News

Law professor discusses oil, environment

As part of its “Lunch and Learn Careers Lecture Series,” the University of New Mexico School of Law invited former professor Alex Ritchie to speak Monday, in a talk geared toward students interested in pursuing a career in oil and gas law, environmental law or water resources law. Ritchie, the Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, said oil and gas production involves so many steps that countless areas of expertise are needed during this process. He recently taught at UNM’s School of Law for five years, focusing on oil and gas law, property law and business law. “I am here to speak to students about the career opportunities in oil and gas law and environmental law. I am also here to encourage students to keep learning after they leave law school,” Ritchie said.

ASUNM, UNM Food Services and Chartwells offer food aid scholarship

A scholarship tailored to giving Lobos the chance to experience La Posada Dining Hall was awarded to four students for the Spring 2018 semester. The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico, UNM Food Services and Chartwells — UNM’s food service provider — combined forces to award four Teal Club Memberships to deserving Lobos through the Food 4 Lobos Scholarship. The scholarships will last throughout the semester and have a total value of $7,800, said Mason Martinez, chief of staff for ASUNM President Noah Brooks.

Nonprofit supports homeless on National Random Acts of Kindness Day

University of New Mexico alum Ryan Evans spent his Saturday participating in National Random Acts of Kindness Day and giving back to Albuquerque. Evans and 10 other volunteers involved in Heart of Albuquerque — a nonprofit organization — distributed over 100 sacked lunches to homeless and struggling community members in Downtown Albuquerque. National Random Acts of Kindness Day is not his first time volunteering. He has also volunteered in food drives and in classrooms, discussing college prep-plans.

Black History Month read-in celebrates diversity

Project for New Mexico Graduates of Color at the University of New Mexico organized a “read-in” in honor of Black History Month. Held Thursday, the event invited readers from all walks of life to read and share with the audience any kind of publication of their choice created by African Americans. The pieces ranged from political speeches to scholarly works. PNMGC Project Assistant Glenda Lewis said she decided to host a reading event in observance of Black History Month, because it is “something that is currently not being done. It’s something that allows students to use their voice.”

Symposium focuses on harmful effects of oil

“The Last Oil” symposium is a multidisciplinary event put on by eight on-campus departments that calls for an end to the oil industry. The event begins Wednesday at Keller Hall at 5 p.m. and continues Thursday at 8 a.m. in the Student Union Building Ballroom C and returns to Keller Hall at 5:30 p.m. The symposium ends Friday with talks in SUB Ballroom C from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and later with a lecture from 6 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in Woodward Hall.

UNMH receives new life-saving medical device

The University of New Mexico Hospital is the first hospital in the state to use a new machine that increases the survival rate of patients suffering from life-threatening lung and/or heart problems. Last fall UNMH received a portable Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation machine. An ECMO machine works by pulling blood out of a patient and running it through a device that oxygenates the blood and removes carbon dioxide. The machine then returns the blood to the patient’s body in a manner that bypasses the heart and lungs.

Lottery Scholarship sees changes, memorial on firearms introduced as legislative session wraps up

SANTA FE, N.M. — The latest state legislative session wrapped up Thursday as representatives and senators worked until the last second to get as many bills, memorials and resolutions passed before the noon deadline. Below is a look at how three pieces of legislation — two of which directly affect the University of New Mexico — fared in the State Legislature.

KUNM Generation Listen welcomes community to listening party

KUNM Generation Listen will host a listening party Friday, where members of the community are encouraged to learn about radio. This month, Generation Listen plans to cover student-generated podcasts on a wide variety of topics, from politics to sports. Jalila Arthur, the 2016-2017 president of Generation Listen, and current president Seth Brewer encourage everyone to attend.

Brief: Carnival promotes kindness on and off campus

The University of New Mexico BeKind Initiative in collaboration with UNM Student Affairs put on a Kindness Carnival Monday in the Student Union Building as part of Kindness Week. The event featured games, food and prizes. According to Kim Kloeppel, chief operations officer for UNM Student Affairs, the Kindness Carnival was hosted by the BeKind Initiative to encourage students to give back to the community and spread kindness. This was the second year that UNM hosted the Kindness Carnival, said Jessica Carlton, a student volunteer at the Kindness Carnival and volunteer with the Be Kind Initiative.

Path of reported incidents concerning gunman on campus

Gunman arrested after incidents at Duck Pond and near campus

University of New Mexico students, staff and faculty received an alarming alert Thursday morning about a man on campus who pulled a gun on several people. According to the LoboAlert — sent out at 10:38 a.m. — a dark-skinned male wearing a green pancho started heading south towards Central Avenue after brandishing a gun in front of multiple people. Lt. Trace Peck, of the UNM Police Department, said that the first incident took place at the Golden Pride restaurant on Lomas Boulevard. This was followed by a second report from two joggers who saw the man holding a gun on the same street — Peck said he did not know whether or not they were under a direct threat from the suspect.

