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Sex and Relationships Issue: Grey Area training aims to educate students on sexual assault

Makayla Grijalva | October 26

Last October, the University of New Mexico entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice with the goal of improving sexual misconduct policies on campus. Through this agreement, the Grey Area training was born. The mandatory training will continue to teach UNM students about sexual abuse and misconduct through December 2017. “It’s also about a change in culture, not only at UNM, but in the community,” said Cole Carvour, the LoboRESPECT training and development specialist.

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Sex and Relationships Issue: I’m Still Josh hopes to combat stigmas about living with HIV

Madison Spratto | October 26

In the midst of Sex Week at the University of New Mexico, Josh Robbins spoke to students about living with human immunodeficiency virus and the stigmas that surround it. Robbins is an HIV activist who was diagnosed as HIV positive, which became undetectable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HIV is a virus that is spread through certain bodily fluids and attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the T-cells. HIV.org says there are over 1.1 million people in the U.S. that are living with HIV, and 1 in 7 people affected are unaware.

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Sex and Relationships Issue: Clinic offers year round resources to the LGBTQ community

Rebecca Brsseau | October 26

The Department of Health Midtown Clinic hosts several events throughout the year, offering testing services for transgender and homosexual individuals. The purpose of these clinics is to help spread the message of safe sex and to reach communities that experience stigma in society. These clinics are open to the public and are free of charge. Some of the specialized events will hold mental health screenings, HIV rapid testing and Hepatitis C rapid testing. The clinic also helps individuals apply for Medicaid and Medicare and has Harm Reduction Needle Exchange services. Andrea Gallegos, the disease prevention program manager, and Martin Martinez, the HIV health educator, are employees with the Department of Health Midtown Clinic, located at 2400 Wellesley Ave NE.

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Sex and Relationships Issue: LGBTQ Resource Center moves to new location

Gabriella Rivera | October 26

The LGBTQ Resource Center on Main Campus has moved its operations to a larger, more accessible location at 1919 Las Lomas NE to expand on its mission to serve the University of New Mexico LGBTQ community. Selina Aleztia Del-Hierro Villa, a student worker at the resource center and manager of the group, UNM Queer Trans People of Color, said the move will help the center serve more people. “People with disabilities were not able to access us, because we were downstairs, and we didn't have an elevator, so we wanted a more ground-level location,” Villa said. “Something that was a little bigger, since we do provide a good amount of resources to a large population of students on campus.”

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Sex and Relationships Issue: Women’s Resource Center associates help identify signs of an abusive relationship

Gabriella Rivera | October 26

A relationship, romantic or platonic, should be a positive force in an individual’s life. However, a seemingly healthy relationship can quickly turn dysfunctional or abusive, in a process that can often go overlooked by the abused individual and onlookers alike. Jessica Hidalgo, director of the Women’s Resource Center, and Caitlin Henke, program specialist at the center, have dealt with countless cases of abuse over their careers. Hidalgo and Henke emphasize that each case is different, but there are several red flags to identify a potentially abusive partner.

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Sex and Relationships Issue: UNM organizations host Paint the Campus Purple for domestic violence awareness

Makayla Grijalva | October 26

LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center and several other University of New Mexico organizations encourage students to “stop the silence and end the violence” for Domestic Abuse Awareness Month. One way that was pursued was through hosting Paint the Campus Purple on Oct. 18 on the north side of the SUB. “We are really just trying to have those conversations with students about why it’s important to talk about it,” said Jenna Hagengruber, the domestic violence and sexual assault awareness coordinator for LoboRECPECT.

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Sex and Relationships Issue: Kat Blaque shares her story

Rebecca Brusseau | October 26

One of the many events put on by the Student Alliance for Reproductive Justice during Sex Week, the Women’s Resource Center sponsored a lecture Tuesday night from Kat Blaque, a well-known YouTube personality and transgender rights activist. Her lecture in Keller Hall was titled, “True Tea with Kat Blaque,” a reference to her YouTube video blogs. This talk featured many anecdotal elements, aiming to encourage the audience members to stay strong through life’s many trials and tribulations, especially focused on living as a transgender individual.

