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News

Lawmakers announce lottery scholarship fund reduction for upcoming school year

Celia Raney and Celia_Raney | June 1

The state scholarship that aids more than 25,000 students annually saw a 30 percent decrease in funds this week. The New Mexico Higher Education Department announced Wednesday morning that the state's legislative lottery scholarship will only cover 60 percent of students’ tuition for the 2017-2018 academic year — falling from 90 percent coverage in the 2015-2016 year and 100 percent as recently as 2014. The decrease in funds is reflected by an increase in tuition costs and a decrease in revenue for New Mexico higher education institutions — as well as overall dwindling scholarship funds.

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Music

Review: "Stage Four" by Touché Amoré

Tom Ronningen | May 31

What is the music of mourning? What is the passing of a loved one, put to record? There are scores of albums on death as a general idea, but how often does one attempt to explain death with a time, a place, and a person? How often does rock music dare to fumble with the idiosyncrasies and messiness of one specific loss?  When we think of albums that seek to honor someone’s memory, we don’t usually think of rollicking, power-chord driven hardcore. Touché Amoré set out to change that with their 2016 album Stage Four.

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News

After vetoing higher ed funds, Martinez brings them back

Nichole Harwood | May 28

Despite a previous veto on a bill that left funding for higher education in an uncertain state, Gov. Susana Martinez has signed legislation to ensure continued state funding for higher education. Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas (D-Bernalillo) serves on the House Appropriations and Finance Committee, which is responsible for the budget. He said there were only two differences between the new budget and the original budget. The new budget will give an extra $1 million dollars to UNM health sciences and another million dollars to tuition assistance, Maestas said. “The big thing is: the revenue projections today are far more hopeful than the revenue projections back in February,” he said. “So, the bill on the governor's desk didn’t change, but the outlook changed, which allowed us to go home with a balanced budget.” 

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Sports

Baseball: After second championship loss, Lobos finish season with 30-27-1 record

Matthew Narvaiz | May 28

The New Mexico baseball team’s Mountain West Championship is all but done. After losing Saturday afternoon’s elimination game to third-seeded Fresno State, 11-5, ultimately booted them from seeking a chance at the Mountain West Championship title. Despite the Lobos’ struggles and their post season hopes all but faded away, Hayden Schilling had an uplifting testimony for his team’s performance over the weekend. “We had a lot of adversity, but everyone in that dugout kept grinding and stayed the course,” Schilling said in a press release. “Not a single person gave up. That’s all you can ask for. I’m proud of how everyone attacked this weekend.”

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Sports

Baseball: Despite loss, Lobos have opportunity at elimination game

Matthew Narvaiz | May 27

It came down to a full count for late-season Lobo hero Matt Villalobos and his team, being down only one run in the bottom of the ninth inning — and then a strikeout ended it. But great pitching from San Diego State’s CJ Saylor sealed the deal for the second-seeded Aztecs, as they won the game Friday evening, 9-8, over the regular season Mountain West title holder Lobos. Even with the loss in the conference tournament, though, the Lobos will have the opportunity to face third-seeded Fresno State in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon. The game was a back-and-forth affair that saw the two high-caliber Mountain West teams tie the game on two separate occasions. Later, the Lobos even took control of the score in the early to middle innings, before San Diego State finished out strong.

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News

First public mayoral forum sets stage for unique race

Brendon Gray | May 26

Six candidates competing to be Albuquerque’s next mayor attended the first public mayoral forum at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Tuesday. Hosted by New Mexico media outlets Weekly Alibi and New Mexico Political Report, the forum had some twists on traditional structure. The candidates were questioned on everything from the legalization of recreational marijuana to their thoughts on Albuquerque's culture. Candidates were posed: introductory questions, questions that were only answered in “yes,” “no” or “it’s complicated” and open questions within a two-minute response time frame.

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos overpower Nevada in game one of MW Championship

Matthew Narvaiz | May 26

The wind was howling on Thursday evening at Santa Ana Star Field, but the Lobos howled louder in their first Mountain West Championship game — their first competitor: fourth-seeded Nevada. Stellar pitching and great hitting all but sealed the deal for UNM (30-25-1), as they won, 7-2, over the Wolf Pack. That pitching for the Lobos, though, came from one hand in Tyler Stevens, who pitched all nine innings for UNM. The junior right-hander gave up just two runs on seven hits, while only walking two and striking out eight Nevada batters in the process. For Stevens, it was a game that rhythm kicked, and he found his location on seemingly every pitch. But that performance hinged on a day that Stevens felt better than ever.

