News - The Daily Lobo

Michael Rocca, faculty advisor for the Young American Leaders Initiative, talks about American polarization on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at the UNM SUB. Sonny Christopher Haquani, founder of YALI, addressed questions related to political polarization.

News

UNM community donations near monolithically Democrat

Makayla Grijalva | January 29

It’s no secret that New Mexico is an increasingly Democratic state. After turning blue in the 2008 presidential election, New Mexico has also turned to elect a Democrat governor and all Democratic members of Congress. Additionally, both New Mexico state chambers are led by Democrats. Based on donations intended for the 2020 election cycle, it appears the state’s flagship University, the University of New Mexico, is also extremely blue as the 2020 federal elections approach.

News

UNM Day showcases students

Alyssa Martinez | January 29

Cherry and silver booths manned by University members lined the curves of the rotunda on Jan. 27 during the annual UNM Day at the state capitol. From UNM College of Pharmacy’s health-related screenings to trivia on indigenous representation in New Mexican politics presented by American Indian Student Services (AISS), UNM organizations advocated for their programs at the Roundhouse. Dannelle Kirven, African American Student Services (AASS) intern and recent graduate of UNM, was one such University member advocating for our student body.

News

Stokes talks safety and athletics in State of University speech

Justin Garcia | January 26

SUB — As University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes launched into her State of the University address, she did so with dramatic context. “In our country, and even here in New Mexico, we are experiencing a crisis of confidence in higher education and it’s value,” Stokes said. She cited national polls and surveys — like a 2018 Pew Research survey that found six in ten Americans believed higher education was going in the wrong direction — as evidence of public skepticism that college isn't worth it. Those people, Stokes told dozens of administrators, faculty, staff, students and reporters, were wrong.

News

NM Legislature: NM bill aims to address housing and homelessness

Lissa Knudsen | January 26

Last year, New Mexico had the largest percentage increase (27%) in homelessness of any state nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 2019 Annual Homeless Assessment Report. This disheartening statistic came despite repeated efforts of municipal and state leaders in recent years to address the issue — and a North Valley-area legislator wants to take a different approach.

News

NM Legislature begins 30 day session this week

Lissa Knudsen | January 22

It’s going to be a busy thirty days. New Mexico legislators are working this year to legalize recreational marijuana, fund free college, address the Yazzie/Martinez ruling and much more. In the short session, the state’s budget, appropriations and anything the governor deemed worthy will be addressed. The governor released her message on Jan. 15, setting forth these “exception” bills and listed education, economy, public safety, and health as priorities. Any bills that are not determined to be “germane” are killed in their first committee.

News

NM gov talks pot and free college at State of State address

Justin Garcia and Lissa Knudsen | January 22

Weed and school — that was New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s focus during her second State of the State address at the second onset of New Mexico’s 54th Legislature on Jan. 21. Speaking to a joint legislative session, Lujan Grisham outlined her legislative priorities — from the legalization of cannabis to teacher pay raises a hard stance on crime and making college free for New Mexico residents — promising a busy 30-day session in 2020. “As we open this 30-day session, I challenge you to think beyond the 30 days. Think beyond even this year,” Lujan Grisham said during the speech.“We stand together in the sunrise of a new decade. What we do here in this session, in this coming year, will set the course for what comes over the horizon in 2030 and beyond.”

News

NM Legislature: What you need to know about free college

Alyssa Martinez | January 20

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “moon shot” is a step closer to take off. As the 2020 legislative session nears, some university students across the state are hailing the governor’s proposed “Opportunity Scholarship” as a way to alleviate student debt and provide “every New Mexico student with an opportunity for higher education.” Among them, is the University of New Mexico’s student government, who passed a resolution last fall in support of the scholarship. But even with UNM and NMSU’s bilateral endorsement of the scholarship, the details are, as of the publication of this article, confuddled.

News

NM legislature: Vaping legislation in Santa Fe

Lissa Knudsen | January 20

In the next few weeks, New Mexico legislators will consider several changes to the e-cigarette and vaping industry, including establishing a licensure process for retailers and raising the age limit for purchase. These bills come in response to the number of young people who have taken up vaping and the recent epidemic of lung injuries associated with Vitamin E Acetate, an additive in some vaping liquids. The CDC reported 2,602 cases of e-cigarette related lung injuries and 57 deaths related to e-cigarette use as of early January.

News

Keller addresses crime in second state of city address

Alyssa Martinez | January 12

Despite the opening licks of a Judas Priest song, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller’s second State of the City gave off a subdued feel. After introductory jokes about Colorado chile feuds and penguins in the desert subsided, Keller addressed a more sobering topic — crime. Since the start of Keller’s administration, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) hired 100 new officers. Keller said that for the first time in a decade, APD is “1,000 officer strong.”

News

UNM Journalism Department rebuked by professional organizations

Justin Garcia | December 26

Two prominent journalism organizations have rebuked the Department of Communication and Journalism's response to a Daily Lobo records request via the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). The two statements — one from the New Mexico chapter of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the other from the Rio Grande chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists — came after department chair David Weiss said he was "disturbed" by what he said was the "use/misuse/abuse of IPRA" by the Daily Lobo in emails exchanged within the department. Those emails were obtained by the Daily Lobo via a records request. The Daily Lobo requested documents associated with the department's student grievance procedure in October 2019.