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Sex and Relationships Issue: Tacos y Reproductive Justice hopes to get people talking

Ariel Lutnesky | October 25

On Monday night, students and community members gathered to talk about reproductive rights and history over free tacos at the Kiva Auditorium during Tacos y Reproductive Justice. The event was put together through a partnership between UNM’s Student Alliance for Reproductive Justice and Young Women United in celebration of SARJ’s Sex Week, a week-long educational event that started Monday and finishes Friday, Oct. 27. Tacos y Reproductive Justice primarily focused on reproductive rights for women of color, as it is a major issue that YWU focuses on.

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Sex and Relationships Issue: Clery Report releases new data on sex offenses at UNM

Tom Hanlon | October 25

The 2017 release of the Clery Report revealed that the University of New Mexico is plagued by issues including sexual assault, dating violence and domestic violence. However, while the increase in numbers is eye-catching, it may not be wholly negative. According to the Clery Report, reports of rape on campus property rose from 12 to 14 from 2015 to 2016. Whereas, dating violence had the highest rise in reports with 23 incidents in 2016, compared to just five in 2015.

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College of Arts and Sciences proposes differential tuition

Ashish Khatri | October 24

Differential tuition has been proposed at the University of New Mexico’s College of Arts and Sciences Department — this could mean charging undergraduate students an additional $15 per credit hour and graduate students an additional $100 per credit hour. “The college has gone to the provost (and) regents, and the University has gone to the state legislatures and asked for more money. And the answer is no,” said Phil Ganderton, senior associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, in a meeting Wednesday.

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Birth of Bahá’u’lláh ceremony unites many parts of Albuquerque community

Rebecca Brusseau | October 23

On Oct. 22, members of the Bahá’í faith celebrated in Crowne Plaza Hotel in central Albuquerque event, symbolically remembering the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, the founder of Bahá’í. This event represents a very spiritual watershed moment in history believed by this faith. In the early 19th century, Siyyid Ali-Muhammad was born into the Persian family believed to have been descendants of the prophet Muhammad. This child grew up to be known as Bahá’u’lláh, a religious founder and leader of the Bahá’í faith.

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Gus Pedrotty talks politics

Gabriella Rivera | October 22

The Albuquerque mayoral race has moved to a run-off election between Timothy "Tim" Keller and Daniel "Dan" Lewis. News reporter Gabriella Rivera spoke with and compiled responses by former mayoral candidate and recent University of New Mexico graduate Augustus "Gus" Pedrotty to hear his perspective on the election and the future of city. Q: What impact do you hope to have had on Albuquerque through your campaign? A: The biggest thing I hope to have shown Albuquerque and our elected officials is how uniquely equipped this city is. We are at the forefront of so many industries and so many technological advances, and Albuquerque has the resources that put us in our own category among cities in the United States.

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Men's Basketball: UNM to play for charity to hurricane victims

Matthew Narvaiz | October 22

The Lobo men’s basketball team will face off against Brigham Young University on Friday, Oct. 27, for an exhibition match that will help raise money for Hurricane Harvey victims in Houston, according to a University of a New Mexico press release. Multiple coaches and teams were trying to get an exhibition game set up, according to head coach Paul Weir. BYU matched up best with New Mexico from a scheduling standpoint, and the exhibition match was made official last week. “To be totally honest, I woke up — and I forget what morning it was — and I had several text messages from coaches that started reaching out to each other,” Weir said on how the exhibition came into fruition. “This probably would’ve been Monday or Tuesday of this week, and coaches across the country started realizing we can play an extra game.”

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Sex Week 2017 will host a range of events

Rebecca Brusseau | October 22

Monday kicks off Sex Week, a weeklong series of events held by the Student Alliance for Reproductive Justice. Sex Week has been an annual event at UNM over the past few school years. Although it has caused controversy in the past, it returns to campus, offering lectures and other on-campus events that help educate students about topics ranging from consent to more intimate subjects such as the use of sex toys. SARJ hopes that educating students about these controversial subjects will lead to a decrease in sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies and abusive relationships.

