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ASUNM presidential candidates announced

Justin Garcia | March 5

Three senators — all of which are or have been chairs — and an agency director with a recognizable name are running for leadership of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico. Lobo Spirit Director Adam Biederwolf is running against Steering & Rules Committee Chair Mohammad Assed for president, while former finance committee chair Madelyn Lucas is running against current finance chair Holly Gallegos for vice president. Assed and Gallegos have said they are running together, while Biederwolf and Lucas are doing the same. That leaves open the possibility of a president and vice president from separate unofficial slates holding office together.

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UNM personnel voice concerns at accreditation panel

Danielle Prokop | March 5

It seemed all the big topics at the University of New Mexico made an appearance at the final forum for the Higher Learning Commission site visit: low wages for professors, the state budget, staff-hiring moratorium, athletics funding, and transparency concerns. The last of three sessions was held at 10 a.m. in the Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education on North Campus. The final forum focused on the last two criteria: evaluations and then resources, the mission and the how effective University institutions are.

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Accreditation site visit begins today

Kyle Land | March 4

Over two years of intensive planning will come to a close on Monday and Tuesday, as the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — the body in charge of the University of New Mexico’s accreditation — will perform a site visit on UNM's main campus. According to their website, the HLC has the responsibility of affirming the accreditation status of higher education institutions in 19 states, including New Mexico. They judge whether or not a university is accredited based upon five criteria:

News

Regents discuss unionization

Kyle Land | March 4

The University of New Mexico Board of Regents held a special meeting last Thursday where members of the board, President Garnett Stokes and Chief Legal Counsel Loretta Martinez discussed a petition signed by more than half of UNM faculty members in support of the formation of a faculty union. Stokes informed the regents that the union, United Academics of UNM (UA-UNM), had granted the University an extension to respond to the request, which is now set for March 18. She also said that University leaders must consider "what's in the best interest of the University of New Mexico in response," which she said must include information for the faculty about unionization.

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Progress continues on PAIS building

Andrew Gunn | February 28

Nearly a year after officially breaking ground the Physics & Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science (PAÍS) building at the University of New Mexico has passed the halfway point of construction. Located on the site of a former City of Albuquerque water reservoir at the northeast intersection of Yale Boulevard and Redondo Drive, the construction site is difficult to miss. Following the ceremonial groundbreaking on March 20, 2018, construction crews have been on site five days a week erecting steel, installing electrical, plumbing, mechanical systems and assorted other construction work. Sarah Scott, communication and outreach specialist with UNM’s Institutional Support Services, said the construction is on schedule and on budget.

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UNM allows some pets in student housing

Megan Holmen | February 28

Lobos can now add a leash to the list of necessary things for attending the University of New Mexico. UNM Resident Life and Student Housing will be launching a pilot program starting Fall 2019 and concluding at the end of the spring semester 2020. According to Wayne Sullivan, director of Resident Life and Student Housing, this will be an opt-in program to house a pet in their dorm, however there will be only 150 of the 2,000 resident slots on campus. Halls participating in this trial program include Santa Clara Hall — a traditional dorm — and one of the Resident Center apartment buildings. Dogs, cats, small mammals, small reptiles and amphibians will be allowed to live in the dorms.

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ASUNM senator resigns

Justin Garcia | February 28

Before his resignation, Nick Morgan was referred to as a model senator. Vice President Emily Wilks called Morgan “phenomenal.” Finance Chair Holly Gallegos said Morgan was someone students liked talking to and in Finance Committee meetings, Morgan would often open by telling students that Senators were students too. About three weeks ago, Morgan resigned as a senator from the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico. “I came across some of the stuff that was happening with some of the money,” Morgan said referring to the Student Service Agencies. “I thought it was a little unethical.”

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Board of Regents to hold special meeting today

Kyle Land | February 28

A special meeting of the University of New Mexico Board of Regents on Thursday Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. will involve discussion surrounding many pressing issues facing the University. It will be the first meeting with Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s five new appointees, who were approved by the New Mexico State Senate on Feb. 16. According to the official agenda, the meeting will involve interim Provost Richard Wood informing the Board about the upcoming Higher Learning Commission (HLC) site visit on March 4. The HLC is the body in charge of the accreditation process for the whole of UNM.

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Lobo Day to be held today in the SUB

Danielle Prokop | February 28

A source close to the matter has confirmed to the Daily Lobo that there will be cake (but no candles) available during a celebration today for the University of New Mexico’s 130th birthday party in the Student Union Building on Thursday, which will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

President Garnett Stokes Meets with ASUNM Senators

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ASUNM has allocated 60 percent of appropriation funds in three meetings

Justin Garcia | February 21

Another hefty round of requests was approved on Wednesday night. Three student groups received a combined total of $22,736 in appropriations. Two of them were club sports. The appropriations come as the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico's remaining budget for the spring semester falls to $40,935. Senators have appropriated $61,807 so far this semester. In Fall 2018, ASUNM appropriated $68,743 in total.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend -- John Arthur Smith

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Bill would require UNM to reinstate cut sports

Kyle Land | February 21

State legislators have made reinstating the four sports cut by the University of New Mexico a mandatory condition in order for the UNM Athletics Departments to receive any state funding this legislative session. House Bill 2, the general appropriations bill for the legislative session, includes a clause stating that the $4.6 million to be appropriated to the UNM Athletics Department “is contingent on the reinstatement” of men’s soccer, men’s skiing, women’s skiing and beach volleyball — all of which were cut by the Board of Regents last August. The clause also states the Higher Education Department would have to certify to the Department of Finance and Administration and the Legislative Finance Committee that the sports have been reinstated for Fiscal Year 2020.

