News - The Daily Lobo

Clip art made by Colton Newman. Images from UNM School of Medicine and Mediaite.

News

UNM professor weighs in on Kavanaugh

Cameron Goeldner | September 27

A University of New Mexico professor has found himself in the conversation surrounding allegations against Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh after he was quoted in an article published by The New Yorker following allegations from Deborah Ramirez, a college classmate of Kavanaugh’s at Yale University. Mark Krasberg, a research assistant professor of Neurosurgery in the School of Medicine, was a college classmate of the two and told The New Yorker that Kavanaugh’s behavior was a common topic among his classmates after his nomination was announced. According to the article, “in one email that Krasberg received in September, the classmate who recalled hearing about the incident with Ramirez alluded to the allegation and wrote that it “would qualify as a sexual assault... if it’s true.””

Construction on the new physics and astronomy building can be seen outside of the art building. Students report smelling chemical fumes that are causing nausea and headaches.

News

Construction fumes raise concern for art students

Emily Ashby | September 27

Art students are raising concerns of distractions and health problems caused by fumes in the Art Building due to the construction site south of it. First reported by KRQE, students say they have been dealing with the fumes for the entire fall semester so far.

Dannelle Kirven talks to the ASUNM Senate Wednesday night about recent racialized comments made by members of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

News

ASUNM brief: Racial remarks and resolutions

Justin Garcia | September 26

The Vice President of the Black Student Alliance spoke to Senators of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico during their full senate meeting Wednesday evening regarding racial remarks allegedly made by members of a University of New Mexico sorority. According to a statement from the BSA, members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority made racial remarks during a speech by the director of Counseling Services at Student Health and Counseling, Dr Stephanie McIver.

A UNM student washes their hands in a bathroom that was recently reviewed on a Twitter page that has gotten attention.

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UNM student's bathroom review makes big splash

Isaiah Garcia | September 26

Twitter is now flush with reviews of local bathrooms — and some of the University of New Mexico’s toilets are tanking. Nicholas Sandoval, a 3rd year communication and interdisciplinary film and media Major at UNM, has gathered buzz from his bathroom reviews on campus and around the Albuquerque area. Sandoval started the Twitter account @BathroomReview5 around the beginning of September, and has already gained 127 followers in that time.

News

Dr. McIver responds to racial remarks made by UNM sorority members

Kyle Land | September 26

The University of New Mexico chapter of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority has recently come under fire for racial remarks that were allegedly made by members of the sorority during a welcoming event for new Greek Life members. As previously reported by the Daily Lobo, the remarks were made during a presentation by Dr. Stephanie McIver, director of Counseling Services at SHAC, which focuses on mental health, anxiety and the various resources available at SHAC.

News

ABQ readies for election with National Voter Registration Day

Alyssa Bitsie | September 26

Bernalillo County hosted the second annual National Voter Registration Day event in Civic Plaza on Tuesday afternoon. Members of the community were invited to register to vote or update their voter registration. In 2012, on the fourth Tuesday of September, National Voter Registration Day became a national holiday. The day is meant to spread awareness on the importance of voting.

A protestor holds a sign during an anti-NRA protest on Sept. 23, 2018.

News

NRA-sponsored shooting competition sparks protest in ABQ

Anthony Jackson | September 24

Red and blue lights flashed over protestors from Fight for Our Lives, a gun reform activist group, as they blocked the entrance into the Embassy Suites Hotel on Woodward Drive Northeast, Sunday. The activist group met at Martineztown-Santa Barbara Park before convening at the hotel to protest against the City of Albuquerque hosting the NRA National Police Shooting Championship. Jonathon Alonzo, a highschool student who co-founded the group, said he believes the NRA should not have a place in local police departments.

South Lot and Lobo Village shuttles wait to be used in T-lot.

News

New shuttle route drives mixed reactions among students and staff

Anthony Jackson | September 24

The University of New Mexico shuttle system has a new combo route, drawing the ire of many students and staff. Since the end of August, the University combined the South Lot and Lobo Village routes every Monday through Thursday after 3:30 p.m. Barbara Morck, the director of Parking and Transportation Services (PATS), said the combo route was implemented due to a shortage of drivers.

An art gallery attendee interacts with an exhibit at the University of New Mexico Art Museum on Sept. 19.

News

Exhibit combines art and political conversation

Matthew Zank | September 24

Politics and artistic expression crossed paths last Wednesday, Sept. 19 at the “For Freedoms Party,” an exhibit through the UNM Art Museum. For Freedoms Federation, a project with the goal of combining art with civic participation, worked in conjunction with the UNM Art Museum to bring the exhibition to the University of New Mexico. After a keynote speech from artist Aram Han Sifuentes, the interactive art exhibit began. Attendees were able to voice their own political opinions by filling in cards with statements like “Freedom From...” and “Freedom Of...” and added them to the walls of the exhibit.

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

News

Crime briefs for Sept. 24, 2018

Elizabeth Sanchez | September 24

Battery at UNMH On Sept. 7, a UNM Hospital employee told a UNM Police officer that another employee “slingshotted” a rubber glove, hitting her in the face, according to a police report. Before he did this, he antagonized her and her co-worker. She told him not to fling the glove at her. She thought the glove was contaminated. She informed her supervisors about the incident and was treated at UNM Employee Occupational Health Services. She later returned to work. When she met with the officer, the officer did not notice that she had any visible injuries. The co-worker who witnessed the incident completed a statement that was given to UNMPD. In her statement, she said the male employee flung gloves at the reporting employee and hit her on the cheek. The reporting employee told him to get away from her. The male said the gloves were clean and that he was sorry, and he walked away. In her statement, she said the male employee seemed to be “playing around” and did not intend to be unkind — he and the employee who was hit with the glove usually seem to get along well.

