pursuing a dual degree in political science and psychology. She has also served as President of the Pre-Law Society and the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. Otero said she was first inspired to run for the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico Presidential election her freshman year when she was first involved in ASUNM. Otero first served as an Associate Justice before taking on the Chief Justice role this school year.

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ASUNM Presidential and Vice Presidential elections: Galen Oston and Tivon Oston

Maddie Pukite and Jaymes Boe | March 18

Brothers Galen Oston (ballot #3) and Tivon Oston (#4) hope to bring changes to the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico in the upcoming spring elections. Running as brothers allows them to complement the skills the other brings to the table, Tivon Oston said. Neither of them has prior experience in ASUNM, which is something they want to use to their advantage to bring an outside perspective and change to the institution as a whole. “I think there's no way around the fact that there needs to be changes,” Galen Oston said.

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ASUNM Presidential and Vice Presidential elections: Gabriel Gurulé and Crystal Nguyen

Nate Bernard | March 18

Gabriel Gurulé (ballot #2) and Crystal Nguyen (#1) are running for the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico President and Vice President, respectively, and bringing experience and integrity to the position, Nguyen said. If elected, their presidency would center around experience, safety, sustainability and development, according to their campaign Instagram profile. Gurulé has been an ASUNM Senator for four semesters while Nguyen has been a Senator for two. They have both held various positions within the Senate, such as Gurulé as President Pro Tempore in fall 2023 and Nguyen as the current Steering and Rules Committee Vice Chair.

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ASUNM Presidential elections: Julián Ángel

Arly Garcia | March 18

Associated Students at the University of New Mexico presidential candidate Julián Ángel (ballot #1) is a junior studying Chicanx and Latin American Studies. Ángel was inspired to run for ASUNM President because he believes the ASUNM President's positions to UNM’s diversity, student support services and connection to state legislation provides tools to improve the Lobo experience through a community effort, he said.

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ASUNM Presidential and Vice Presidential elections: Isabel Castañeda and Ria Schultz

Lily Alexander | March 18

Isabel Castañeda (ballot #4) and Ria Schultz (#2) are vying for the roles of President and Vice President of the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico, respectively, with a primary focus on improving campus inclusivity and accessibility. Castañeda — who has been involved in ASUNM for a year — currently serves as the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Schultz is ASUNM’s President Pro Tempore and has held various Senate positions over the past three years.

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ASUNM Presidential and Vice Presidential elections: Anthony Tomaziefski and Mutazz (Tazz) Jaber

Karina Bolaños and Maddie Pukite | March 18

Two current senators for the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico, Anthony Tomaziefski (ballot #6) and Mutazz (Tazz) Jaber (#3) are running for ASUNM President and Vice President, respectively focusing on accessibility, safety, involvement and outreach. Tomaziefski and Jaber’s campaign centers on education and student outreach to address their concerns surrounding the lack of accessibility on campus, safety and bridging the gap between students – specifically Greek Life – and ASUNM, they said.

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Stokes delivers State of the University on campus climate, campus safety and engagement

Karina Bolaños | March 8

On Monday, March 4, Garnett Stokes, President of the University of New Mexico, gave her annual State of the University address. She reflected on UNM’s past as it embarks on its future with discussions of safety, student success and overall campus climate at the forefront of her speech. Stokes discussed several avenues of achievement across campus, including student and alumni achievements and campus connections. She also touched on safety and scarcity. “Before we talk about the future, it is our responsibility to honor the past,” Stokes said.

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UNM Children’s Hospital gives away free gun locks to community

Maria Fernandez | March 4

While supplies last, The University of New Mexico Children's Hospital is giving away free gun locks – devices that prevent firearms from discharging – upon request in response to the recent rise in gun-related injuries to children. The program is in collaboration with the New Mexico Department of Health, which provided UNM Children's Hospital with 3,000 gun locks. Additional shipments from the NMDOH to UNMCH locations across the state are available for free upon request, according to safestoragenm.org.

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Have a ball at Albuquerque’s new dog parks

Sydney Freland/ Daily Lobo | March 4

In February, the Albuquerque Parks & Recreation Department celebrated the opening of seven new dog parks around the City. These parks are smaller in size compared to others, according to a City of Albuquerque news release.

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LoboEats app targets food insecurity with free event leftovers

Elizabeth Secor | March 4

This past February, the University of New Mexico launched LoboEats, a mobile app created to help connect students and faculty on Main Campus with available, free, leftover food from campus events. The LoboEats app was developed by a team of Honors students led by Sarita Cargas, UNM Honors College Associate Professor to help combat food insecurity at the University. In 2022, the app created by UNM alum Biraj Silwal won the UNM and Central New Mexico Community College Mobile App Contest.

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NMSUPD uses body-cameras; UNMPD doesn’t

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | March 4

The New Mexico State University Police Department has been utilizing body-worn cameras since 2011. The University of New Mexico Police Department has not. NMSUPD began using body-worn cameras in response to industry standards and best nationwide law enforcement practices, according to Justin Dunivan, Deputy Chief of NMSUPD. “This program has been a great success for our department,” Dunivan said.