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News

Grad students protest for better wages and work schedules

Alyssa Martinez | March 5

SMITH PLAZA — Nearly a dozen graduate employees convened on March 2 in solidarity with the 74 University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) graduate employees that were effectively terminated over the weekend after a months-long strike. UCSC teaching assistants refused to submit final grades as leverage for a cost of living pay adjustment. After denying the university's ultimatum, the striking graduates were either fired or had contracts unrenewed for the spring leaving many undergraduate classes vacant, according to the Santa Cruz Sentinel. "It's ridiculous to expect graduate workers in California to live off of $18,000 per year," said Emma Mincks, a graduate student in the English department and employee at the University of New Mexico. "They just can't live off of that in California when your rent is $1,800 to $3,000 a month."

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UNM reps push census turnout

Lissa Knudsen and Alex McCausland | March 5

SMITH PLAZA — Beginning March 12, homes across the country will start receiving invitations to complete the 2020 census, and University representatives are working to ensure everyone in the state is counted. A small group of impassioned advocates, students, professors and government representatives gathered in Smith Plaza on March 4 for a press conference designed to encourage New Mexico residents to participate in the 2020 census. Cathryn McGill, appointed by Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and the Bernalillo County Commission to chair the Albuquerque/Bernalillo Complete Count Committee, spoke at the gathering and emphasized that the financial return on the individual time investment would be well worth it for the state.

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Differential tuition strains grad students

Justin Garcia | March 5

SCHOLES HALL — While over half a dozen graduate programs at the University of New Mexico have adopted program-specific tuition increases, the masters of public health program in the College of Population Health won't — at least for this semester. Graduate students Gabriel Gaarden and Alden Reviere made sure of it. The students said they were invited to meetings about the College of Population Health's $150 per credit hour tuition increase but said the administration failed to consider masters programs students' concerns about the increase.

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Proposed budget raises fees, tuition, reduces block discount

Justin Garcia | March 1

Next semester is looking pricey. University of New Mexico students will pay more in tuition and fees while many would lose a major discount in the upcoming fall semester if administrators approve new budget recommendations in March. The Budget Leadership Team (BLT) proposed cuts and tuition increases, as well as a 4% faculty and staff raise ahead of the 2020 Budget Summit, according to BLT members.

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Weekly Crime Briefs: Threat calls and alleged possession of a firearm in student housing

Annya Loya | March 1

The weekly crime briefs are to give the students, faculty and staff at the University of New Mexico a quick look into the crimes reported on campus. They do not provide all perspectives of the incident. All of the information is retrieved through UNM Police Department incident reports. 

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UNM Safety Council votes 'no' to homeless center on campus

Beatrice Nisoli | February 27

Building the Gateway Center on a University of New Mexico plot of land off I-25 and Lomas Boulevard is still under consideration despite the UNM Campus Safety Council's vote of disapproval. The $14 million homeless shelter will house a projected 300 people and provide on-site resources for permanent housing. It will be open every hour of the day. Among the several possible locations for the shelter, city officials have considered University property, the Second Street and I-40 area, Montessa Park and the former Lovelace Hospital on Gibson. UNM's Campus Safety Council cited strained police resources, hampered student safety and the possibility of a subsequent decline in enrollment as reasons for voting 11-1 against the shelter.

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Budget bill would erase the Athletics deficit if signed

Justin Garcia | February 23

SANTA FE — The New Mexico budget proposed to eliminate all of the University of New Mexico Athletics Department's $4.4 million deficit. It's not a done deal — Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has until April to reject or approve each budget line. Athletics' cumulative deficit has been a regular topic of conversation over three years of Board of Regents meetings. In 2017, the Higher Education Department (HED) placed the Athletics Department under an Enhanced Fiscal Oversight Program, requiring them to submit additional budgets to better monitor the Department's spending habits.

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LoboTHON aims to raise more than last dance marathon

Cameron Ward | February 23

SUB — Looking for superheroes? Look no further than the 2020 Marvel Avengers-themed LoboTHON, the fifth annual dance marathon to raise funds for the Children's Miracle Network. Last year, the fundraising team broke their $100,000 goal and raised $103,408.42. This year, the goal is to raise $111,000 for children's hospitals, medical research and community awareness of children's health issues. The Dance Marathon will provide food and games for the 13-hour run time and be held on March 28 from noon to 1 a.m. The event includes teams led by Zumba group DebTfitness, UNM flamenco students and the Comic Crusaders for New Mexico.

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UNM team combats climate change

Amanda Britt | February 23

A team of researchers at the University of New Mexico is examining various ways to combat climate change as a part of the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center (CASC) managed by the U.S. Geological Survey. David Gutzler, a professor and climatologist in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said the Southwest is particularly susceptible to warming temperatures amid climate change. Gutzler said the biggest threat to the environment is the continued increase of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. "There's been no effective, global policy to bring greenhouse gas concentrations down," Gutzler said. "So there's every reason to expect large scale climate change to continue on into the near future at least."