Regent Alex Romero resigns, cites lack of respect

Tensions among Board of Regents members came to a head when one decided to leave the position entirely, citing ineffective communication and leadership. Regent Alex O. Romero resigned from the University of New Mexico Board of Regents Wednesday after only serving in the position for eight months. “It’s a lack of respect,” said Romero during an interview with the Daily Lobo when explaining his reasons for leaving.

Brief: Bake sale benefits cancer patients

The New Mexico Tumor Registry organized and held a Valentine’s Day bake sale Wednesday at the Cancer Research Facility. All proceeds went toward cancer patients and their families. NMTR Program Manager Virginia “Ginger” Williams, who headed the event, said NMTR holds three fundraisers each year for this cause. NMTR works with the social workers at the UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center to identify cancer patients who are most in need, she said.

Regents approve Abdallah as 22nd prez — also talk taproom, athletics, communication

The proposed Student Union Building Taproom and Chaouki Abdallah’s time at the University of New Mexico were discussed at Tuesday’s Board of Regents meeting, among Coronado dorm renovations, communication between regents and athletic debt. Associated Students of University of New Mexico and UNM faculty representatives expressed concerns regarding the proposition that the athletic department’s $4.7 million deficit be forgiven. The concerns involving the athletics department debt were discussed during the public comment section of the meeting. Pamela Pyle, the Faculty Senate president, was the first to speak against the idea of forgiving the debt. She said she received 25 emails from fellow faculty members that agreed with her aversion to the idea.

Brief: Annual BeKind Week kicks off with safety theme

The University of New Mexico began its annual BeKind Week Monday, continuing a 16-year-old tradition involving more than 18 campus departments promoting kindness and goodwill. Some groups involved this week include Student Health and Counseling and UNM Children’s Campus. A teddy bear drive, Cuddle a Canine and other events will happen throughout the week. “Kindness means helping each other out. Being a community that supports each other and in this time and age where people need positive reinforcement in trying to be proactive each and every day to help someone out,” said Kimmerly Kloeppel, Ph.D., chair of the BeKind team.

Fate of Lottery Scholarship bill to be determined Thursday

There are just two days left in the legislative session, and the fate of a handful of bills are still unknown — one of them being House Bill 147. HB 147 challenges the way the Lottery Foundation allocates money for the Lottery Scholarship. Currently, the scholarship receives 30 percent of the net revenue from the New Mexico lottery, which includes ticket sales. As introduced, the bill calls for an elimination of the 30 percent allotment and instead proposes a flat rate of $38 million allocated to the fund per year. If the foundation cannot provide the $38 million, they would be required to only allocate 30 percent of their net revenue.

Continuing Ed hosts active shooter survival course at UNM

The University of New Mexico Continuing Education department will be hosting an active shooter survival course on Saturday that is open to the public. Global One Defense, an Albuquerque-based company that specializes in defense solutions and trainings, will run the course. The company teaches a variety of courses across the U.S. and other countries, covering topics ranging from active shooter and home invasions to law enforcement and border security. Gilbert Baca, CEO and founder of Global One Defense, has been teaching the active shooter course since 2008. He says it is important for everyone to go through the training.

Cox aims to give everyone the chance to vote

Focusing on the integrity of the voting process will be part of attorney JoHanna Cox’s first steps to run for New Mexico Secretary of State. “There are several different locations where people's votes weren’t counted that people weren’t able to even get to polling locations, because they didn’t know about them or where they were located,” she said. On Jan. 11, Cox announced her candidacy for New Mexico Secretary of State, planning to run as a Republican.

Toulouse Oliver talks voting opportunities and the road ahead

Current Secretary of State and University of New Mexico alum Maggie Toulouse Oliver is running for re-election this fall. Toulouse Oliver received both her undergraduate and her master’s degree at UNM and has been involved in elections in New Mexico for the last 23 years, she said. “(Being) a graduate student in studying election systems and voting behavior has really helped me in my work, and it has helped me apply some of the tools...to the work that I do,” Toulouse Oliver said.

Campus community wants students to “Love Yo ‘Self”

This Valentine’s Day the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Resource Center at the University of New Mexico will be hosting an event titled “Love Yo ‘Self” to focus on self-love and self-care. Selina Villa, a student employee at the Center, said that self-care and self-love are important issues. “Especially for the queer-trans community (it is important) to encourage self-love because there’s a lot of things out there that tells us that we really shouldn’t be this way and what we’re doing isn’t right,” Villa said. “So we just want to give that opportunity to people to be like ‘you matter, you’re loved and who you are is pretty dandy.’”