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ASUNM passes $44,000 balance forward

Justin Garcia | September 11

The University of New Mexico undergraduate student government rolled about $44,000 into the budgets of the student service agencies and the student government on Wednesday night. The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM) sent $29,476 to the eight student service agencies' budgets, including the Arts and Crafts Studio, Student Special Events (SSE) and $15,000 to the government’s budget. Money from balance forwards is supplemental to the government and the agency’s budgets. A balance forward is unspent money in ASUNM's budget from the previous fiscal year that rolls over into the current fiscal year. The biggest beneficiary was SSE, who was awarded $15,500. SSE puts on events including Fiestas and last fall’s JID concert in the Student Union Building. SSE had originally requested $20,000 through balance forwards, but the request was cut in committee.

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Student groups work through recovery

Beatrice Nisoli | September 9

In spring 2019, the Campus Office of Substance Abuse Prevention (COSAP) gathered data on drug use and drug prevalence among undergraduate students at the University of New Mexico.  According to this data, “students who had reported using alcohol in the past 30 days (276 cases) consumed an average (mean) of 2.67 drinks each week.” Furthermore, “26.5% of all students reported having had five or more drinks in a sitting on one or more occasions over the past two weeks.”  The study also reported that 14.5% of students used unprescribed painkillers. 

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Food pantry open bi-weekly

Megan Holmen | September 9

The University of New Mexico’s main campus opened an on-site food pantry Wednesday, Sept. 4 at the University Advisement and Enrichment Center (UAEC).  The food pantry, which is now a permanent facility, will provide consistent healthy foods to students who would not otherwise be able to afford it. Students who would like to visit and utilize the pantry are required to bring a valid UNM identification and a bag. In addition to offering healthy shelf-stable foods, the pantry will have other essential living staples such as detergent, toiletries and personal care products. Though the original food pantry was a collaborative project between the Dean of Students Office, Division of Student Affairs and the Roadrunner Food Bank, the decision to expand this operation was driven by the LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center.

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UNM meal plans explained

Beatrice Nisoli | September 9

With the advent of another school year at the University of New Mexico a stream of questions are sure to follow —  a lot of these surrounding food on campus. The Daily Lobo has consolidated a list of  on-campus eateries, their opening and closing times, and what meal plan components they accept. 

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Campus Crime Briefs: Sept. 5, 2019

Makayla Grijalva | September 5

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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Exhibit raises questions about how to address drug crisis

Lissa Knudsen | September 5

Juan Peralta, a 26-year-old DEA educator and Albuquerque native, walked the Daily Lobo through the traveling Drug Enforcement Administration Museum exhibit at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science on Thursday, Aug. 29. The DEA Drugs: Costs and Consequences exhibit runs through December 8, depicting graphic dioramas of the cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of illicit drugs around the world. Scenes were featuring make-your-own meth labs, showing a tiny bedroom with a bassinet, soiled diapers strewn on the floor, a handgun on a bedside table, used needles and discarded works throughout the space. “Some of these scenes look fairly familiar (to children who are touring the exhibit) and that also plays into the effect too,” Peralta said. “I have seen twelve-year-old little girls cry because their auntie’s house looks like this,” Peralta said.

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ASUNM: Club Sports pull in over $31,000

Justin Garcia | September 4

It was a pricey night for the University of New Mexico undergraduate-student government. Five appropriations, totaling $33,662, rolled through the Finance Committee of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM) on Wednesday night. Of that, nearly 32,000 or just under 95% went to three club sports: UNM Women’s Rugby, UNM Men’s Rugby and UNM Women’s Ultimate Frisbee.  The Women’s Rugby president and the Women’s Ultimate Frisbee president said they had met with Micheal Turner, the club sports coordinator at the Department of Recreation Services. The President of Men’s Rugby declined to comment. 

