News - The Daily Lobo

University of New Mexico students continue their day leaving, or arriving to Dane Smith Hall. Of the almost 24,000 students at UNM, less than six percent use the Lobo Guardian app.

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UNM promotes app to protect students

Anthony Jackson | September 9

Smartphones have tremendous pocket-sized power — sometimes they are used for finding memes and other times they can be used to save a life. Since 2015, the University of New Mexico has promoted a service called LoboGuardian — which runs off the RaveGuardian network — to increase campus safety. Users can send pictures and text anonymous tips to the UNM Police Department through the app. There is also a panic button for emergencies. The panic button will quickly send a distress signal to UNMPD and turn your smartphone into a tracking beacon, allowing law enforcement to respond accordingly.

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

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Crime briefs for September 10

Elizabeth Sanchez | September 9

Possession of Stolen Property On the evening of Aug. 23, an officer was sent to Popejoy Hall after stuffed teddy bears were stolen, according to a police report. The officer spoke with the male who reported the incident. He said someone took the bears from a cabinet inside Popejoy Hall. There were no witnesses. Another officer detained a male who was holding three stuffed bears at the bookstore and said he found them on the ground. The male is not a student and has been involved in many campus calls. Requesting that the male in possession of the bears be banned from campus, the police report will be sent to the UNM Dean of Students.

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UNM receives substantial grant from Google

Mikhaela Smith | September 9

The University of New Mexico recently received a grant from Google to help attract more undergraduate women to the fields of robotics and computer science. According to a Google press release, UNM was one of 15 schools to receive an exploreCSR (Computer Science Research) grant. The press release said Google wants to use these grants to reach about 1,200 undergraduate women between 2018 and 2019. This $35,000 grant will help implement a program called Becoming a Robot Guru Workshop, led by associate computer science professor Lydia Tapia.

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Albuquerque rallies for sustainability during protest

Sol Traverso | September 9

Albuquerque rallied together Sept. 8 for the Rise at the Rio for Climate, Water, Jobs and Justice demonstration calling for renewable energy and environmental justice. The event was part of a larger, international coalition called The People's Climate Movement. Demonstrations in cities all over the world have been held as a part of this movement.

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Physical Plant Department changes name

Ahmad Yar Ranjha | September 9

The Physical Plant Department at the University of New Mexico has changed its name to Facilities Management because the management of the department believes that the term Physical Plant does not describe them and their services accurately. The name change initiative is in line with UNM’s overall marketing initiative of rebranding itself and expanding its outreach, including a recent upgrade to its logo.

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UNM researcher finds a cause of mass extinctions

Megan Holmen | September 9

A geological researcher at the University of New Mexico has discovered that low oxygen levels contributed to the Earth’s great mass extinctions. Maya Elrick, the sedimentary geologist behind the research, said ocean water anoxia — the depletion of dissolved oxygen in water — can be linked to four out of the five mass extinctions on Earth. The earth has had five mass extinctions, and the Late Ordovician Mass Extinction occurred about 450 million years ago. This extinction was when most life on earth was in the sea and resulted in a drastic reduction of species.

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UNM professor edits book on grandparenting

Tasawar Shah | September 7

The University of New Mexico’s Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies department chair, professor Ziarat Hossain, co-edited a book with professor David Shwalb from Southern Utah University called “Grandparents in Cultural Context” and has recently been published. The book integrates new ideas into previously established concepts surrounding grandparenthood. It includes authors from 15 countries and covers grandparenting in 12 diverse societies across four continents: North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

Front cover "Transparency Report of The University of New Mexico," released by the Office of the Attorney General.

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NMAG report reveals transparency issues at UNM

Danielle Prokop | September 7

Despite all of New Mexico’s “Sunshine Laws,” which guarantee access to public information, the University of New Mexico is still keeping people in the dark. At least, that’s what the New Mexico Attorney General’s office (OAG) is saying in their 2018 Transparency Report regarding UNM’s alleged violations of two state transparency laws. The laws in question are the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) and the Open Meetings Act (OMA). “Since 2015, UNM has established a pattern and practice of neglecting their responsibility to allow access to public information and access to meaningful discourse and deliberation on public business,” the report said.

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Profile: Interim-Provost talks to the Lobo

Anthony Jackson | September 6

Former-Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Chaouki Abdallah transferred to Georgia Tech. Until the long search to fill the position is complete, an interim will have to fill the role. On Aug.

Screenshot from a tweet by the Center for Advanced Research Computing, image from KRQE 13.

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UNMPD creates social media campaign

Tom Hanlon | September 6

Being accessible to the University of New Mexico has always been a goal for UNM’s Police Department, but now the department wants to take it one step further and connect with college students through social media. Last month UNMPD launched a new initiative and hashtag called #UNMStrongerTogether. This initiative also kicked off the department’s new Twitter and Instagram social media accounts. The hashtag aims to make UNMPD more accessible to the University community and increase awareness of the importance of community policing.