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Student develops tech that could save firefighters' lives

Catherine Stringam | February 21

Current research being done at the University of New Mexico has the potential to revolutionize the firefighting industry within the next few years. Manish Bhattarai, a graduate student and researcher in the electrical and computer engineering department at UNM, has been developing new technology to better help firefighters in dangerous situations. “I’m really passionate about using technology to address real-world problems,” Bhattarai said.

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Brown hopes to solve problems as incoming regent

Cade Guerrero | February 21

The New Mexico State Senate recently confirmed all five of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s nominees for the University of New Mexico Board of Regents. One of those appointees was former Anderson School of Business Dean Douglas M. Brown. He previously served on the UNM Board for two years before his service as State Treasurer of New Mexico in 2005. Brown said he wants to tackle problems that will eventually help UNM in the near future. “It's really important not to show up with a big agenda, it's important to tend to the universities short problems such as budget — longer term is to plan for vitality for the future.” Brown said.

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New Mexico Senate confirms regent nominees

Danielle Prokop | February 18

The New Mexico Senate unanimously confirmed all five nominees Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recommended to head the University of New Mexico Board of Regents on Friday. Sandra Begay, Douglas “Doug” Brown, Kimberly Sanchez Rael, and Robert Schwartz were confirmed as full regents, while Melissa Henry was confirmed as the student regent. Their terms start immediately.

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Bill would make UNM Foundation subject to IPRA

Kyle Land | February 18

The UNM Foundation has long been critiqued for its opaqueness. Now, a bill making its way through the New mexico Legislature is looking to change that. House Bill 29 would allow “organizations providing funds or property to governmental entities” to be accessed through the Information of Public Records Act (IPRA), a transparency law that makes all public records in the state of New Mexico to be accessible upon request.

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Sandra Begay brings experience to Board of Regents

Anthony Jackson | February 18

Sandra Begay first started her University of New Mexico career when she received her Bachelors of Science in Civil Engineering in 1987. After working at a national laboratory and leading science and engineering programs, Begay, a native New Mexican, returned to the University in 2000 and served on the Board of Regents until 2006. In 2008, Begay served on the Board of the Trustees through the UNM Foundation. Now, she is returning to the Board of Regents after more than 10 years. When Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Begay’s nomination, Begay said she was very happy.

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Lottery Scholarship bill up for debate

Danielle Prokop | February 14

The Lottery Scholarship mandate is up for debate in the Roundhouse — again. New Mexico Senate Bill 283 passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday, encountering only a single dissenting vote, and now heads to the Senate floor. This bill is sponsored by Democratic State Senators Jacob Candelaria and John Arthur Smith, who also serves as Senate Finance Committee Chairman.

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UNM faculty push for unionization

Kyle Land | February 14

Over 1,600 faculty members at the University of New Mexico’s five campuses declared their desire to start a union for full-time and part-time faculty members. The collective bargaining unit will go under the name of United Academics of the University of New Mexico (UA-UNM). The 1,600 faculty members are comprised of more than one half of all faculty at UNM. The union must prove that 30 percent of employees want a union in order to organize. According to the UA-UNM website, members will be required to pay dues, which will average around one to two percent of an employee’s base salary. The union is also working in conjunction with the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

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Five regents finish time on board with $45 million in funding for HSC

Cameron Goeldner | February 14

The University of New Mexico Board of Regents, in what will likely be the final meeting for five of the members following nominations from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, approved over $45 million in capital outlay funds requested by the Health Sciences Center Committee for a variety of projects. The majority of that money, over $40 million of it, will go towards funding for program management and architects/designers for a new “Modern Medical Facility.” The new facility, which has been discussed for nearly ten years, would expand the bed capacity of UNM Hospital by up to 96 beds. The project will cost between $400 and $470 million depending on the number of beds that end up in the facility. Broaddus & Associates, based in Austin, Texas, was awarded a $6.8 million contract to handle management of the product, while a joint bid between HDR Architects and local firm FBT Architects won the right to design the facility.

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Incoming student regent hopes to build relationships

Tom Hanlon | February 14

The University of New Mexico Board of Regents’ primary responsibility is making critical decisions for the University that affect it financially, and greatly impact its management and goals. While six of the seven regents are established members of the community, one of them brings a unique perspective to the table — the student regent. Melissa Henry, a Ph.D. candidate at UNM working on her doctorate in counselor education and supervision, was appointed on Feb. 9 by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham as the student regent for a two-year term. Henry said she did not originally expect to be appointed to the position.