News - The Daily Lobo

A UNMPD officer stands behind a police cruiser on Sept. 23, 2015.

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Crime briefs for November 18, 2018

Elizabeth Sanchez | November 19

On Oct. 22, an officer was sent to the University of New Mexico Police Department Substation because someone reported an assault, according to a report. The officer spoke with a female and her 16-year-old student, who said he was walking to school around 9 a.m. when he began passing a roundabout north of Lomas Boulevard NE and Yale Boulevard NE. That was when a male driving a green pickup truck called the student a racial slur and spat — the saliva landed on the ground in front of the student. “The student reported the incident to his school’s head administrator (who) then escorted the student to the UNM Police Substation to report the incident,” the report states. The student completed a written statement.

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Stokes announces new research program

Alyssa Bitsie | November 19

University of New Mexico’s President Garnett Stokes launched the Grand Challenges Initiative in the Student Union Building on Wednesday Nov. 14. Stokes, along with other speakers of the Grand Challenges Initiative, addressed what UNM is doing to foster a more dynamic economy. Grand Challenges are problems of global, national and regional significance that require researchers to work together across disciplinary boundaries to develop and implement solutions, according to UNM’s Grand Challenges website.

Regent Bradley C. Hosmer speaks to attendees of the Tuesday afternoon regent meeting that was held in the SUB Ballroom on March 22, 2016.

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UNM regent rebukes statements made by Clifford

Kyle Land | November 17

University of New Mexico Regent Thomas Clifford has drawn criticism for comments he made at the Board of Regents meeting on Thursday — including from his fellow regents. Regent Bradley Hosmer, who joined the Board in 2011, wrote a letter to the Albuquerque Journal in which he stated he does “not share Regent Clifford’s views on the UNM graduates.” As previously reported by the Daily Lobo, interim Provost Richard Wood was criticized by Clifford when he said that UNM has a six-year graduation rate of around 50 percent.

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Staff enrolled as students get to sign-up early for classes

Justin Garcia | November 16

Staff enrolled as students through the University of New Mexico had the opportunity to sign-up for Spring 2019 classes early — some of which will be free to them. The Student Union Building Ballrooms A & B were bustling as representatives from various resource centers and organizations provided staff members with information about services and tuition remission on Monday.

Regent Michael Brasher listens during the Board of Regents meeting on Nov. 15, 2018.

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Regents discuss UNM's enrollment woes

Andrew Gunn | November 15

The Board of Regents meeting Thursday morning was, for the most part, a business-as-usual session of the oversight body. However, the two and a half hour meeting was punctuated about halfway through by an animated debate on a theme from their previous gathering in October — the University of New Mexico’s unexpectedly large decline in student enrollment and corresponding nosedive in revenues from tuition and fees. The meeting began genially with a report from President Garnett Stokes outlining various initiatives undertaken by the University in recent weeks, most of which can be found in the President's Weekly Perspective. Stokes also announced progress in the search for the Senior Vice President of Finance and Administration position as well as future dates for her traveling office hours.

Daniel Stearns embraces Elijah Jaffe as their names are announced during the ASUNM Senate Election results meeting in the SUB on the evening of Nov. 14.

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ASUNM: 10 senators elected with record low turnout

Justin Garcia | November 15

Nearly half of the 1,048 undergraduates who voted in this semester’s Associated Students of the University of New Mexico senate elections voted for the incumbents. Mohammad Assed and Madelyn Lucas both received over 500 votes in an election with a six percent turnout rate. That rate is the lowest since fall 2014, which saw a three percent turnout rate. This semester’s turnout was the second lowest in 14 semesters. “This election was a good reminder of how important it is to constantly be improving and working to include more students,” said ASUNM President Becka Myers in a statement after the election.

Construction workers at the Physics, Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science construction site.

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UNM construction plagued by copper thefts

Anthony Jackson | November 15

The University of New Mexico Physics, Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science (PAíS) building is in its ninth month of construction, but has been dealing with an issue that plagues many parts of Albuquerque — copper theft. According to State of New Mexico Uniform Incident Reports obtained by the Daily Lobo through the Information of Public Records Act (IPRA), during the month of October officers from the UNM Police Department responded to two separate calls at the PAíS construction site. According to the reports, UNMPD officers responded to a commercial burglary call on Oct. 19 after a motion sensor alarm was activated.

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GEO encourages study abroad programs with fair

Alyssa Bitsie | November 15

The University of New Mexico is continuing to host International Education Week (IEW) at various locations across campus and the Albuquerque area this week. Along with other institutions, organizations and businesses, IEW is a series of events meant to celebrate the benefits of international education and exchanges worldwide, according to the IEW website. IEW began on Nov. 12 and will conclude on Nov. 16. UNM’s Global Education Office (GEO) coordinated this week’s various events, and on Tuesday afternoon students were able to find information about study abroad opportunities and cultural exchanges in the Student Union Building Atrium.

Homeless man receives an orange from Nicole Mestas during the Random Acts of Kindness walk.

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Researchers suggest change to ABQ homelessness program

Andrew Gunn | November 12

A Bernalillo County program designed to mitigate Albuquerque homelessness was recently the subject of a study done by the University of New Mexico’s Institute for Social Research. A report evaluating Community Connections Supporting Housing’s (CCSH) efficacy and progress since its creation in 2015 was released in June of this year. In 2017, the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness (NMCEH) counted 1,318 people in Albuquerque who reported experiencing homelessness on the night of Jan. 23. However, Albuquerque Public Schools estimates that at least 3,500 of its students are without a place to stay, and the City of Albuquerque puts the figure at more than 5,000 people on any given night.

Map courtesy of New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science.