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Crime Briefs for Oct. 23

Elizabeth Sanchez | October 22

Criminal trespass at Casas Del Rio On Sept. 30, a UNMPD officer was sent to Pecos, one of the Casas Del Rio buildings, in reference to a male that entered the dorm without authorization, according to a police report. An RA found the unauthorized male sleeping on a couch in the common area and woke him up. The RA verified the male was not a resident and asked him to leave, which he did. A few minutes later, the RA was in the laundry room when a student walked into an entrance. The unauthorized person was standing next to the building, waiting for someone to open the door and caught the door before it closed and entered the building. All of the entrances to the building are locked at all times, and all residents have access to entering with key fobs.

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ASUNM bill requires bathrooms to be stocked with tampons

Brendon Gray | October 22

Last week, several administrators began the process of repairing restroom tampon dispensers across campus after a resolution from the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico passed a bill that asked for change. In the resolution, senators said bathrooms in the Student Union Building, Zimmerman Library and Johnson Center had tampon dispensers that were empty, inoperable or nonexistent. The solution would require building managers to repair, stock and create a structure to maintain the dispensers. On Wednesday afternoon, the resolution was distributed to the building managers’ desks. The next morning, signs were up in Johnson Center apologizing for the tampon dispensers that were out of order.

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Event hopes to draw new perspectives on Christianity

Madison Spratto | October 20

Calvary Albuquerque hosted Expose, a TED Talk-style discussion, Thursday night in Woodward Hall at the University of New Mexico in hopes to connect faith and reason through conversation. “I hope this event gets people thinking,” said Sean Kerwin, the assistant pastor at Christian church Calvary Albuquerque and a UNM alum. The event showcased several speakers: local apologist Grant Bersett, former lead singer of Anberlin Stephen Christian and archaeologist and UNM alum Dr. Steven Collins. As an apologist, Bersett aims to present a historical, reasoned and evidential foundation for Christianity.

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"LaPo Goes Local" aims to educate about homegrown ingredients

Colton Newman | October 19

Steak Night or Luau Night are usually part of legacy events held at La Posada dining hall each semester. But Wednesday night, LaPo shook things up by hosting “La Po Goes Local.” Instead of eating inside as they usually would, students were able to sit outside the dining hall at long rows of tables covered in fall decorations. Roughly two hundred University of New Mexico students cycled through the food line where they could choose from Frito pie, calabacitas, fresh grilled corn, pulled pork and the very popular green chile burgers. LaPo staff served the food, spoke with attendees and grilled green chile burgers, with the help of volunteers primarily made up of UNM fraternities.

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College Democrats provides platform for students

Rebecca Brusseau | October 18

As the fall semester reaches its home stretch, one organization is gaining momentum in its restoration. The University New Mexico College Democrats have reestablished themselves after a hiatus, which arose from remaining neutral in the wake of the presidential primaries in 2016. UNM College Democrats have regained their voice after almost a year and a half. This organization has returned to the UNM campus with biweekly meetings and the goal of gaining momentum and giving students a platform to speak about their political beliefs. One member who has played a key role in reinstating the group is Jackie Luchini, a fifth year political science major who spent the spring semester as an intern in Washington D.C. through the Fred Harris program.

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Brief: Mayoral candidates draw their battle lines

Kyle Land | October 18

In the first debate before the runoff election, mayoral candidates Tim Keller and Dan Lewis squared off at Congregation Albert synagogue in Albuquerque. While the race is technically nonpartisan, it became clear that both candidates were firmly planted on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Dan Lewis, who received 23 percent of votes to Keller’s 39 percent in the first election, was on the offensive throughout much of the debate. During a question concerning job growth in the city and 15 minutes into the debate, Lewis said he “didn’t create...sweatshop jobs in Cambodia like Tim did.”