News

News

UNM launches new printing system

Megan Holmen | August 26

The printing system at the University of New Mexico’s Main Campus got a reboot this semester. Printing across campus is now operated by Wēpa, a cloud based printing solution, said Elisha Allen, the director of academic technology at UNM IT. This system allows students to print their documents remotely from the cloud. According to Allen, the system takes LoboCa$h and any debit or credit card.

---

News

UNM's Spirit Marching Band prepares for new season

Tom Hanlon | August 26

With a new football season comes new performances from the University of New Mexico’s Spirit Marching Band (SMB). This year the band’s halftime show will incorporate music from icons such as Maynard Ferguson and Aretha Franklin. “Each year, we strive to bring different music to the field,” said Dr. Chad Simons, associate director of bands at UNM. “We look forward to presenting entertaining and tuneful charts that our audience will recognize and enjoy.” Since the start of band camp on Aug. 10, the band has been training new members and incorporating them into the band’s ensemble. Simons said one of the first challenges is training new members from diverse backgrounds to perform according to UNM SMB customs.

---

News

Four UNM architects earn leadership roles

Luisa Pennington | August 26

University of New Mexico architecture students Elizabeth Wilson, Nicholas Romero and Diana Duran were elected to leadership positions for the UNM chapter of the American Institute of Architecture Students for the 2018-2019 school year. The three students have been appointed to national architecture boards for the current school year, as well. Within UNM AIAS, Wilson is the president, Romero is the vice president and Duran is the graduate student liaison. Originally modeled after the American Institute of Architects (AIA), AIAS students are represented in the AIA, in addition to the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and the National Architectural Accrediting Board.

---

News

C&J building now requires ID swipe for entrance

Anthony Jackson | August 26

University of New Mexico students must now use their LoboCard to enter the Communication and Journalism building. The announcement was made via email from Jessica Chavez, the C&J program coordinator, on Tuesday, Aug. 21. The email explained how students have to swipe their card to gain entry: make sure your photo is facing Redondo Drive Northeast as you swipe from top to bottom. If done correctly, a green light will appear — students are advised to enter through the left door.

---

News

New Mexico's birds and trees are dying

Kyle Land | August 22

Bird populations in New Mexico are failing to take off — in fact, they’re nosediving. A study conducted by scientists at the Los Alamos National Labs (LANL) found that piñon pine trees are dying in growing numbers, which is having adverse effects on wildlife in the area — especially birds. Researchers believe climate change is one of the reasons. The study, conducted by Jeanne Fair and Charles Hathcock, concluded that “piñon mortality may be a significant threat to bird communities in the southwestern U.S.” It also stated that piñon-juniper woodlands, in which piñon trees thrive, may disappear completely by the year 2100, according to a LANL press release.

---

News

UNM holds convocation to greet freshmen

Hazel Simmons | August 22

Starting college can be a difficult transition. As an attempt to make students feel more comfortable on campus, the University of New Mexico holds an annual freshman convocation the day before classes begin. With an assortment of speeches and performances, they give the diverse freshman class a taste of the variety of programs and communities that are within UNM.

---

News

UNM selects Interim Title IX Coordinator

Megan Holmen | August 22

The University of New Mexico has selected Sara Cliffe as the Interim Title IX Coordinator at the Office of Equal Opportunity. Cliffe began working at UNM June 2018 as the OEO Compliance Manager. According to Francie Cordova, the director of OEO, Cliffe is well versed in Title IX, which was why she was selected for the position.

---

News

Chief of Staff Elizabeth Washburn leaves UNM

Anthony Jackson | August 22

Throughout 2018 the University of New Mexico has seen the retirement, transfer and resignation of staff from many different positions. A recent resignee includes Elizabeth Washburn, Chief of Staff in the Office of the President at the University of New Mexico and as Chief Compliance Officer. Washburn said she is leaving the University to be with her husband, Kevin, as he begins his tenure as Dean of College Law at the University of Iowa, adding that her departure “has nothing to do with athletics.”

---

News

Answers to common questions from incoming students

Megan Holmen | August 22

A new school year brings new students — and new questions. The Daily Lobo asked new students what daunting questions they had prior to starting the semester, and did our best to answer them.

---

News

UNM researcher receives grant to treat cancer survivors

Mikhaela Smith | August 22

A University of New Mexico researcher recently received a grant from the National Cancer Institute to help improve the lives of cancer survivors across New Mexico. The grant, which will last for five years, will total $772,000. Cindy Blair, assistant professor at UNM’s School of Medicine, said she hopes this grant will help older cancer survivors live an active lifestyle by decreasing the amount of time they spend sitting for long periods of time. She said this will be done remotely, which will reduce a survivor’s need to travel.

---

News

ASUNM select Satchel Ben as President Pro Tempore

Justin Garcia | August 19

The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico elected student-Senator Satchel Ben to President Pro Tempore of the student senate Saturday afternoon. Ben was elected with a 19-0 count, with one senator absent. Ben is a junior studying finance at the Anderson School of Management. Last semester Ben served as the chair of the ASUNM Finance Committee.