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USGS labels NM volcano a potential risk

Megan Holmen | November 12

The Red Hill-Quemado volcanic field just west of Quemado, New Mexico was recently added to the New Mexico volcano watch list by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that tracks the potential risk of all volcanoes. New Mexico is one of the most volcanically active states in the U.S. However, according to Tobias Fischer, a professor of earth and planetary sciences with a research interest in volcanology at the University of New mexico, while New Mexico has experienced recent volcanic activity in geological time, the term “recent” in geological time is different than the term “recent” in human time.

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Fact Check: Yvette Herrell on Fox News

Danielle Prokop | November 12

Despite issuing a campaign statement of “no further comment” until all ballots are counted, New Mexican State Rep. Yvette Herrell, who was recently the Republican candidate for the 2nd Congressional District (CD-2), appeared on Fox News Saturday night. Herrell was interviewed on Justice with Judge Jeanine, a prime-time show hosted by Jeanine Pirro. During the interview, both Pirro and Herrell stated factual inaccuracies regarding the race. Herrell spoke for just over a minute in the course of the four-minute interview.

Dennis Roberts, a plumber with Area Four in Facilities and Management, surveys the water damage.

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C&J building ceiling partially collapses

Anthony Jackson | November 12

A section of the ceiling in the Communication and Journalism building collapsed Wednesday afternoon due to water damage from a second floor toilet. The area was blocked off while water dripped through the ceiling until the University of New Mexico custodial staff from Facilities Management tended to the area. Adan Garcia, the operations manager for the C&J Department, was among the first to notice the leak.

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ASUNM Senate elections to begin on Monday

Justin Garcia | November 12

Around the Duck Pond and throughout Smith Plaza, students with aspirations of becoming - and remaining - senators will be asking for votes over the next three days. There are 20 candidates running to fill the 10 open seats in the Senate of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico. The polls open at 9 a.m. on Monday and close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Students can vote online at myunm or in person in the Student Union Building near the welcome desk on the second floor.

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Crime Briefs for November 12, 2018

Elizabeth Sanchez | November 12

On the afternoon of Oct. 7, an officer was on patrol at A Lot near the tennis courts and the Student Residence Center, an area “recently subjected to a large number of property-related thefts,” according to a UNMPD report. A male was riding his bike and looking from left to right in the parking lot. When he saw officers in a marked patrol vehicle, he turned into the student housing area. A black cylindrical item and a pair of yellow-handled wire cutters stuck out of the male’s pants pockets. He pedaled fast, appearing to try to escape from University of New Mexico Police Department officers. He was eventually out of sight. An officer saw him again with a female who the officer recognized as a suspect in recent thefts at the Student Union Building. The officer asked if they were students, staff or faculty — they said they were not. The male began sweating and hesitated to reply when the officer asked him why he rode away so quickly.

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Student entrepreneurs pitch ideas, win money

Justin Garcia | November 12

About $5,000 was up for grabs to the student with the best pitch last week. Jonathan Yarmey was chosen by patrons at the Bow and Arrow Brewery Co. to receive $1,000. The audience choice was the largest cash prize during the competition at Lobo Rainforest Monday night. Four other contestants were awarded $450 for the judges’ choice award while the other six finalists won $250. Yarmey’s winning pitch was an alternative approach to tracheostomies. The pitch included a mannequin located amongst the audience and an actor performing a tracheotomy.

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UNM launches project to preserve Zuni language

Alyssa Bitsie | November 12

The University of New Mexico’s College of University Libraries project is working to preserve the Zuni language and culture by using modern digital technology. The Zuni Language Materials Collection (ZLMC) is comprised of materials donated by the Zuni Public School District to UNM in 2016. According to their website it is a digitized platform used to support Zuni language learners in the community, Zuni Pueblo and schools, as well as the UNM community. Arin Peywa is a member of the Zuni Pueblo and a UNM secondary education and English major. She was hired by the library and funded by the Zuni: Engaging Teachers and Community Program (ZETAC). This program provided funding to have the language materials scanned and digitized, Peywa said.

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GEO to hold International Education Week

Megan Holmen | November 12

This week the University of New Mexico will be flooded with culture, travel and education for its annual International Education week ran by the Global Education Office (GEO). Students, faculty and staff will have the opportunity to attend a variety of events covering topics like study abroad, cultural discussions and art exhibits. According to Annette Mares-Duran, the chair of the International Education Week Campus Committee and the study abroad advisor for GEO, the week provides a chance for people to come together and celebrate diversity.

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ASUNM president demands more diverse regents from Lujan Grisham

Justin Garcia | November 8

As Michelle Lujan Grisham gets set to take the reins as New Mexico Governor, the President of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Becka Myers sent a letter urging Grisham to appoint a more diverse Board of Regents. In her letter, Myers said, “It is critical to me and all of us at ASUNM that our Regents reflect that diversity, which includes ethnicity, heritage, culture, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, ideas, and professional backgrounds.”

Photo courtesy of the UNM Bonds website.

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UNM bond projects approved by huge majority

Kyle Land | November 8

New Mexican voters emphatically approved two General Obligation (GO) Bond measures that will provide million of dollars in funding to a multitude of different projects at the University of New Mexico. As previously reported by the Daily Lobo, both bonds will not result in a tax increase, relying instead on a mixture on bond and state funds. “The strong support New Mexicans showed at the polls for both the higher education and library bonds is reflective of the value they place on research and learning,” said UNM President Garnett Stokes. “We look forward to building a campus at the University for New Mexico of which we can all be proud.”

Xochitl Torres Small says she will not concede on Nov. 6 as votes are counted for New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District election.

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Xochitl Torres Small wins NM CD-2 race

Danielle Prokop | November 7

A solid red stronghold may have gone blue. Water Attorney Xochitl Torres Small may have secured enough absentee ballots to wipe away State Representative and Republican candidate Yvette Herrell in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District race.