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NMSO enrolls in payment plan

Hunter Riley | February 17

The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra and Popejoy Hall have put past grievances behind them and are ready to work together to solve the $245,000 debt NMSO owes Popejoy. Ruth Silva-Hernandez, interim-president of NMSO, and Tom Tkach, director of Popejoy, held a news conference in the Popejoy lobby on Wednesday afternoon. Tkach said the University is trying to be patient with NMSO. “It’s more important for us to have a symphony than to just resolve the debt right away and then have no symphony,” he said. Silva-Hernandez said the symphony orchestra is facing financial problems, but couldn’t give specific numbers at the moment.

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kept in the dark--Low turnout leaves campus areas unwatched

Shannon Alexander | February 17

UNM organized a campus safety walk Tuesday night, but officials said they were disappointed by the low turnout.

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kept in the dark--Students scout for unsafe areas during safety walk

Kallie Red-Horse and Chelsea Erven | February 17

Given the vast UNM campus, students could walk into a dangerous situation without an emergency blue light in sight. Melissa Martin, a participant in Tuesday night’s UNM Safety Walk, said main campus might not be well-equipped to assist a person fleeing a hostile situation.

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kept in the dark

Pat Lohmann | February 17

As the victim of an on-campus stabbing lied unconscious in a hospital bed, gauze taped over her jugular and a tube inflating her punctured lung, her sister drove slowly through the alleyways near the Anthropology Building.

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Regents approve main campus housing

Chelsea Erven | February 15

The Board of Regents approved main campus housing plans Tuesday, ushering in a two-year period of dorm demolition and renovation.

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Duplicate text alerts confuse students

Hunter Riley | February 15

The University tested its emergency alert system, LoboAlerts, on Monday, but students said they were confused by the multiple texts and e-mails they received about the test. Student Brandon See said he received the first text message three times saying that the alert was just a test.

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Bill: Voters must bring picture ID to polls

Shaun Griswold | February 15

After a heated debate, the House Voters and Election Committee postponed a vote that will determine if New Mexicans should be required to show photo identification at voting polls on Election Day.

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Music-makers hit right note for a century

Alexandra Swanberg | February 15

A good pair of lungs is required to sing for a century, and the UNM Choral program has 400 of them. It started in 1910 with 26 men and women and grew to 400 members.

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Structure’s ‘efficient lighting’ dims night sky

Alexandra Swanberg | February 15

Lights glowing from the Yale Parking Structure make it difficult for University astronomers to search the skies from a nearby observatory. Professor Rich Rand, faculty overseer for the observatory, said parking structure lighting has made it harder to see the stars in Albuquerque. “When they built the hospital that was bad enough, but this source is much worse,” he said.

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Area construction results in shuttle detour

Barron Jones | February 14

The City of Albuquerque announced construction plans that will force UNM’s south lot shuttle to use an alternate route. Beginning Feb. 21, all traffic on Yale Boulevard between Avenida Cesar Chavez and Lead Avenue will shut down as crews begin ripping up concrete in order to install a drainage system under the road.

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Random acts of kindness help students connect

Kallie Red-Horse | February 14

Warm your heart by acting kindly this Valentine’s day. Today marks the first day of Random Acts of Kindness Week, and UNM is celebrating with donation drives for the Albuquerque Rescue Mission and Cuidando los Niños. An act of kindness is something as simple as walking a friend’s dog, Kimmerly Kloeppel, Interim Dean of Students said.

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Senator proposes 16-month window for Lottery

Shaun Griswold | February 14

The House Education Committee will debate today the feasibility of extending students’ time to apply for the Lottery Scholarship. Opponents of the bill, including ASUNM, said tinkering with the Lottery Scholarship fund is unwise because the fund is facing financial implications that could gut the program. Legislation says high school graduates must immediately enroll in college in order to qualify for the scholarship, but the bill, if passed, would allow students a 16-month period to enroll in college after graduating high school. The measure’s sponsor, Rep.

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ASUNM votes for free condoms

Ruben Hamming-Green | February 11

ASUNM voted to install free condom distribution points around the campus in an effort to promote safe sex. Sen. Greg Golden said the resolution reminded him of his freshman year at UNM. “They used to have more access to condoms,” he said. “I remember when I was a freshman they were, well, everywhere.” ASUNM Sen. Jaimee Perea, a community health major, introduced the resolution to have condom distribution points at the Student Health Center, at registers in the SUB and in the SRC commons. Perea said the distribution goal is to help curb the prevalence of STDs.

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WebCT victim of phishing scam

Chelsea Erven | February 11

by Chelsea Erven cerven@unm.edu E-mails that appear to be from UNM may be from an imposter “phishing” for personal information. Physics Department Information Analyst Tom Hess sent the department an e-mail Feb.

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Egyptian student: Don’t forget protesters

Hunter Riley | February 10

Student Randa Elbih said she wishes she could join her family members who have taken to the Egyptian streets.

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Judge: Professor can keep money

Shaun Griswold | February 10

A district judge rejected a University attempt to take back $11,000 in unemployment pay from former English professor Joy Harjo, ruling that the administration effectively forced the Native American author to leave her post.

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Sharpton to talk about labor, civil rights

Elizabeth Cleary | February 10

Famed racial justice and human rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton will give a free and open-to-the-public speech today at the SUB to advocate for the labor movement. Sharpton’s speech, “The Role of Government,” is sponsored by African-American Student Services and serves as the kick-off event for New Mexico’s African-American Day on Friday.

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Snowpocalypse could be costly

Chelsea Erven | February 10

Because of bone-chilling weather, UNM kept its doors closed much of last week, but repair expenses and employee overtime will cost the University some cold, hard cash. Physical Plant Director Mary Vosevich said the University should determine the costs of the freeze early next week.

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Senator: Grad students deserve benefits

Shaun Griswold | February 8

The Senate introduced a bill that would grant graduate assistants employee status and allow them full benefits, but the bill’s sponsor said he doesn’t think the state is in a financial position to pass it. SB 400, sponsored by Sen.

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C&J students looking for a seat

Kallie Red-Horse | February 8

Just as journalists nationwide are scrambling for jobs in a changing market, UNM journalism students are scrambling for class spots in a transitioning department. Fewer faculty members, an influx of students and accreditation requirements are straining required class availability for journalism students.