News

UNM student assists Española water clean-up

Makayla Grijalva and Amanda Britt | December 18

University of New Mexico law student Mara Yarbourgh is working to bring environmental justice to the community members of Española, New Mexico and ensuring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sticking to their primary goals of protecting human health and the environment. Since giving a dissertation on the North Railroad Avenue Plume (NRAP) superfund site last year, Yarbrough said she realized there is a lack of communication and understanding between the people in Española and what the EPA is doing.

News

Benton prevails in runoff: Retains UNM area council seat

Lissa Knudsen | December 11

City Councilor Isaac “Ike” Benton takes the race. With 100% of precinct results reporting, Benton (D-District 2) received 52.2% of the vote in Tuesday's runoff election, while challenger Zack Quintero (D) got 47.8%. The gap between the two candidates was just over 4%. Benton will retain in his seat for another four-year term.

News

Justice Department ends three-year oversight of UNM

Justin Garcia | December 10

The U.S. Department of Justice released the University of New Mexico from a three-year oversight, UNM President Garnett Stokes announced in a Board of Regents meeting on Dec. 10 as well as in a letter to all students, staff and faculty. The DOJ formally ended its oversight in a letter dated Dec. 6, 2019. DOJ closed its monitoring of the agreement because they felt UNM had met its requirements of the three-year oversight agreement, according to the letter. “Please note that this determination does not preclude the Department’s investigation of future complaints against UNM, if any,” the letter said.

News

UNM adapts to enrollment slide

Amanda Britt and Bianca Hoops | December 8

University of New Mexico student Madelyn Lucas has been a New Student Orientation (NSO) leader for two years. During the last two summers, Lucas would get to main campus early Monday morning and chauffeur dozens of incoming students around UNM until Thursday evening. Lucas said she hasn’t noticed a decline in the hundred or so incoming students she has worked within her two years as an NSO leader; however, in her other job as a student leader of the undergraduate student government, she grapples with it every day. Since the fall semester of 2012, student enrollment has plummeted by one-fifth (21.68%), according to data from UNM’s Office of Institutional Analytics (OIA). The decline is in response to national trends and campus events, according to Provost James Holloway — which has led to budget shortages, departmental scale back and a drastic shift in life for all UNM community members.

News

Kayleigh Maes defines college experience though art and friendship

Beatrice Nisoli | December 8

Kayleigh Maes’s passion for her major in Media Arts is the end product of an affinity for film and photography rooted in childhood. Maes’s strong foundation in her degree path is built upon her family’s equally artistic background, and according to Maes, this foundation has reassured her whenever she questions her career plan. “My whole family has been in the film industry since I was little. My dad started out as a graphic designer and then became an art director in film here. So, I grew up going onto set and taking photographs of what I saw,” Maes said, adding that her parents have wholeheartedly supported her selecting a Media Arts route over a film and photography career. In addition to her sturdy personal foundation, Maes maintains an equally secure professional impact in Albuquerque. She plans to continue developing her existing photography business after graduation and continue working at the magazine Perfect Wedding Guide New Mexico.

News

Climate strike demands UNM to call state of climate emergency

Amanda Britt and Liz Pritchard | December 7

Students, staff and members of the University of New Mexico community called for the University to declare a state of climate emergency Friday afternoon. University President Garnett Stokes was not in attendance to hear that message. The climate strike included a march from Johnson Field to the outside Stokes' office in Scholes Hall. UNM LEAF — a climate group — and Fight For our Lives led the march in order to present Stokes with a letter demanding a regenerative campus, investing in education on climate change action and the elimination of UNM’s investment in the fossil fuel industry.

News

Law students offer legal advice to Española residents with contaminated water

Makayla Grijalva and Amanda Britt | December 5

University of New Mexico law students are assisting Española community members with legal advice as the town faces water contamination through the Environmental Law Clinic. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a remedy a decade ago but has reported that the fix was inadequate at cleaning the deeper portions of the aquifer, which remain contaminated.

News

UNM sexual assault cover-up suit settled

Justin Garcia and Andrew Gunn | December 5

The University of New Mexico settled a civil lawsuit pertaining to the school’s handling of a 2016 rape allegation by a former student. What UNM will pay the plaintiff — or to what degree they will admit fault — remains unclear. The settlement stemmed from a civil lawsuit brought by former UNM student Teriana Bagley, on Jan. 23 this year which alleged: “a campaign of misinformation, intimidation and retaliation (was) being conducted by and through Coach (Bob) Davie and the UNM football program.” UNM declined to provide a statement about the settlement or its terms except to say “the settlement is confidential per state statute.”

News

ASUNM plans for NM Legislature

Alyssa Martinez and Alex Hiett | December 4

As 2019 comes to a close and next year’s New Mexico legislative session nears, ASUNM President Adam Biederwolf is preparing to request new capital outlay funds from the Roundhouse, While previous ASUNM President Becka Myers’ capital outlay request has yet to see completion. Last spring, Myers’ administration secured capital outlay from the legislature to fund solar panel installations on the roof of the Student Union Building (SUB). Before the project could start, it was discovered that the SUB roof had extensive weather damage.

News

And that's a wrap: ASUNM Senate closes for the semester

Alyssa Martinez and Alex Hiett | November 24

In the culmination of the fall 2019 semester defined by budget concerns, the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico held their final full senate meeting of the semester on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The liveliest debate of the night centered around Resolution 3F, supporting Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s proposed “Opportunity Scholarship.” Senator Matthew Zank decreed the resolution as partisan legislation which would set a “precedent” for politicizing Senate business. He also took issue with the Senate passing a bill that Zank said not all students would agree with.