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Culture

Local religious services adapt to online environment

Beatrice Nisoli | April 8

Religious institutions across the state are choosing to transfer their services remotely in response to forced closures due to the ever-present COVID-19 threat in New Mexico. Just as educational institutions and workplaces begin to take advantage of online platforms such as Zoom and Discord, so too are churches transmitting live streams of worship, youth group classes, rosary sessions, and more. 

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News

Instructors adjust to teaching online

Amanda Britt | April 7

With classes officially starting online only this week, instructors across the University of New Mexico have felt pressure to make a smooth transition from tracking in-person to teaching remotely.  While some professors choose to teach only by posting lecture slides or YouTube videos to Blackboard Learn, others, like Melisa Garcia chose to incorporate Skype, a video web conferencing service, into her teaching. 

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News

Meeting to fast-track med students graduation canceled

Justin Garcia | April 7

A Board of Regents meeting that would have graduated medical students early was canceled Monday after a residency accreditation body issued new guidance on the matter.  The cancellation comes as some medical schools across the United States, but largely in the pandemic’s American epicenter of New York City, are graduating students ahead of schedule to bolster hospital ranks to handle surges of COVID-19 cases.  Health Sciences Center Public Information Officer Alex Sanchez said that some medical students at the University of New Mexico had expressed interest in early graduation as a means to assist the fight against the coronavirus last week. 

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News

Lobo Food Pantry sees increase in demand, decrease in donations

Megan Gleason | April 6

As cancellations and operational changes to staples persist as a response to the global pandemic, the University’s Lobo Food Pantry remains a hub for hungry Lobos. Olivia Torres Jojola, coordinator of the Lobo Food Pantry, said the Campus Lobo Food Pantry had 158 students attend in March — a vast difference from the 50 to 70 students it would typically average. This increase came as the novel coronavirus hit New Mexico in mid-March.   The LoboRESPECT Advocacy Center is hosting a weekly Campus Lobo Food Pantry pick-up service every Monday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. outside the University Advisement and Enrichment Center throughout UNM’s limited operations.  According to LoboRESPECT, pre-made bags are available for students to pick-up, whether they drive or walk and include non-perishable goods, toiletries, diapers, feminine hygiene products and more.

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News

New Mexico's COVID crisis, by the numbers

Joe Rull | April 6

Check this page for the Daily Lobo's updated testing and confirmed case data for the COVID-19 outbreak in New Mexico, thanks to the COVID Tracking Project. This page will be updated daily as more data is produced and reported.

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News

UNMH begins clinical trials for COVID-19 treatments

Justin Garcia | April 5

The University of New Mexico Hospital (UNMH) started one clinical trial and is preparing another to examine potential treatments for COVID-19, as deaths and cases swell across the world. A trial for hydroxychloroquine, a drug typically used to treat malaria and lupus, started last week, while an upcoming trial for remdesivir, an antiviral developed during the 2015 Ebola epidemic, is in the works.  Both trials are small parts of an unprecedented global research effort to find treatments and a vaccine.

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News

After veto, ASUNM Senate fails novel fee raise

Alyssa Martinez | April 5

Budget bills, Zoom bombs and the year-long fee raise debate sounded through the computers of student government leaders on the first of the month.  As the University grapples with the unprecedented changes brought by the coronavirus pandemic, the student government assembled on Zoom Wednesday night to debate the reinstatement of a fee raise, already voted down by the student body and vetoed by the student-body president.  The evening commenced with the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico’s President Adam Biederwolf announcing three major breakthroughs prompted by the pandemic. 

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Culture

Nationwide photoshoot meet takes place online

Amanda Britt | April 4

There are two types of people in life — those that take advantage in times like this, and those that help, according to Hector Puig, a photographer and artist based in Los Angeles. Puig is the visionary behind the world’s largest virtual photography experience, where photographers from across the country can join together to create art. He said that creating this experience is how he could help both the photographers and the rest of the world through expression and art in these dark times. Puig, along with photographer Dovvie Viramontes, reached out to photo-communities in Albuquerque, Los Angeles, Seattle and DC through Instagram, and expect over 400 photographers to attend the zoom meeting on April 4, 2020.

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Opinion

How to stay motivated in isolation

Annya Loya | April 4

For students who spend the majority of their time on campus or doing extracurricular activities, maintaining isolation can become quite the challenge, if it hasn't already. To prevent the spread of coronavirus, governments around the world have ordered its citizens to practice isolation within their homes and maintain a social distance of at least six feet apart from others. Groups of more than 10 people are highly discouraged, if not banned outright. To make sure you don't completely lose your routine and maintain a positive attitude, here are some helpful tips on how to stay motivated during isolation.

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Culture

Student resource centers shift to a remote workforce

Megan Gleason | April 3

All of the University of New Mexico’s student resource centers have moved to remote services or limited operations during spring break due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Many of the resource centers still operate fairly normally and are offering a majority of their typical resources, such as counseling, advocacy, academic advisement and many more.  Other resources, such as printing stations or computer labs, are curren

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News

Some college students excluded from stimulus checks

Liam Debonis and Alex McCausland | April 3

While many Americans wait eagerly for their $1200 stimulus check to come in the mail, some New Mexican college students have been left to fend for themselves.  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the president of the United States signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act into effect on March 27, authorizing $1200 payments to individual Americans, along with a number of corporate bailouts.  For 19 to 23-year-old full-time college students, however, their status as legal dependents or undocumented immigrants bars them from receiving stimulus checks, according to Business Insider.

