The recent death of UNM law professor Tim Vollman lends itself to the ongoing discussion about bicyclists’ safety conditions. Vollmann was killed Dec.
The Regents’ Finance and Facilities Committee met Dec. 9 to prepare for the next fiscal year and discuss UNM’s plans to sustain state budget cuts without raising tuition.
Unless you are a UNM student, the job market doesn’t look good these days. Though New Mexico’s unemployment rate is a staggering 8 percent, the University employs 5,050 students, a 1 percent increase from 2008, said Connie Dennison, of UNM’s Office of Institutional Research.
The large, stone-covered building just east of the Yale bus stop is known for being one of UNM’s four designated smoking areas, but a closer look at a main campus map reveals that it is actually a city water reservoir. Thousands walk by the reservoir every day, but few students know what the building is used for.
UNM’s retiree health benefits may face some cuts. Helen Gonzales, vice president of Human Resources, announced in a UNM Today column the creation of a task force that will work to cut health insurance costs. Gonzales didn’t respond to repeated interview requests, but said in her column that UNM’s unfunded liability for retiree health insurance was $131.9 million in 2009, up from $91.3 million in 2007. “Given this increase in costs, UNM needs to reevaluate the retiree health plan,” Gonzales wrote.
Paul Panas has the hook up on quality, inexpensive haircuts. Yet, UNM wants the small business owner to dig deeper into his pockets to continue trimming up students.
The Castetter Hall addition, the hulking construction project next to the Yale bus stop, will not be completed by its scheduled April deadline.
Following Bond D’s failure in November, students and faculty are dealing with the aftermath of effects that voters might have overlooked. Student Stav Gold said he didn’t know about the bond, which would have provided $155 million to promote higher education among 31 state colleges and universities. “I didn’t know specifically what Bond D was,” he said.
An unsigned advertisement for Monday’s Lobo Development meeting with the Resident Hall Association proclaimed, “Remember Santa Ana.
Just west of Carlsbad lies what may be New Mexico’s next national monument: Otero Mesa. Nathan Newcomer, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance’s associate director, said he has fought for Otera Mesa’s protection for nearly a decade.
Instead of being treated like criminals, students caught drinking on campus are being educated, not disciplined. The Campus Office of Substance Abuse and Prevention (COSAP) is combating underage drinking by requiring guilty students to attend a three-hour seminar about how drinking and drugs can have lasting effects. Since students caught drinking on campus aren’t given the typical off-campus citation called a “Minor in Possession,” Health educator John Steiner said the class highlights how alcohol and drugs can interfere with day-to-day activities. “(The class) isn’t so much about ‘Don’t do this,’” he said.
Growing medical marijuana in New Mexico could get more expensive. Proposed changes to the Department of Health program could raise the nonprofit cannabis producer application fee from $100 to $1,000 and impose an annual fee that increases $10,000 with each year of operation. Len Goodman, NewMexiCann executive director, said high dues would cripple New Mexico producers.
Tiffanie Kidd and her three children sat at Cuidando los Niños nursery waiting for their turn to take a family photo.
GPSA passed two resolutions at Saturday’s meeting recommending economic decisions that do not sacrifice academic success. GPSA Council Chair Megan McRobert said the recommended changes have students’ best interests at heart. “The resolution that was passed urges GPSA representatives on that board and the SFRB (Student Fee Review Board) in general to ensure … that recruitment and retention and the well-being of students are at the forefront of their priorities,” she said. One resolution called for student fees to not be raised during the next fiscal year and asked to allocate student fees to programs related to education. As it stands, 30 percent of the fees go to Athletics, 25 percent to the Student Health Center, 20 percent to the SUB, and the remaining 25 percent is divvied up among other programs, according to GPSA President Lissa Knudsen The second resolution addressed recent budget cuts that will decrease graduate student positions.
UNM is moving forward with its American Campus Communities partnership. At the Dec. 3 meeting, the Lobo Development Board approved the “Strategic Housing Plan”. Kim Murphy, Real Estate director, said the plan is a document that provides ACC and UNM direction to enhance student housing.
Well, it’s over — no, not Mike Locksley’s UNM head coaching career. Just the buzz surrounding the head coach’s possible departure. Putting to rest rampant speculation that Locksley would be fired, Athletics Director Paul Krebs announced Thursday that UNM would retain its head coach for at least the 2011 season at an informal news conference. “I feel two years is not enough time to do what needs to be done to this program,” Krebs said. Back-to-back 1-11 seasons, ticket revenue shortfalls, a host of off-the-field incidents and around-the-clock media scrutiny was not enough to persuade Krebs to give Locksley a golden parachute.
Jodi Carrasco wakes up at 4:30 a.m. and starts her day by running on a treadmill for a couple hours.
Likely starting fall 2011, UNM will offer doctoral and master’s degrees in biomedical engineering on main campus, making it the first university in New Mexico to do so. Steven Graves, associate director for the UNM Center for Biomedical Engineering, said the Ph.D.
It’s the hottest seat in town, but some ticket-holding students stay home. Students’ men’s basketball tickets are sold out until the Dec.
UNM President David Schmidly has spent more time out of office than any other president since at least the 1930s, but University communication, policy making and budget discussions have continued on main campus while Schmidly recuperates.
Solutions by The State News