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Clark Hall to undergo lengthy renovations

Amanda Britt | February 23

The Board of Regents approved $475,000 for the Riebsomer wing lab's waste system replacement in Clark Hall. The Riebsomer wing project is phase two of renovations to Clark Hall, which has an estimated project budget of $16 million and is set to begin June 1, 2020. The second phase of renovations in Clark Hall will shut down the building for approximately 12 months. However, the Riebsomer wing will remain open. Bobby Ortiz, the facility operations manager for chemistry and mathematics, said although fixing the pipes in Riebsomer is an urgent project, the wing will remain open during its renovation because research cannot be stopped from being conducted at the University.

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Weekly Crime Briefs: School shooting threatened over Discord, burglary near Anderson

Angelina Pompeo | February 23

Discord shooting threat, Valentine's Day break-in at the Anderson building

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Funding for Opportunity Scholarship comes through

Lissa Knudsen | February 19

After intense debate, the New Mexico state Senate approved $17 million for the Opportunity Scholarship for fiscal year 2021 on Feb. 19. With only a day and a half left in the legislative session, the only thing standing in the way of the funding being sent to the governor's desk is approval by the House of Representatives. If the bill — packaged into general appropriations legislation — is signed into the law, the money is set to be used for tuition and fee scholarships for students attending public postsecondary educational institutions or tribal colleges. The Senate also boosted the existing Lottery Scholarship fund by $10 million.

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Parish Library to close permanently

Justin Garcia | February 19

For history undergraduate Keshell Mickens, the William J. Parish Memorial Library was part of her daily routine. "Sometimes I just want a break from Zim, and I like this library better," Mickens said. "It has a lot more outlets, and the study rooms are usually available." Mickens, who described herself as an introvert, said she comes to Parish to eat her lunch and study. She said Parish is empty and sparsely populated study spaces are quiet and calming — which is exactly the reason the library dedicated to business, economics, management and public administration will close this year.

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Athletics takes million-dollar hit with new contract agreement

Justin Garcia | February 19

The University of New Mexico's Board of Regents unanimously approved a multi-media rights contract to replace the $4.4 million Learfield IMG deal. Athletics Director Eddie Nuñez estimated the new contract with Outfront Media will be worth around $2.9 million. The media rights deal, one of the Athletics Department's biggest cash cows, comes as UNM sports attempts to climb out of $4.4 million hole collected primarily under former Athletics Director Paul Krebs. Krebs is indicted on embezzlement charges. "Guaranteed contracts are not what they used to be. What the University of New Mexico had years ago was actually a really good agreement. But those opportunities have actually changed," Nuñez told the Board of Regents on Feb. 17.

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Alzheimer’s awareness tour to kick off in NM

Makayla Grijalva | February 18

The Alzheimer's Foundation of America (AFA) will kick off its 2020 national Educating America Tour at the University of New Mexico on Feb. 25. The event aims to educate New Mexico residents about the disease, brain health and caregiving for those with either dementia or Alzheimer's. The amount of people affected by Alzheimer's disease in New Mexico would be the largest town in the state outside of the Albuquerque metro area.

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English integrated into engineering curriculum

Alex McCausland | February 18

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering might not be the first place you'd expect to find English professor Catherine Hubka. Since the fall of 2017, Hubka has helped engineering students improve their writing and communication skills inside and outside the classroom. Hubka's presence in the department is thanks to a program called Formation of Accomplished Chemical Engineers for Transforming Society (FACETS) that brought her on as part of its writing program initiative.

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ASUNM senator endorsements given green light

Alyssa Martinez | February 18

Student government senators and officials alike can now personally endorse candidates running for any Associated Students of the University of New Mexico position after the passage of Bill 3S on Feb. 12. Whether it be through social media posts or on-campus canvassing, student government officials can publicly support candidates as long as they keep in accordance with the University’s policy on political activity. Policy 2060 dictates that University employees cannot use UNM resources — such as logos or office supplies — to engage in any political activity without University approval.

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Weekly Crime Briefs: Alleged sexual assaults and shoplifting

Annya Loya | February 18

Two reported assaults in two dates to UNM student: Shoplifting at UNM Bookstore by criminal trespasser: Subjected arrested for outstanding warrants

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Trans 101 breaks down transgender stereotypes

Lissa Knudsen | February 17

One of the most vibrant nightclubs in Albuquerque transformed into a community classroom Sunday afternoon, complete with a presentation and true/false interactive quiz questions. The Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico (TGRC) hosted the Trans 101 workshop in the Side Effex restaurant and bar. Adrien Lawyer, co-director of the TGRC, led the training, which included information about basic terms, definitions and concepts related to people who are transgender. "A trans person has an internal gender — what they know to be true about their gender on the inside — that doesn't match up with the sex they were designated with at birth," Lawyer said.

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Students voice safety concerns at homeless shelter forum

Alyssa Martinez | February 12

Talk of a $14 million Gateway Center on a vacant University-owned plot of land amassed a swath of student opinions at the Student Union Building atrium on Feb. 11. The undergraduate student government hosted the midday panel that included Associated Students of University of the New Mexico President Adam Biederwolf, Graduate and Professional Student Association President Muhammad Afzaal, two UNM administrators and the City of Albuquerque's Housing and Homelessness Deputy Director Lisa Huval. Huval said the Gateway Center may house around 300 people — based on how many people that the Westside Emergency Housing Center sees nightly — but said the number is not concrete.