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Music

Review: "Visuals" by Mew

Audrin Baghaie | May 25

Once the first domino falls in a budding Mew phase, lead singer Jonas Bjerre will quickly become the narrator of your dreams. His falsetto embeds itself beneath the skin and, viciously, the surrealist lyrics will seed your mind to bloom shortly thereafter. And that’s just the vocals folks: this full-fledged, four-piece used to be filled out with Bo Madsen on lead, Johan Wohlert on bass and Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen on drums. They’re an experimental force of nature whom, after twenty years, have perfected the act of bludgeoning pop music over the head. Mew’s eighth album, “Visuals,” is the best pop album of the year so far – bar none.

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News

Due to budget cuts, student fees increase 7.3 percent for undergrads, five for grad students

Brendon Gray | May 24

During the annual budget summit Wednesday, the UNM Board of Regents approved an $18 course premium for upper division credit hours and a 7.3 percent mandatory student fee increase for undergraduate students and a five percent increase for graduate students. Initially the budget leadership team proposed a $23 premium, but at the tail end of the meeting, Regent Thomas Clifford moved to modify the analysis to adjust for a lower premium rate. The Regents settled on the $18 figure. According to initial estimates provided by the leadership team, 12,000 students would not see a tuition increase next year. However, tuition for some could increase anywhere from two percent to 12 percent, depending on the number of upper division courses taken in a semester.

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News

Martinez’ vetoes on higher ed and other budgets still stand after day one of special legislative session

Celia Raney and Celia_Raney | May 24

On May 24, the motion to override Gov. Susana Martinez’s line item budget vetoes proposed by the 53rd meeting of the New Mexico Legislature failed with a vote of 39 in favor and 29 opposed during the New Mexico special legislative session. On the Senate floor, Rep. Damon Ely introduced the motion to override the governor’s line item vetoes. “What has captured the public's attention is the veto of all funding of higher education,” Ely said. “That includes both state and federal funding of higher education, totaling almost three billion dollars.”

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Sports

Baseball: Mountain West Baseball Championship to begin Thursday

Matthew Narvaiz | May 24

The Mountain West Baseball Championship will be decided this weekend as the University of New Mexico is set to host the tournament. New Mexico (29-25-1, 19-9-1 MW)—with a huge win to end the regular season and a little bit of good luck—managed to secure the regular season title. Their win over Nevada, paired with a loss by then-No. 1 San Diego State at home to Fresno State, allowed the Lobos to pursue the postseason title from the comfort of home. when they defeated Nevada and when San Diego State lost, ultimately putting the Lobos ahead of the pack and giving them the chance to have home field advantage, as they host the tournament.

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos come from behind to defeat Nevada and take back first place

Matthew Narvaiz | May 21

New Mexico baseball gave away first place on Friday night, but San Diego State gave it right back the next day with a Lobo win and an Aztec loss that flip-flopped the order to finish the regular season. All it took for the Lobos to win Saturday afternoon over Nevada was three home runs in the seventh inning and some great relief pitching from Johnathon Tripp to top the Wolf Pack, 13-6. The win came at Santa Ana Star Field and, after the Aztecs lost 11-2 to Fresno State, it ensured that more games would be played at the Lobos’ home field. Despite losing five straight games, the win in the season finale elevated the Lobos (29-25-1, 19-9-1 MW) to the regular season Mountain West title. While San Diego State (38-18, 21-10 MW) finished percentage points behind.

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos lose fifth straight, and perhaps the right to host postseason tournament

Robert Maler | May 20

About two weeks ago, it appeared to be a sure bet that Lobo baseball would be hosting the 2017 Baseball Championship for the Mountain West conference. But five straight losses have knocked UNM from the perch atop the conference standings after it fell 17-9 at home to Nevada on Friday night. That, coupled with a win by San Diego State on Friday, vaulted the Aztecs to the top position—which puts them in line to host the postseason tournament instead. New Mexico, which is now percentage points behind San Diego State, can still reclaim the No. 1 seed. But it must win on Saturday and hope for a loss by the Aztecs in order to do so.

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos drop game one against Nevada, but remain atop MW standings

Matthew Narvaiz | May 18

The Mountain West regular season title seems to be slipping through the grasp of the University of New Mexico baseball team, as they lost the first of a three game home series to Nevada at Santa Ana Star Field, 5-2 Thursday evening. The Lobos (28-24-1, 18-8-1 MW) were fortunate enough to hold onto first place in the conference standings for the moment, after San Diego State was shut out 4-0 in its opening game against Fresno State on Thursday. New Mexico tallied just five hits as a team, with the bulk of those coming from Carl Stajduhar and Danny Collier, each of whom banged out two hits. Stajduhar also added an RBI and run score to his stat line, while Collier was responsible for bringing home the other run. The other other Lobo player to register a hit was Hayden Schilling, who went 1-for-4 at the plate.