---

News

Regents re-approve cutting four sports, diving program spared

Danielle Prokop | August 17

Nearly five hours of public meeting, and still four sports were cut from the University of New Mexico Athletics Department Friday. The decision at the special Boards of Regents meeting was in many ways similar to the contentious July 19 meeting, eliminating men and womens skiing, beach volleyball and men’s soccer, but kept diving. The meeting was called after the Office of the Attorney General (NMAG) said the meeting in July “violated” the state’s Open Meetings Act according to a letter sent to the University last week by the NMAG threatening legal action if another meeting was not held. The University responded earlier this week, stating it did not violate OMA, but would hold another meeting.

---

News

Today's special Board of Regents meeting: What's happening and why

Danielle Prokop | August 17

The Board of Regents will convene to have a meeting regarding cuts to four sports from the University of New Mexico’s athletics program tomorrow at 1 p.m. Sound familiar? That’s because it’s a re-do. The meeting held on July 19 “violated” the state’s Open Meetings Act (OMA) according to a letter sent to the University last week by the Office of the Attorney General (NMAG) threatening legal action if another meeting was not held.

---

News

Regents discuss new degrees and veterans at latest meeting

Catherine Stringam | August 15

The University of New Mexico Board of Regents met on Tuesday morning to discuss veterans programs, global and national security degrees, medicare and more. President Garnett Stokes spoke about her statewide “listening and learning tour,” which wraps up this week. She said she has traveled over 4,287 miles and met over 1,100 people across the state of New Mexico. Stokes is now working to create initiatives based on the information gathered and issues discovered on her tour. Some of these initiatives include growing the teaching and healthcare workforces, coordinating with businesses to create more internship opportunities for students, and increasing alumni engagement and community outreach.

---

News

Only 17 percent of Distinguished Professors at UNM are female

Derek Olsen | August 13

A list of Distinguished Professors on the Provost’s website shows that since the 2004-2005 academic year, the University of New Mexico has promoted 92 professors to this rank. Out of those 92, 16 of them are women. Dr. Alex Lubin said the Office of the Provost is fully aware of this disparity and its employees are working to remedy it. Lubin is the associate provost for faculty development. He has been with UNM since 2002, when he was an assistant professor in the Department of American Studies. One of his responsibilities includes managing the Distinguished Professor process.

---

News

Camera, Culture and Coyoacán

Anthony Jackson | August 12

My study abroad program lasted about two weeks and took place in Mexico City. The program — called Camera, Culture and Coyoacán: Framing the Urban Landscape in Mexico City and La Luna, La Virgen y La Frida — was led by University of New Mexico Staff Jaelyn DeMaria and Roberto Rosales with members from Instituto Legal. From the beginning of the program I learned about some of the deep, coexisting histories and cultures imbedded with the land. I learned about how, for thousands of years, the maguey agave plant — a native species to Mexico — has been used for sewing, medicine and making beverages.

---

News

Stephen Hull named new director of UNM Press

Derek Olsen | August 12

The new director of the University of New Mexico Press will be Stephen Hull, who starts on September 17. Richard Schuetz is currently the interim director of UNM Press and has been for about a year. When Hull takes over, Schuetz will transition to the position of associate director of business affairs. Schuetz is from Waco, Texas, where he earned his B.A. in business from Baylor University. He received his MBA from the University of Central Florida and has been with UNM Press since 2002.

---

News

UNM scientists study 4.6 billion year old meteorite

Mikhaela Smith | August 12

Researchers at the University of New Mexico, NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Arizona State University recently had their research titled Silica-rich volcanism in the Early Solar System Dated at 4.565 Ga published in Nature Communications after uncovering the oldest igneous meteorite on record. The meteorite, known as Northwest Africa (NWA) 11119, is 4.6 billion years old, making it 65 million years older than Earth and 2 million years younger than the earliest fragments of the solar system, according to UNM professor and Director of the Institute of Meteoritics Carl Agee.

---

News

SCCORE program aims to increase minority participation in STEM

Mikhaela Smith | August 12

The University of New Mexico hosted its fifth annual Summer Community College Opportunity for Research Experience (SCCORE) this summer. According to the SCCORE website, the program is part of the Alliance for Minority Participation (AMP), which aims to increase the success of minority students pursuing STEM degrees. The program works by allowing students who are currently attending community colleges across the state to participate in a four-week long summer research project at the university they intend to transfer to. In addition to participating in research, the program allows the students to attend orientation sessions that help them get to know the campus, as well as professional development workshops. This summer, five students had the opportunity to participate in the SCCORE program at UNM.

---

News

UPDATE: Attorney General says Regents violated Open Meetings Act, UNM denies wrongdoing

Danielle Prokop | August 10

The New Mexico Attorney General’s office sent a letter to the University of New Mexico stating last month’s Board of Regents meeting to cut sports “violated” the state’s Open Meetings Act (OMA). In response, the University said it did nothing wrong. “Although this issue is moot in light of the upcoming meeting and agenda, the University would nevertheless like to address the alleged non-compliance because (1) it was never the University's intent to be vague or overly broad in the agenda item and (2) the University believes that the agenda item complied with the guidance provided by the AG Compliance Guide,” Associate University Counsel Patrick Hart wrote in a letter.