Juan Melendez, an exonerated death row inmate who was wrongly convicted shares his story in the Student Union Building Theatre on Sept. 19.

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Death row exoneree Juan Melendez speaks at UNM

Anthony Jackson | September 24

A death row exoneree and speaker from Witness to Innocence, a nonprofit organization against capital punishment, was hosted by the University of New Mexico Lobo Reading Experience in the Student Union Building Theatre on Sept. 19. Scores of UNM students listened to Juan Melendez — an exonerated Florida death row inmate who was wrongfully convicted — share his experience. “When they put me in death row for 17 years, eight months and one day, the world stopped,” Melendez said.

News

UNM makes strides in bone health research

Isaiah Garcia | September 24

The University of New Mexico School of Medicine is helping make medical professionals in the state, and all around the country, more knowledgeable with diagnosing and effectively treating osteoporosis through a learning program for medical professionals called Bone Health TeleECHO. According to the UNM Bone Health website, there are available treatments for osteoporosis that can help prolong life. Only about 20 percent of patients with hip fractures are treated to help prevent the risk of future fractures.

News

UNM changes IPRA policy due to transparency issues

Danielle Prokop | September 24

Full disclosure: Reporter Danielle Prokop is now also employed at NM Political Report, however was not employed at the time the report was released. A serious concern for the University of New Mexico for the past few weeks has been transparency, and UNM says it’s making changes. Earlier this month, the Attorney General's office sent a letter admonishing UNM’s “pattern and practice of neglecting their responsibility to allow access to public information.”

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Dion's and UNM Innovation Academy team up for "Keep It Cool" Challenge

Mikhaela Smith | September 20

The University of New Mexico’s Innovation Academy has partnered with Dion’s to kick off the “Keep It Cool” Challenge. The challenge will provide possible ways to ship Dion’s ranch across the country — it starts Sept. 20 at 3 p.m. in the Lobo Rainforest Collaboration Space.

The Kappa Kappa Gamma house off of University Boulevard stays busy on the afternoon of Sept. 19, 2018. Kappa Kappa Gamma is in the midst of allegations that members of the sorority used "racial remarks" during an anxiety workshop.

News

Black Student Alliance condemns sorority for racial remarks

Kyle Land | September 19

The Black Student Alliance (BSA) of the University of New Mexico released a statement Wednesday condemning members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG) sorority for using “racial remarks” during a workshop for incoming Greek Life members. The workshop was part of Monday’s 2018 Greek New Member Summit, an event that educates incoming Greek Life members on various topics, with the incident occurring during a portion of the event covering mental health. According to the statement, the comments were made when Dr. Stephanie McIver, director of counseling at Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), was making a presentation about the services available at SHAC.

The weekly ASUNM meeting gets underway in the Student Union Building on Sept. 19, 2018.

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ASUNM discuss finances, compliance at latest committee meetings

Madison Spratto and Justin Garcia | September 19

The Associated Students of New Mexico Senate Finance and Steering & Rules committees met yesterday evening to discuss an investigation into Lobo Motorsports Formula SAE, appropriations and four resolutions. Finance Committee Among the nearly $25,000 in appropriations discussed, Vice President Emily Wilks announced the Finance Committee was investigating Lobo Motorsports Formula SAE who received about $20,000 in appropriations last year. Lobo Motorsports Formula SAE is a student organization, partly funded by student fees, that builds and races formula one vehicles against other universities.

The Rio Grande River flows as storm settles over Albuquerque on the afternoon of Sept. 19, 2018.

News

Temporary waterways may lose environmental protections

Megan Holmen | September 19

Temporary waterways in the United States could potentially lose protection under the Clean Water Act through the Environmental Protection Agency — 90 percent of New Mexico’s water comes from temporary waterways according to Cliff Dahm, a University of New Mexico biology professor. Dahm said temporary waterways can be defined as any waterway that does not flow all year long. Some temporary waterways flow most of the year, but some only flow a few days out of the year.

News

El Centro celebrates its 50th anniversary

Makayla Grijalva | September 19

El Centro de la Raza kicked off their year-long 50th year celebration on Sept.17. The student services center was opened at the University of New Mexico in 1969 under the name Chicano Student Services and is a part of the Division of Student Affairs. The kickoff event included speakers from every decade since El Centro’s founding. Speakers talked about El Centro de la Raza’s evolution, and a special anniversary logo for the center was also revealed.

News

New Mexico may be facing another Democratic "trifecta"

Makayla Grijalva | September 19

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published on Sept. 19 in the New Mexico News Port. This is part of our project to help connect the Daily Lobo audience to more members of our community New Mexico may be on track to have another Democratic “trifecta” after the 2018 election cycle. A state government trifecta is when a single political party has control of the governor’s seat and the majority in both chambers of the state legislature, in this case, the New Mexico House of Representatives and New Mexico Senate.

President Stokes addresses an audience during a State of the University speech in UNM SUB September 17, 2018.

News

Stokes unpacks first 200 days as president at State of University address

Danielle Prokop | September 18

After 200 days, the University of New Mexico no longer has a “new” President. UNM President Garnett Stokes gave her first State of the University address Monday to a crowd of 200 people. She was introduced by Faculty President Pamela Pyle, and spoke for nearly half an hour. Framed on each side by arrangements of red and white gladiolas, Stokes touted University success in healthcare programs, teaching educators, research initiatives, and student entrepreneurs and startups.