News - The Daily Lobo

News

2019 ASUNM Presidential elections begin today

Justin Garcia | March 25

The administrations of Becka Myers and Emily Wilks are coming to an end. From Monday March 25th until 5 p.m. on Wednesday March 27th, the undergraduate student body — at least a portion of it — will elect a new president and vice president of the Associated Student of the University of New Mexico. Voting on Monday is all online. Voting on Tuesday and Wednesday is online and in person at the Student Union Building. A handful of things are clear at this point in the race.

News

LoboTHON raises over $100,000

Justin Garcia | March 25

In 2016, LoboTHON raised just over $25,000. During the 13.1-hour dance marathon on Saturday (and into Sunday), LoboTHON said they raised $103,408 for the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital. That's just above the group's stated goal of $100,000 and smashed 2018’s total of $95,432. The dance marathon is the last in a series of year-long fundraising events for the UNMH Children's Hospital Miracle Network.

News

UNM buildings kill dozens of birds, study finds

Anthony Jackson | March 25

Not only is the Farris Engineering building one of the newer buildings at the University of New Mexico, but it is also one of the deadliest buildings — for birds. It stands erect against a blue sky, massive windows providing camouflage for an open ambush. Smudges on the reflective glass detail individual feathers of a wing and some bear the imprint of a beak, almost like a gravestone bearing their memory after hitting the glass. Window strikes are not a new concept to the University. Data collected from Museum of Southwest Biology (MSB) researchers dates back to 1965 — the first entry marked the death of a ruby-crowned kinglet. Over the course of 53 years, more than 60 bird deaths have been recorded on campus. However, there is an issue with the data set — it is incomplete and sporadic.

News

Professor discusses how to navigate privilege

Danielle Prokop | March 25

Dr. Stacey Pearson-Wharton has previously titled her presentation on privilege, difficult conversations and apologies: “When you step in the multicultural poo,” poop emoji optional. Around 500 people filled the ballrooms in the Student Union Building to attend Pearson-Wharton’s talk: “When Intent Doesn’t Equal the Impact: Healing Relationships in the Wake of Offense” on Wednesday evening. Pearson-Wharton said her goal was to give the attendees the tools to effectively apologize and to recognize their own privileges, and recognize what to do in uncomfortable situations arising around race, gender and sexuality. “I want to be clear that just because you feel uncomfortable does not mean you are unsafe,” Pearson-Wharton said. Pearson-Wharton emphasized her focus was teaching people how to better apologize to one another — to make sure the apology is not reluctant or insincere.

News

ASUNM votes against new senate seats

Justin Garcia | March 21

It was big. It was radical. It was something that had come up a number of times before. And it would have restructured undergraduate student government. But, it wasn’t ready. At least that was the consensus of the Steering & Rules Committee of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico, who voted down a package of legislation that would have added up to 10 (possibly appointed) seats on the Senate.

News

ASUNM forum focuses on campus resources

Justin Garcia | March 21

Resources and how to access them dominated the discussion at Monday’s Associated Students of the University of New Mexico endorsement forum. The forum, mandated by ASUNM governing documents, gives student organizations a chance to endorse candidates, as the name suggests. The event doubles as a forum, where Elections Commissions Director Jordan Montoya and Assistant Director Christian Ojeda moderated the candidates. “I don’t think the endorsement forum is useful,” Montoya said. “(The forum) doesn’t mean people will vote.” This Presidential Election comes after a Fall semester Senate election that saw record-low turnout. Just over 1,000 undergraduates voted, according to the Elections Commission. That's about six percent of the undergraduate student body for Fall 2018.

University of New Mexico Union Supporters

News

UNM recommends labor board reject union's petition

Kyle Land | March 19

Editor's Note: The University's official response submitted to the labor board can be viewed in its entirety here. The University of New Mexico has recommended the UNM Labor Management Relations Board reject a petition signed by over 900 faculty to create a union, according to their official response submitted to the board. UNM said the bargaining unit, United Academics of UNM (UA-UNM), was not stated appropriately and should be ordered to submit another petition with UNM’s recommended changes. UNM’s response — delivered to the labor board Monday afternoon — was written by Loretta Martinez, chief legal counsel for UNM. President Garnett Stokes has previously said the president’s office is in charge of drafting the position. The University was required to meet a March 18 deadline for the response, which was extended from March 1.

News

Presidential candidates discuss the issues

Justin Garcia/ @Just516garc/ Daily Lobo | March 18

This year’s race for president of the undergraduate student government is a decade in the making. Adam Biederwolf and Mohammad Assed, both raised in Albuquerque, have known each other since elementary school. Now, heading into what is likely to be their final two semesters of university, they are running against each other to represent the undergraduates as President of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico. The President is elected by a plurality of main campus undergraduates and comes with a $10,000 per semester salary and a scholarship for two semesters. According to the ASUNM constitution, the ASUNM President is responsible for the eight student service agencies of ASUNM, (this coming year) co-chairing the Student Fee Review Board, representing the undergraduate student body to the Board of Regents and enforcing the ASUNM Senate laws.

