Editor, If the regents intend to continue to allow the current emphasis on the growth and increase in prosperity of the highest levels of administration at the expense of all other members of the University community, they should mount an advertising campaign to reflect the current state of things to the community.
I would like to clarify several things about the resolution requesting an audit passed at UNM's faculty meeting last week. The resolution passed because the faculty remains concerned about the apparent diversion of funds from supporting our core missions of creating, distributing and applying knowledge via research, teaching and public service.
Editor, I write as a grad student and a certified public accountant about the likely rejection of last week's faculty motion for an "audit." I refer to Maggie Ybarra's article in Wednesday's Daily Lobo. The faculty request for an "audit" used the wrong term.
In these times of economic stress and in a world where higher education is becoming increasingly important, it is imperative that we make getting an advanced degree within reach of everyone willing and able to put themselves through the rigors to earn a degree.
Editor, As a student who recently returned from a year abroad, I can attest to the true value of both the International Studies program and the office that oversees it. I read with great disappointment Donald Duran's article about the proposed legislative budget cuts that might spell the end of a wonderful department at UNM at a time when it is most necessary.
What comes after winter in New Mexico? Allergy season. And it has arrived in full force. Juniper pollen counts were close to 500 last time I checked, and that is high, in case your nose hadn't noticed. Next will come mulberry and other trees, then a summer full of grass itches and, finally, sneezy fall weeds.
Editor, I'd like to respond to Arun Anand Ahuja's letter published Tuesday regarding the U.S. Public Service Academy. As someone who questions the extraordinary emphasis our country puts on the military in the first place, I think that the very idea of this civilian service academy rebuts the notion that there's only one way to "serve" your country.
Editor, In his piece plugging the U.S. Public Service Academy on Feb. 27, Zac Westbrook sounds like a military recruiter trying hard not to sound like one. If the graduates are going to be helping out at Katrina-like disasters, why is it modeled after academies that are military? His calling the latter "illustrious" is what gives him away, like when a posse of trained killers is called an elite corps.
Editor, I am writing in response to the article titled "GPSA seeks child care subsidies for graduate students" in Monday's Daily Lobo. I completely agree with GPSA because, currently, graduate students are the only class of people who are singled out and denied access to assistance.
Editor, I work at UNM West in Rio Rancho. Apparently, UNM West was presented as an item of discussion and controversy during the faculty meeting last week. The citizens of Rio Rancho passed a tax bill to allocate money for the building of a campus in Rio Rancho.
Editor, I congratulate President Barack Obama on the content and tone of the speech he gave last week. He told U.S. citizens and the rest of the world exactly where we are financially. He also assured us that we will recover from this, as we have always recovered in the past.
Editor, I was disgusted with professors Sharon Warner and Feroza Jussawalla for using the microphone at Wednesday's faculty meeting to further infect the public mind with their freedom-hating views. This tyrannous pair brought up last year's completely unrelated Creative Writing fiasco, once again demonstrating their contempt for the rule of law and individual rights.
Atypically, I must commend the faculty, at least the 400 or so who showed up for the meeting on Wednesday. Not since the regents attempted to hire the utterly unqualified John Elac as president have I seen such anger and action from normally quiescent faculty.
Editor, This is in response to the letter written on Feb. 4 by Andres Saenz concerning President Obama's "failure to keep promises." First of all, Obama has been in office for about two months. Give him a break. He is only human. As far as the inauguration, I have heard different accounts of how much it cost.
Editor, Given the dismal state of the economy, it seems unlikely that the University and the State will continue subsidizing free bus rides for staff and students. It was fun while it lasted, but the time may have come for us to once again pull our own weight.
Solutions by The State News