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ASUNM: Finance Committee approves allocation of nearly $50,000.

Justin Garcia | September 6

The Finance Committee of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico discussed what to do with an estimated $50,000 in surplus funds from the 2017-2018 school year Wednesday night. The Balance Forward request is when ASUNM allots money that has not already been allocated previously to student groups.

ASUNM President Becka Myers and UNM President Garnett Stokes use an oversized pair of scissors to cut a ribbon during the Smith Plaza ribbon cutting ceremony in Smith Plaza on Aug. 28, 2018.

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UNM celebrates Smith Plaza re-opening

Cameron Goeldner | August 29

After nine months of construction that made one of the most heavily trafficked areas on campus inaccessible, the newly remodeled Smith Plaza was officially opened on Wednesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The plaza was originally constructed in 1972 and hadn’t undergone any major changes since. One major factor motivating the remodel was safety. Among the new additions are wider ramps to make the plaza more accessible, easier access for emergency vehicles and four plateau areas for socialization.

Graph courtesy of The Statewide Economic Impact of the University of New Mexico.

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Study shows UNM greatly affects state economy

Kyle Land | August 29

The University of New Mexico is one of the biggest institutions in the entire state — its full impact was revealed on Monday. During a press conference at Lobo Rainforest, UNM President Garnett Stokes revealed the results of a study titled “The Statewide Economic Impact of the University of New Mexico.” In the study’s executive summary, UNM’s economic impact includes 24,985 jobs and an economic output of $3.1 billion.

Photo courtesy of New Mexico Secretary of State.

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New Mexico to enact straight-party voting next election

Madison Spratto | August 29

The Secretary of State (SOS) Maggie Toulouse Oliver announced Wednesday that straight-party voting will be an option on the 2018 election ballot, a decision that has already received backlash from both sides. Toulouse Oliver said she promised to implement straight-party, also called straight ticket, voting during her run for Secretary of State, and being on the verge of ballot printing deadline, she said there was no other time to announce the decision, because the office needed time to test sample ballots.

Photo taken during the 2015 Burning of the Zozobra.

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Everything you need to know for Zozobra 2018

Danielle Prokop | August 29

It’s the end of the summer, meaning it’s time for New Mexico’s own “burning man” tradition, this Friday, Aug. 31 at Marcy Park in Santa Fe. For anyone from out of state — the burning of Zozobra (the 50-foot tall figure is affectionately named “Old Man Gloom”) is a Santa Fe tradition, stretching back for 94 years.

Senators Jacob Silva and Selina Montoya laugh during the ASUNM full senate meeting on August 29, 2018.

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ASUNM grants $14,000 to Women's Rugby

Justin Garcia | August 29

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico voted to appropriate just over $14,000 to Women’s Rugby on Wednesday night on its first full-senate meeting of the semester. With 19 votes for and 1 absentee-abstention, ASUNM voted to continue funding the team for the duration of the fall semester. Women’s rugby is currently a club sport and does not fall under the athletics department. The women’s rugby team competed in the elite eight round of the National Championship last spring.

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UNM Press gift hundreds of books to tribal libraries

Tasawar Shah | August 29

The Center for Regional Studies (CRS) and UNM Press at the University of New Mexico have gifted 850 books to 25 underfunded public and tribal libraries in New Mexico, with each library receiving 34 books. The books focus on the history, landscape and the communities of the region. This collaborative project began in 2009 in an effort to promote the relationship between the community and UNM.

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Honors College teaches class on archaeology of trails

Luisa Pennington | August 29

The University of New Mexico Honors College reintroduced Archeology of Trails and Anthropology of Place this semester. According to Troy Lovata, the chair of the Honors College and professor of the class, he has taught this class off and on since it was introduced in 2015. With a background in archeology that is grounded in anthropology, Lovata has extensive knowledge in human history. He has taught courses on landscape, culture and place for more than a dozen years.

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UNMH offers world's smallest pacemaker

Mikhaela Smith | August 29

The University of New Mexico Hospital is now offering the world’s smallest pacemaker. This new pacemaker, called the Micra Transcatheter Pacing System (TPS), is about the size of a vitamin pill and uses single chamber technology to treat patients with bradycardia.

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National Science Foundation Day held today in SUB

Mikhaela Smith | August 29

The University of New Mexico will be hosting National Science Foundation Day in New Mexico from 7:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. today in the Student Union Building. According to the NSF Day in NM website, the event is intended to help early career and tenure track faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers learn more about the NSF’s proposal process in order to make themselves more competitive when applying for funding.