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New proposals for controversial murals considered

Megan Holmen | September 4

The University of New Mexico community has a long and complicated history with the “Three People’s Mural” located in the west wing of Zimmerman Library. However, two solutions have been proposed to address the “Three People’s Mural” racial controversy. According to the Office of the President, two solutions are in the process of being reviewed for feasibility, primarily financial, before a complete recommendation is sent to the Historical Preservation Committee (HPC). The report was prepared by Taudy Miller from the Office of Design, Planning and Construction on Aug. 27. The proposal provided by the company Ideum, the vendor who would be contracted should the proposed solutions be approved, is “a system in which the murals are masked by easily removable wooden panels coated with a projection-optimal paint; or a system in which the murals are masked by semi-permanently installed controllable smart glass panels.” 

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SPA blood drive draws big crowd

Alanie Rael | September 4

Every spring and fall, the University of New Mexico’s Student Pathology Association (SPA) holds a blood drive on campus that provides blood to thousands of people in need of the vital resource.  On Wednesday, SPA brought the Vitalant, a non-profit organization —  previously known as United Blood Services — to conduct a blood drive in the parking lot of Domenici Center in their on-the-go donation bus.  For SPA, the importance of a blood drive comes from the club’s direct interest in blood. It gives medical students and other students from UNM insight to what kind of jobs are associated with pathology and hematology (blood studies). 

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Traveling exhibit to raise awareness on opioid deaths comes to NM

Lissa Knudsen | September 3

When people think of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science they typically think about dinosaurs and fossils — not drug-overdose deaths. The “Lost Talent Memorial” is a break away from the museum’s traditional exhibits.  On Thursday Aug. 29, about 100 community members, elected officials, law enforcement officers and museum staff convened at the Natural History Museum in honor of International Overdose Awareness Day. The museum hosted the memorial to recognize the people who are grieving the loss of loved ones and to honor those who have died because of a drug overdose.

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UNM Prof uses new technology to conduct wildfire risk assessment

Alex Hiett | September 3

University of New Mexico professor of Economics Richard Bernknopf is embarking on research in conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Forest Service that aims to use remote imaging and satellite photography in risk-assessment and response to wildfires. This project is focusing on the Sierra and Stanislaus National Forests of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, but if proven useful it is expected to expand to other states. Researchers are currently looking into working with Yosemite National Forest to prevent forest fires that ravage the west.  According to a May 2019 press release by the California Department of Insurance, there was over $13 billion worth of insurance losses in California in 2018 alone. These numbers continue to climb, as people comb through the destruction these fires wrought on the state. This is the area that served as the study focus for Bernknopf and other UNM researchers. 

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UNM to host fourth annual Campus Safety Week

Makayla Grijalva | September 3

This week, the University of New Mexico will host the 4th Annual Campus Safety Week from Sept. 3 through Sept. 5.  Campus Safety Week is a collaboration between the President's office, the Women's Resource Center, the Dean of Students office, the LGBTQ Resource Center, the Office of Equal Opportunity, the UNM Police and the Campus Office of Substance Abuse Prevention.  “Safety Week provides our UNM community with resources, trainings, and workshops promoting a safer campus,” the UNM Dean of Students website said.  Events for this year include coffee with a cop, storm spotter training, a self-defense workshop, and a hands-only CPR training.

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GPSA: First fall meeting confirms 20 grads

Justin Garcia | September 3

The graduate student government meeting hit the ground running.  In the first council meeting of the fall 2019 semester, the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) confirmed seven chairs, ten committee members, a vice chair, a council recorder and a chief justice for the Court of Review all on Aug. 31. The council, GPSA’s legislative body, also confirmed members for their Legislative and Steering Committee (LSC) to form the committee, a hurdle that councilors in the Spring 2019 semester were unable to overcome.  In addition to providing graduate and professional students with grant money, GPSA appropriates money to student clubs and represents the interests of graduate and professional students to the University of New Mexico’s administration and to the New Mexico State Legislature.

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SHAC holds open house

Amy Coleman | September 2

The University of New Mexico Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) held an open house for the UNM community on Aug. 23. This open house was held to allow the UNM community see what services are available through SHAC and covered by student fees. According to SHAC Program Specialist Tiffany Martinez-Durant, the open house was a success.  “We ordered food for 200-300 people which was gone halfway through the event” she said. SHAC has a combined 4,000 followers on social media with their focus being on Instagram, SnapChat and Facebook. 