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Music

Balance and Composure: Live at Launchpad

Kyle Land | May 18

Nearing the tail-end of their most recent tour, the Pennsylvania-based Balance and Composure visited Launchpad to promote Light We Made, the follow up to the 2013 breakout The Things We Think We’re Missing. The latter brought with it near universal acclaim. Having never seen the band live or even heard their music before, I decided to immerse myself in the groovy alt-rock sound that has won the band so much acclaim. Honestly, I was not too impressed. They find themselves among a myriad of other rock bands today who fail to shatter any barriers or create something truly innovative. They are more than musically capable, but, much like the group’s name, there is little that makes them stand out from the rest.

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Sports

Baseball: Lobos enter final weekend series clinging to slim lead in conference standings

Matthew Narvaiz | May 18

The New Mexico baseball team will enter the final regular season series leading the Mountain West conference standings by percentage points, but the Lobos are still faced with some difficult circumstances. Senior first baseman Jack Zoellner fractured his metacarpal bone after being hit by a pitch at Fresno State last weekend. And the Lobos found themselves only a half game above second place San Diego State, after UNM (28-23-1, 18-7-1 MW) was swept at Fresno State and San Diego State won a series at Air Force. Unfortunately for Zoellner, both he and head coach Ray Birmingham came to the conclusion that he'll be out for the rest of the season, including the Lobos’ hopeful push into the postseason.

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News

Men's Soccer: Lobo defender Aaron Herrera headed to 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup

Isabel Gonzalez | May 15

Over 500 players from 24 countries are taking part in the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Korea this summer — and UNM's Aaron Herrera was lucky enough to be selected to participate. Herrera, a defender for the UNM men’s soccer team, has been working with the U.S. National Team for a while. His latest achievement happened only a few months ago when he was part of the roster that took the United States’ first CONCACAF title at the U-20 level by taking down the Honduras’ team 5-3 on penalty kicks. “It was just crazy being the first team to ever do it,” said the Las Cruces native. “There are so many great players that have been through the U-20 who are playing on the full national team now that also went through the same experience we did. None of them ever won it, so knowing that our team was the first to win it is kind of crazy.”

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Music

Local Band Podcast: Treehouse Basement

Audrin Baghaie | May 15

Treehouse Basement formed in 2014 and have since been consistently slapping Albuquerque in the face with catchy, desert-fused indie-pop. Their take on contemporary music has a habit of animating audiences, quite often evoking people to move and groove regardless if they want to or not.  You may have found the Basement in various venues across the Albuquerque as they've established their sound by taking cues from Two Door Cinema Club, Interpol and early Mutemath. I coerced Treehouse to come talk about how life is in the Basement; all things music, recording and ‘90s cartoon shows.

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Culture

Freshmen Issue: Student housing focuses on community

Ariel Lutnesky | May 15

The idea of living on campus in residence halls means a lot of different things for a lot of different people. So for those preparing to move onto campus for the first time, there may be some significant concerns, like adjusting to living on one’s own for the first time. “I think the common concern most students have with living away from home is the general transition to college and an independent lifestyle,” said Shauna Marlowe, the general manager of Casas del Rio, one of the on-campus living options. “For most, it’s their first time truly being on their own and college means big change: the search for their identity, the academic challenges of the college classroom, fitting in and making friends.” According to Ema Duran, who lived in Hokona Hall for two years, making sure you’re ready to live on your own is important to living on campus. She added that living on campus has certainly helped her meet new people.

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Culture

Freshmen Issue: Things to bring when moving into college

Celia Raney and Celia_Raney | May 14

Most students would agree that going away to college is one of the most exciting things to happen to them so far. Okay, maybe it isn’t going to college that is exciting, rather getting out from under your parents noses. As August approaches and you are beginning to pack up your room of childhood memories, remember this — you do not need to bring every little thing that holds a memory; there is not enough space in your dorm room, tiny apartment or, if you’re lucky, low-rent house. Also consider the fact that you will most likely be living with at least one roommate, and if you both empty out your rooms at home, there won’t be any space to move, eat, sleep or study. Here is a go-to packing guide that will prevent you from hauling things back to Mom’s house every weekend and help keep the sense of newfound freedom to do-what-you-want-with your-own-space from taking over.