News - The Daily Lobo

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Session offers insight into black sorority life

Donald Duran III | December 8

Candidates for four traditionally black sororities lined up Thursday for an informational session on sorority life and how to join the sisterhood. African-American Student Services hosted the event for students who wish to join the sororities, which, along with five fraternities, are part of UNM's "Divine Nine," said Marla Wyche-Hall, program manager at the University College Advisement Center.

News

Regents: Parking plans will continue

December 8

Staff Report The Board of Regents decided Thursday it will not divert $10 million in funding from two proposed parking structures. On Nov. 11, the regents approved reallocating the structures' funding because of budget shortfalls. But at their meeting Thursday, the regents moved to continue the parking projects because they will pay for themselves, said Steve Beffort, vice president for Institutional Support.

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University to forge ahead on construction projects in face of budget fears

Bryan Gyger | December 5

UNM will move forward on costly building projects, despite budget concerns and feared legislative cutbacks. Administrators said it is financially prudent for the University to build now instead of waiting for the recession to end. Finance and Facilities Committee members on Thursday discussed the capital projects that will take place on campus next year, including classroom modernizations and renovations of The Pit.

News

Question of the Week

December 5

How will the economy affect your holiday plans? Elijah Esquivel Junior Business "It does kind of suck for family members who have jobs that are kind of on the edge, because they can't really spend as much. So you feel bad for them. But it's not going to affect me too bad, because I don't have a job that I'm worried about losing, because I'm still a student.

Michael Romero rides The Rail Runner to Bernalillo on Wednesday.

News

The Santa Fe rail

Pat Lohmann | December 5

The Rail Runner Express will give a discount to UNM students who make the 60-mile commute between Santa Fe and Albuquerque. "It's our policy that students pay half the regular fare to ride the train, whether they're UNM students or CNM students or students in general," said Lawrence Rael, director of the Council of Governments for the Rail Runner.

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$17M more set aside for Pit renovation

December 5

The regents approved a reallocation of funds that will put another $17 million toward remodeling The Pit. The money, which UNM raised by selling system revenue bonds in 2007, was initially slated to pay for a second cogeneration energy unit and renovations to University Stadium, said Andrew Cullen, associate vice president of Planning, Budget and Analysis.

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Provost: Grad students' jobs currently safe

Xochitl Campos | December 4

Provost Suzanne Ortega asserted the safety of graduate and teaching assistant positions Wednesday, despite rumors that these jobs would be among the first cut as UNM deals with the effects of the recession. "I can't promise you, but we haven't reached a single scenario where we'll have to back out of our commitments to graduate students," Ortega said.

Freshman Micah Gjeltema, a Presidential Scholar, studies outside Hokona Hall on Wednesday.

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Scholarship unites students, donors

Hunter Riley | December 4

About 475 UNM students are receiving merit-based scholarships this year - but they could lose their funding if they don't write a thank-you note. The UNM Presidential Scholarship pays for students' tuition and fees and offers financial help with housing and meals.

News

CAPS: studying properly can ease stress of finals

Abigail Ramirez | December 4

With less than three weeks of the semester left, students should begin reviewing for their exams as soon as possible, said Ellee Cushing-Cruver, CAPS program coordinator. Cushing-Cruver said students should find out how much time they have to study for each class instead of cramming for finals at the last minute.

Annie Siegel prepares for a research paper at the Fine Arts & Design Library on Tuesday.

News

CAPS helps students prepare for finals

Michael Westervelt | December 3

With only two weeks before finals, students may want to consider starting on papers now and getting help from the Center for Academic Program Support. CAPS is being used by more students as final exams and paper deadlines near, said Alicia Lacovara, a senior intern in the program.

News

Question & Answer

December 3

Astrid Kodric-Brown is investigating mating habits of fish in UNM's Biology Department. Daily Lobo: Could you tell me a little bit about what you are studying at UNM? Astrid Kodric-Brown: Sure. I am studying these fish called pupfish. I have some live examples downstairs (at Castetter Hall).

UNM's cogeneration unit is seen at the Ford Utilities Center. The unit received an award from the Environmental Protection Agency this year.

News

Regents vote to pull funding from energy unit installation

Pat Lohmann | December 3

The Board of Regents voted at its meeting Oct. 24 to redirect $6 million that would have paid for a second cogeneration unit, which would produce energy for campus. David Harris, executive vice president of Business and Finance Administration, did not specify where the funds would go.

Fred Brown greets people at the UNM Hospital parking structure on Tuesday. Car thefts in the University area have increased this year, according to UNMPD.

News

UNMPD: Auto thefts on the rise

Abigail Ramirez | December 3

Student Kirby Kleeberg has parked his vehicle on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue for three years. He thought his Mustang was safe in the well-lit area. However, his car was broken into twice in as many weeks when he parked it there this semester, Kleeberg said.

News

HR asks faculty for input on long-term health policy

Hunter Riley | December 3

UNM's Human Resources Department is re-evaluating some of the benefits it offers full-time employees, faculty members learned last week. Representatives from Human Resources asked the Faculty Senate's Health and Benefits Committee to examine a long-term-benefits policy that provides health care to employees after they retire.

News

Caldera selected for White House position

December 3

Staff Report Former UNM President Louis Caldera will be Barack Obama's director of the White House Military Office, the president-elect announced Tuesday. "Louis has served his country with distinction in uniform and in government, and his pedigree is second-to-none," Obama said in a statement.

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Student Health considers longer hours at cost of higher fees

Michael Westervelt | December 2

Student Health and Counseling might extend its hours of operation to accommodate students with later classes and tighter schedules. SHAC surveyed students last month and found that 34 percent said they wanted the center to stay open longer. Beverly Kloeppel, director of SHAC, said students might favor extending the center's hours but that they will have to pay more for the service.

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Daily Lobo Spotlight

December 2

Daily Lobo: Why did you choose to study economics? Sam Hinton: My freshman year, I walked into 105 and fell in love with it. DL: What's your favorite thing about economics? SH: It gives you insight to how things work in the world, the motivations and the driving factors for some of the decisions that have an effect on us and our generation.

Student Steve Romero leaves Johnson Gym just before it closes on Sunday.

News

Johnson consults students on fee increase

December 2

Johnson Center is surveying students to see if they'd pay an extra $3 in student fees to keep the center open late. James Todd, associate director of Recreational Services, said the center has been open an additional two hours on weekdays and weekends for almost a year and a half.

News

Schmidly addresses economy in Web cast

Pat Lohmann | December 2

President David Schmidly created a video Web cast on Nov. 21, using a new medium in an attempt to address student and faculty concerns about the economic crisis. Schmidly spoke to the UNM community in a 10-minute message without leaving his office. "When I give thanks on Thursday," Schmidly said during the pre-Thanksgiving Web cast, "I'll be thinking of how I love to look through those windows and see the students getting off the bus and heading to class.

News

ASUNM punishes senators for breaking rules while campaigning

Abigail Ramirez | December 2

ASUNM's Elections Commission is taking away the voting rights of some newly elected senators for violating campaign rules. The VOICE slate will be punished after eight of its members were accused of breaking campaigning rules in the student government election on Nov.