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News

Dispatch: COVID cases, deaths continue to climb on Navajo Nation

Sharon Chischilly | April 3

GALLUP, N.M. — COVID-19 has gripped the Navajo Nation and given no sign of letting go as new cases and deaths continued to climb this week. As of the publication of this article, there are at least 241 cases of COVID-19 and eight deaths, according to the Navajo Nation Department of Health and Navajo Area Indian Health Service. In an effort to combat the spread of the disease, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and Vice President Myron Lizer have called on Navajo Nation citizens to social distance and stay home.

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Culture

Good Friday traditions postponed

Cameron Ward | April 2

The tradition of Good Friday shared amongst many Catholic religious people in New Mexico has been postponed at Santuario de Chimayo from Archbishop of Santa Fe, John Wester.  It was announced by Archbishop Wester March 13, 2020, for the people of God, to stay home during the pilgrimage walk that would happen this upcoming April 10th, known as Good Friday.  Father Glennon Jones from the Archdiocese of Santa Fe said, “The walk has been officially canceled this year, but you know how those things go. No doubt some people will try to do it anyway even though we’ve asked them not to.”

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Culture

Fine Arts Departments Adapt with Online School

Megan Gleason | April 2

As the University of New Mexico moves online, the fine arts departments are faced with challenges on how to move hands-on subjects to a remote education. Many courses were adapted to work from home, which provided challenges like accessibility to the internet and the necessary equipment to work. Andrea Polli, professor of art and ecology, said that art students will struggle with a lack of equipment like 3D printers and laser cutters, which were provided for them at school. Fortunately, Polli’s students bought art kits at the start of the semester and are still able to work from home, although limited. Some courses, like musical ensembles, were canceled completely. 

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Culture

UNM students practice self-care while in isolation

Liam Debonis | April 2

In a time when normal life comes to a halt, having a daily workout or meditation session may seem trivial. But, the battle against the new coronavirus is not the only battle people must fight. Depression, loneliness and anxiety are things that many people struggle with already and are only exacerbated by orders to stay at home, not go to school or refrain from socializing in person. The fight for health and sanity in such concerning times is not impracticable. Resources have already been mobilized for those stuck in their homes. Amazon now offers select children's movies for free. Arnold Schwarzenegger shared his home workout routine online. Self-help mobile apps like Sanvello are offering free premium access to their services for the duration of the outbreak. And online counseling services are experiencing increased demand.

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News

New Student Orientation weighs options amid pandemic

Beatrice Nisoli | April 1

New Student Orientation (NSO) may join the increasing list of services being transferred online in response to COVID-19. NSO, which typically occurs during the summer, is a mandatory two to three-day orientation for incoming University of New Mexico students. The purpose of the orientation is to welcome students to the UNM community through a combination of team-building activities and sharing resources for succeeding in a University setting. An online orientation option had been available for specific student populations previous to the technological shifts brought by COVID-19. Since this is an already existing initiative, an exclusively online orientation format could quickly extend to every incoming student should the need arise.

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Culture

Coronavirus calls for creativity: The joy at the end of a candle

Cameron Ward | April 1

Candles can be a great way to experience wonderful smells flooding your room while stuck inside during quarantine. Once you have used up your wick, it shouldn’t end your joy but instead spark more happy times.  If I had a dollar saved from all the candles I have bought in the past, I could have spent more on the groceries that I needed during this quarantine. You can ask me about my favorite scents, but the greatest thing I’ve learned in my history of candles is the number of different things it can hold in its container.  Whether you love candles or just want to get rid of them, this upcycle works for anyone. In this creation, you will turn a plain used candle into your own new recycled container. If you have a sweet tooth like me, some Jolly Ranchers would be perfect to hold in your new container. 

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Culture

NMDOT collaborates with UNM's Wild Friends for pollinator license plate

Beatrice Nisoli | March 31

In collaboration with the University of New Mexico law school's Wild Friends education program and the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division, the state's Department of Transportation (NMDOT) has released its first Pollinator Protection license plate featuring student artwork. The law school's Wild Friends program prompted the initiative and approached NMDOT for an outreach effort. The Wild Friends program began at the UNM School of Law in 1991. Since then, the program has continued to collaborate with students in grades 4-12 to promote serving low-income schools and maintaining an educational focus on civics and science through the advancement of wildlife issues at the state legislature.

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News

Student employees to receive pay through May 15

Alyssa Martinez | March 31

University of New Mexico student employees were just given a big promise.  University President Garnett Stokes announced in an email March 31 that student employees who meet eligibility requirements will be paid through the rest of the semester, regardless of whether or not they are actively working.  “Some of you may still be working while others may not,” the email read. “Regardless, please know that the University values you.”

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News

UNM gives $200 to eligible students for internet

Alyssa Martinez | March 31

As courses reconvene in an online landscape, select students at the University are being granted $200 scholarships to assist in their transition.  Associate Provost for Student Success Pamela Cheek said up to 400 students will be able to receive the Lobos Connect Mini-Scholarship, which aims to financially assist students who need reliable access to the internet.  “(The $200) amount is based on an assessment of how much it might cost to purchase a MiFi or to augment cell phone or internet services for a few months,” Cheek said.