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Failing chemistry pipes affect research

Alyssa Martinez and Colin Peña | August 29

University of New Mexico chemistry building Clark Hall has been experiencing plumbing and drainage issues for years which prevent the department from using some laboratories and is slowing down research said Karen Ann Smith, the director of the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facilities and adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry. “Many of the pipes in the Reibsomer wing of Clark Hall are deteriorating and forming cracks due to construction from a plastic that breaks down when in contact with many common waste products,” Smith said. The deterioration is exacerbated by CPVC drain pipes. According to Plastic Pipe Experts, CPVC “is not resistant to most water-insoluble hydrocarbon-based chemicals.”  Their website also said that waste products like hand lotion can cause CPVC failure.

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ASUNM Senate approves seven appointments

Alyssa Martinez | August 29

The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico’s full senate meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 28 ushered in seven new ASUNM appointees selected by ASUNM President Adam Biederwolf.  Among the night’s events, the president pro-tempore was elected, UNM Athletic Director Eddie Nuñez discussed systemic reforms to athletics, Biederwolf provided updates on the solar panel installation on the Student Union Building  (SUB) and an Open Meetings Act resolution was adopted to be  compliant with New Mexico state law.  Kaylee Maxon was confirmed as executive director of Lobo Spirit. Maxon served as Biederwolf’s assistant when he held the executive director position last year. According to Biederwolf, the executive director of Lobo Spirit cultivates a sense of campus morale by programming University wide events, such as Red Rally. 

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2020 Democratic primary candidate Cory Booker talks to burqueños at Marble

Amanda Britt | August 29

Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker covered a variety of topics concerning New Mexicans at a campaign fundraiser. The event held at Marble Brewery in Downtown Albuquerque on Monday evening. According to Damian Lara, 16A ward chair for Democratic Party of New Mexico, general admission tickets to attend the event started at $15 but were sold out within days of Booker announcing he was coming to Albuquerque. This limited the number of college students and millennials that we're able to join the event.  Lara said college students may not have been able to come because of the time of day and the cost to get into the fundraiser, which ranged from 15 to 500 dollars that evening. “The economic cost for millennials and college students really prohibits their interaction and activity in the political system,” Lara said.

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Haaland comes to UNM

Makayla Grijalva | August 29

US Representative Deb Haaland of New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District spoke to University of New Mexico students on Tuesday, Aug. 27 in the Student Union Building (SUB) Atrium.  Students, faculty and others in attendance were encouraged to ask Haaland questions on topics of their choice. Topics that were covered included who Haaland endorsed in the 2020 Democratic Primary — Elizabeth Warren — gerrymandering, the importance of voting in elections and more.  “I am not one of those pessimists who say ‘everyone is corrupt.’” Haaland said. “No, I don’t believe that. There are so many good people who are serving our community in elected office, we just need to elect more of them

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Crime Briefs: UNM basketball player found with suspected drug paraphernalia

Makayla Grijalva | August 28

University of New Mexico Basketball player Corey Manigault was found to be in possession of alcohol and suspected drug paraphernalia by UNM police.  UNMPD was called to Lobo Village on Aug. 18 after several loud party complaints.   Manigault answered the door, did not comply with the resident advisors instruction and continued to close the door on her even with police officers present at the property, according to the police report.  The report stated that the RA identified seeing open containers of alcohol and suspected drug paraphernalia in “plain view” within the apartment. 

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The man behind the SUB retires

Justin Garcia | August 26

You might not know his name, but chances are Walter Miller’s career, and the decisions he’s made throughout that career, affected your life at the University of New Mexico.  Now, the vice president of Student Life and 25-year UNM administrator for is set to retire. For Miller, that means sticking around UNM, finishing one last looming project and hitting a few shows a Popejoy from time-to-time.  It’s difficult to quantify a person’s accomplishments, but one place to start is money. In his time at UNM, Miller oversaw a massive overhaul of the Student Union Building that priced out at $25 million. Unlike similar buildings across the country, UNM’s SUB was funded with student fees, according to Miller.