News

ASUNM amends code to increase voter turnout

Members of ASUNM amended the student government’s election code Wednesday in an attempt to increase voter turnout in upcoming elections. In a 16-2 vote, the Associated Students of UNM passed an amendment to the election code. The amendment increases candidate campaign budgets by $50, allows students who are unable to make it to the polls to vote by other means, requires polling places to be marked with at least one sign, and makes voting hours on north campus later in the evening.

Question of the Week

Fair prepares students to choose graduate school

If UNM undergraduates plan to attend graduate school, they should start planning as early as freshman year, said Jenna Crabb, UNM’s director of Career Services. Representatives from 86 graduate and professional institutions will be at the Graduate and Professional School Fair in the SUB today to help students research potential schools, Crabb said. “You want to look at faculty-to-staff ratio, locations and research opportunities available for your particular field,” she said.

Former soldier speaks out against Israeli army

A former Israeli Defense Forces soldier spoke out against the Israeli government’s policies at a lecture in the SUB on Tuesday. Micah Kurz, who grew up in Jerusalem, served in the Israeli army from 2001 to 2004.

Head in the clouds

Ph.D. student Mel Strong is doing research so unique that he had to make his own instruments and build his own plane to complete it. New Mexico is known for its unpredictable weather patterns, and Strong has made it his mission to analyze the air during monsoon season to discover what causes them. “The question is, ‘When we have cloudy days, rainy days, where does that moisture come from?’” he said.

Enrollment up at NM universities

New Mexican universities have seen increased enrollment this fall, and they’re chalking it up to online courses, new recruitment practices and, above all, the economy. With roughly 10 percent more students attending, representatives from Eastern and Western New Mexico universities, CNM, New Mexico State and UNM all say the economy has encouraged New Mexicans to return to school. Viola Florez, cabinet secretary of the New Mexico Higher Education Department, said a combination of the stimulus bill and the increasing need for a college degree in the workplace have contributed to the enrollment trend. “They’re figuring out that they really do need to go to college,” she said.

Regents still not ready to vote on Master Plan

The Board of Regents postponed voting on UNM Master Plan of Development — again. Steve Beffort, vice president of Institutional Support Services, sent President David Schmidly a letter on Sept.

Witness reports gun sighting on campus

An individual reported seeing a man on campus carrying what appeared to be a gun on Tuesday morning. UNMPD officers searched the area, near Logan Hall, and issued the all-clear.

UNMPD issues all-clear after search for reported gunman

An individual reported seeing a man on campus carrying what appeared to be a gun on Tuesday morning. UNMPD officers searched the area, near Logan Hall, and issued the all-clear. Police have not made any arrests in connection with the incident. University spokeswoman Susan McKinsey said the investigation is ongoing.

Daily Lobo Spotlight

Daily Lobo: Sorry to have bothered you. What were you listening to? Aeris Flemming: I was listening to Oasis. DL: What album? AF: Definitely Maybe.

Israeli grassroots activist to speak

Former Israeli Defense Forces soldier and grassroots activist Micah Kurz will host a discussion today about grassroots organizations in Jerusalem. The Coalition for Peace and Justice in the Middle East, a UNM student organization, organized Kurz’s lecture, which will take place at the SUB. Kurz said the discussion will focus on his work to map out the many local organizations in Jerusalem.

UNM seeks degree nominees

The Office of the University Secretary is accepting honorary degree nominations. The University awards honorary degrees to those who have made significant contributions to a certain field but don’t have the ultimate degree in that subject area.

Assistant coach: Locksley hit me

Mike Locksley has jokingly likened himself to former Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight, and they’re starting to mirror each other in reputation as well as appearance. To date, Locksley has more legal troubles than wins. The list includes a pending sexual harassment lawsuit and, now, allegations of battery.

GPSA set to open council meetings

Key members of the GPSA voted Saturday to follow the New Mexico Open Meetings Act to the letter. The Graduate and Professional Student Association, meeting as a committee-of-the-whole, voted in support of a constitutional clause that would require members to follow all provisions of the state law that requires legislative bodies to open their meetings to the public.

NMSU handles drive-by, bomb threat in one week

On top of preparing for the Rio Grande rivalry this weekend, the NMSU community had to deal with a bomb threat and a drive-by shooting. The drive-by shooting on Monday started near the Doña Ana branch of NMSU and moved on campus.

Dryer fire smokes out students

A small fire broke out in the basement laundry room of Hokona Hall late Friday morning, damaging at least one dryer and causing smoke to circulate throughout the building. Dorm residents and staff evacuated the building, and no one was injured, said Kerry Horton, Albuquerque Fire Department battalion commander. “It looks like (the dryer) probably just overheated,” he said.

Fire breaks out in Hokona Hall

A small fire broke out in the basement laundry room of Hokona Hall late Friday morning, damaging at least one dryer while smoke circulated throughout the building. Dorm residents and staff evacuated the building, and no one was injured, said Kerry Horton, Albuquerque Fire Department battalion commander.

Athletics under fire for racy ads

Lobo Louie might be in the doghouse after his apparent fling with a pin-up girl from Route 66 Casino. The pair performed in two commercials released about a month ago, and Lobo Lucy isn’t the only one upset about it. The ads, filmed in partnership with UNM’s exclusive gaming sponsor, depicts the casino’s billboard beauty in a cherry “Lobos” midriff top, skimpy spandex shorts and bright red stilettos. In one ad, the camera focuses on the woman bent over with her cleavage showing while she blows a kiss in the mirror.

Students march for smoking rights

About a dozen students marched into President David Schmidly’s office on Thursday to deliver a petition calling for an exception to the smoking ban. The petition, which had 415 signatures, requests a lift of the smoking ban outside the dormitory areas for the next two years.

UNM anticipates H1N1 outbreak

UNM is preparing for an H1N1 outbreak. The Student Health and Counseling Center, Provost’s Office and University Hospital, among others, are working together to combat the virus.