Alyssa Martinez - The Daily Lobo

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UNM town hall addresses anti-Blackness on campus

Alyssa Martinez | May 13

A Zoom town hall to address anti-Blackness within the University of New Mexico community was held Tuesday following a series of racist online attacks hurled at Director of Africana Studies Program Charles Becknell, Jr. On April 30, two separate special event request forms were submitted that contained racist slurs and threats directed at Becknell, as reported by the Albuquerque Journal. “I know that everybody here knows why we’re here,” UNM President Garnett Stokes said at the start of the town hall. “A member of our faculty was recently a victim of what I think was a horrendous hate crime.”

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Social media, bullying dominate final ASUNM meeting

Alyssa Martinez | May 2

As outgoing senators shared solemn goodbyes and incoming ones watched on the Zoom call, one parting piece of advice was unavoidable in the last full senate meeting of the semester: Social media conduct matters. When they weren't passing three bills — two of which were related to the internal protocol of an Associated Students of UNM State of Emergency — and a resolution acknowledging the hardships brought on by COVID-19, several ASUNM senators spoke on the virtual presence of those within the organization. Outgoing ASUNM President Adam Biederwolf was the first to raise the topic during his final presidential report.

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11 Senators elected with lowest turnout since 2014

Alyssa Martinez | April 24

Undergraduate student government elections saw the lowest voter turnout since 2014 for the final election of the academic year, according to statistics collected by the Daily Lobo. Just 837 students voted in the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM) senate elections — representing about 5.6% of the undergraduate body this semester. Todd Moe, who heads the ASUNM Elections Commission, said he was disappointed with the turnout, but said the coronavirus pandemic — and the suspension of in-person classes — likely played a role.

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30 candidates vying for 11 seats in ASUNM Senate

Alyssa Martinez | April 19

The student government senate election will persist in the face of the pandemic. Although the election will be held in an online-only medium, that did not stop a record 30 candidates from attempting to occupy one of the 11 seats available. Undergraduates can cast their votes from Monday, April 20 at 9 a.m. through Wednesday, April 22 at 5 p.m. via their my.unm.edu portal. With the coronavirus shuddering the lives of many Lobos, some current senators previously aired concern about how this election's participation will be impacted. This time last semester, 10 of the 15 total candidates were elected by just 6% of all undergraduates.

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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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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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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.

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PATS ushering parking permit refunds

Alyssa Martinez | March 25

The office notorious for parking citations and permits will accept refund requests amidst the University’s limited operations. In an email sent out by Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) Wednesday, PATS announced that the last day for students to request a permit refund is Tuesday, March 31. Students looking to receive a prorated refund must fill out the provided form and submit a photo of their permit, cut in half before their request is processed. As for staff and faculty, PATS warned that upon return of a faculty or staff permit, “(they) may not be able to get it back into the same zone/structure once the University reopens.” The University is currently on an extended spring break until April 5 in an effort to respond to the novel coronavirus.

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What we know about COVID-19 and UNM so far

Alyssa Martinez | March 13

The University of New Mexico will be on spring break until April 5, according to UNM President Garnett Stokes. Student Health and Counseling (SHAC), Residence Life and Student Housing, La Posada Dining Hall and Zimmerman Library will remain open throughout the extended break, according to University officials. Down south, New Mexico State University (NMSU) followed other campuses and extended spring break by a week to curb the spread of the disease while remaining open for those dependent on-campus services, which was announced on March 13. New Mexico Tech also extended their spring break until March 23.

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Historic ASUNM elections approaching

Alyssa Martinez | March 8

Voting for a $5 fee raise and on student body presidential and vice-presidential candidates is just over a week away. Beginning at 8 a.m. on March 9, undergraduate students can log onto their my.unm.edu account or make their way to the Student Union Building to vote on the constitutional amendment (Bill 5S) and for one of the two presidents and vice presidents vying for the positions. The constitutional amendment would upcharge all undergraduate students $5, bringing the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico-mandated student fee to $25 per semester. The bill was touted by many senators as a more transparent option when it passed on Feb. 13 because it would clearly label the $25 amount as a government fee on the Bursar's website.