News

ASUNM Vice President candidates share their ideas

Justin Garcia/ @Just516garc/ Daily Lobo | March 18

The next Vice President of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico will have been a Finance Committee Chair. That much is clear. Whether it will be current Finance Chair, Holly Gallegos, or last semester’s Finance Chair, Madelyn Lucas, will be decided by the undergraduate student body during the election, which runs from March 24-27. The ASUNM constitution describes the role as “the president of and preside over the Senate, and shall have no vote except in the event of a tie. “ The Vice President also appoints Senators to committee chairs along with assigning senators to one of the three committees. Like the president, the Vice President also comes with a salary and scholarship.

News

The Legislature may be over, but UNM's budget woes are not

Danielle Prokop | March 18

Focus will shift to the University of New Mexico budget, following this year’s legislative session. UNM’s appropriations from the 54th New Mexico Legislature saw an increase in general funding, and more money for the Department of Athletics. However, the University is still facing enrollment shortfalls — that means less in tuition and student fees, and pressure on teacher and staff salaries. According to House Bill 2 (HB 2), this year UNM received $188 million from the State General Fund, which goes directly to the Instruction and General purpose fund (I&G). Those funds are used for supporting the academic mission of the University.

News

Johnson Center renovation nears completion

Justin Garcia | March 18

After almost a year of construction, the redesigned Johnson Center is beginning to take shape. While there will be many new additions, the remodeled recreation center will not have a rock-climbing wall, a feature suggested at the start of the project. According to Director of Recreational Services Jim Todd, there wasn’t room in the $35 million budget for the addition.

News

Photo Story: The D.C. you don't see

Anthony Jackson | March 18

My first time in Washington, D.C. was not special. I remember spending most of my time working in my dorm room and in the Senate Press Gallery of the Capitol building. I never saw as much as I wanted to. I walked the National Mall and went to museums dozens of times, but I never took the time to explore as much as I should. I visited a friend in D.C. over the break and I wanted to makeup for lost time. Instead of keeping my head down and avoiding human interaction, I made it a goal to get out and notice the small things.

News

University to make decision on union petition today

Kyle Land | March 18

On Monday, University of New Mexico officials will be releasing their response to a petition signed by over 900 faculty members across all five campuses in support of the formation of a collective bargaining unit, which was filed under the name United Academics of the University of New Mexico (UA-UNM). The decision will come more than a month after the petition was first delivered to President Garnett Stokes during her traveling office hours. UA-UNM allowed the University until March 18 to reach a decision Lee Montgomery, an associate professor and member of UA-UNM, said the University essentially has three options on how to respond to the petition:

News

Regents discuss Athletics, union in Spring Break meeting

Danielle Prokop | March 11

On a rainy Monday during Spring Break, the University of New Mexico Board of Regents discussed support for a faculty union, resurrected the Athletics cuts discussion and elected new leadership positions on the board. Douglas “Doug” Brown was elected to regent president, Kimberly Sanchez Rael was elected vice president and secretary-treasurer went to Sandra Begay. All votes were unanimous. This removes the mantel from both Regents Robert Doughty, and Marron Lee, former regent president and vice president respectively. They are also the only holdovers from former Gov. Susana Martinez’s appointments to the seven-member governing board. At the top of the meeting, the regents voted unanimously to appoint Marianne Bowers and re-appoint the UNM/Management appointee, Charlotte Lamont, to the UNM Labor Management Relations Board which governs labor negotiations.

News

ASUNM doles out $8,000, changes Joint Council's role

Justin Garcia | March 7

With the first day of spring break so tantalizingly close, the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico held there fourth meeting of the semester, doling out about $9,000 to eleven student organizations and modifying a few positions within the government. Christian groups, most of which were requesting money to attend conferences, were the biggest recipients of Wednesday night’s appropriations. Deviate, Navigators and InterVarsity received a combined $3,139. Deviate received the most. According to their appropriation request, the money is to attend a retreat in Colorado.

News

GPSA in turmoil following heated meeting

Justin Garcia | March 6

This spring semester has been a busy one for the University of New Mexico's Graduate and Professional Student Association. They've experienced conflicts of interests, people in the gallery becoming voting members of GPSA in a matter of minutes, accusations of unethical behavior and presidential impeachment proceedings. And that was all in one meeting. That February meeting began with Director of Student Affairs, Ryan Lindquist, explaining to the council what abstaining means. Shortly after, it was announced that three council members had resigned since the last meeting.

News

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.

News

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.

News

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.