Gabriel Saiz

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ASUNM senate creates new checks on executive branch

Gabriel Saiz | April 14

The president of the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico will no longer be able to fire employees nor withhold their stipends after the passage of two bills during the full senate meeting on Wednesday, April 12. Bill 14S creates a three-strike system before an employee can be fired, also requiring the ASUNM president to send out written notices for each infraction. Previously, the president could fire employees at will and with no written record of the firing.

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ASUNM wary of Opportunity Scholarship loan bill

Gabriel Saiz | February 24

Free tuition at the University of New Mexico might need extra support during the state legislative session in Santa Fe to remain as is, according to Associated Students at UNM President Ian May. The Opportunity Scholarship — which currently covers tuition for many UNM students — would become a forgivable loan if Bill 481 becomes state law. May said not to panic since the bill is highly unlikely to pass, but also invited the ASUNM senators to voice opposition to the bill during the ASUNM full senate meeting this past Wednesday, Feb. 22.

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ASUNM balks at ‘of’ during senate meeting

Gabriel Saiz | February 9

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico passed a bill to make more room to fund student organizations special requests during the full senate meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Bill 4S gives ASUNM more flexibility to allocate money toward appropriations — one-time funding requests — and fall budgets of student orgs. Beginning this past fall, each undergraduate now pays an increased student fee of $35 per semester. Student publications receive 8.5% of the collected amount, while the remainder pays for everything ASUNM does.

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ASUNM approves over $30,000 for student organizations

Gabriel Saiz | January 26

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico distributed $31,545 among eight student organizations during a full senate meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 25. The senators also voted to allow themselves more flexibility on when to meet with their sponsored student organizations. All eight appropriations and the lone bill on the agenda passed unanimously, with one senator abstaining. ASUNM President Ian May told the Daily Lobo he intends to sign off on everything. Once per semester, student orgs can submit an appropriation – a request for travel funds and money for other one-time expenses, according to the ASUNM website.

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Raúl Torrez wins attorney general for New Mexico

Gabriel Saiz and Elizabeth Secor | November 10

Raúl Torrez will serve as the 32nd attorney general of New Mexico. Torrez defeated opponent Jermey Micheal Gay during the 2022 midterm elections. The attorney general is in charge of “enforcement of consumer protection and antitrust laws, prosecution of criminal appeals and some complex white-collar crimes, training, and certification of peace officers, and most natural resource and environmental matters,” according to the New Mexico attorney general website. Torrez was absent from the New Mexico Democratic Watch Party due to illness, but Taylor Bui, his campaign manager, was there representing him.

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.jpg

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Maggie Toulouse Oliver reelected as secretary of state

Gabriel Saiz and Elizabeth Secor | November 9

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, midterms dawned on New Mexico, and Democratic candidate Maggie Toulouse Oliver emerged victorious in the 2022 secretary of state race over Republican opponent Audrey Mendonca-Trujillo. Toulouse Oliver has served as the secretary of state since 2016; this will be her second term. Toulouse Oliver was unable to be in person at the event due to her duties as the current secretary of state. However, her campaign manager Dylan McArthur was there to represent her.

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ASUNM senate honors retiring professor, approves new senator

Gabriel Saiz | October 27

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico commended retiring professor Peter Kierst during their full senate meeting on Wednesday, Oct 26. The senate also filled a vacant seat, approving Kareem Al Bayraqdar as the newest senator. The senate unanimously passed a commendation officially honoring Kierst, a political science professor, for his accomplishments at UNM and in New Mexico. Kierst will retire at the end of this semester after 17 years of being a full-time faculty member, according to the commendation. Kierst is known on campus for his law-focused political science courses and known statewide as the lead counsel in the litigation that saw same-sex marriage legalized in New Mexico, according to senator Jesus Sanchez.

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ASUNM combats conflicts of interest during senate meeting

Gabriel Saiz | September 30

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico senate passed measures to combat conflicts of interest this Wednesday, Sept. 29. They also approved over $43,000 of appropriations for student organizations. Student organizations may present an extraordinary funding request, known as an appropriation, to the senate finance committee, which makes cuts as deemed appropriate. The request then moves to the senate and, if passed, to the ASUNM president. Bills 4F and 6F passed unanimously while 5F passed 18 in favor and 1 against, with 19 senators present at the meeting.

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Students of color denied entry at Turning Point event at UNM

Gabriel Saiz and Maddie Pukite | September 16

Multiple students of color were denied entry at the Turning Point USA-sponsored “Talking With Tomi” event at the University of New Mexico Student Union Building’s Ballroom B on Thursday, Sept. 15. Students who were denied entry did have tickets but were turned away by Turning Point staff, according to Tyler Jacobs, one of the UNM students who was denied. Multiple witnesses at the event reported seeing students being denied entry. “Pretty much I was the first person of color to try to get in and then immediately after two white people came in and (the event organizers) said, ‘They look normal, they can go in’,” Jacobs said.

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ASUNM approves over $16,000 for three student organizations

Gabriel Saiz | September 16

The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico granted over $16,000 to three student organizations during their full senate meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The ASUNM senate sent three appropriations in total to the president’s desk while acknowledging that their budget for this semester is dwindling. “Our appropriation budget that we’re currently sitting at is roughly about $65,000 for the remainder of the semester,” Sofie Carillo, senator and finance committee chair, said. “I know for next week’s cycle we already have five appropriations submitted and one of them is up to $15,000 requested.”