Lily Alexander - The Daily Lobo

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Regents’ affirmative action policy changes take effect

Lily Alexander | April 21

Changes to two Regents’ policies on affirmative action at the University of New Mexico went into effect on Tuesday, April 15. The revisions largely remove UNM’s commitment to affirmative action. This comes amid proposed changes to similar policies in the University Administrative Policies manual. The Regents’ Policy Manual consists of policies adopted by the Board of Regents for the governance of UNM. It serves as a resource on the fundamental policies of the University and the operational procedures of the board, according to the manual’s preface.

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Immigration officials terminate some UNM international student records

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | April 15

The federal government terminated the records of several University of New Mexico international students amid reports of the revocation of hundreds of student visas across the country. The Student & Exchange Visitor Information System is a federal tracking system for nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors in the United States, according to the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. A “handful” of UNM students had their SEVIS records terminated recently, according to UNM Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Cinnamon Blair. The termination of a SEVIS record does not necessarily mean a student’s visa was revoked, but there is often overlap between the two actions.

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UNM retracts some draft affirmative action policy changes after criticism

Lily Alexander | April 14

After receiving hundreds of public comments largely criticizing the University of New Mexico’s prospective affirmative action policy changes, the school released two new draft policies Thursday, April 10. The new draft policies keep in more references to affirmative action — or sometimes replace it with “inclusive excellence” — but still remove requirements for UNM to have an affirmative action plan and gather and report affirmative action data. The new policies also still remove the ability for a hiring official, in certain circumstances, to fill a position with a member of a historically underrepresented group if another more qualified member of a protected group is unlikely to apply. The previous draft policies — released March 28 — removed nearly all references to affirmative action.

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UNMPD begins using bodycams

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | April 7

In March, the University of New Mexico Police Department began using body cameras. This comes over a year after the Daily Lobo reported that UNMPD did not use body cameras because of a loophole in a state statute. A bill during this year’s legislative session aimed to close that loophole, but it did not make it past the Senate. UNM announced that the police department would obtain the cameras in August 2024. So far, the cameras have worked well, according to Lt. Tim Delgado, who is in charge of UNMPD’s body camera program.

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UNM releases draft changes to affirmative action policies

Lily Alexander and Nate Bernard | April 2

The University of New Mexico released prospective changes to its affirmative action policies on Friday, March 28. The draft policies — which largely remove references to affirmative action — are available on the UNM Policy Office website for the campus community’s review and commentary through Friday, April 4. Affirmative action at UNM seeks to promote race and gender diversity in employment by recruiting qualified women, minorities, people with disabilities and protected veterans, according to UNM Compliance, Ethics, & Equal Opportunity.

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UNM to deliver LoboAlerts Paul Revere-style

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | March 31

The University of New Mexico announced it would switch its LoboAlert method to echo historical figure Paul Revere after students complained about delayed notifications of campus crime. Now, in the event of anything from arson to feathered hat theft, students will hear calls of “RUN, HIDE, FIGHT” and the clomping of horse feet across campus. In a statement to the Daily Lobo, UNM Police Department spokesperson Robert Newman wrote that the department hopes the new system will help students protect themselves — and stop complaining. “It was clear that we needed a change,” Newman wrote. “And who better to inspire us than Paul Revere, arguably the most effective messenger in history?

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UNM to change gender, race and ethnicity-based employment policies after federal actions

Lily Alexander and Nate Bernard | March 24

The University of New Mexico reviewed and will revise its policies related to preferential hiring, promotion or compensation decisions based on gender, race or ethnicity following recent U.S. Department of Education guidelines and President Donald Trump’s executive orders. On March 6, UNM updated its website for guidance on federal executive actions to announce the policy review and upcoming revisions. UNM has submitted draft revisions to the Policy Office for review and expects approval and implementation over the next several weeks, according to UNM Chief Marketing and Communications Officer Cinnamon Blair.

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Education Department launches investigation into UNM for ‘race-exclusionary practices’

Lily Alexander and Nate Bernard | March 24

On March 14, the U.S. Education Department Office for Civil Rights announced investigations into 45 universities across the country, including the University of New Mexico, for allegedly engaging in “race-exclusionary practices” in their graduate programs. In its announcement, the department alleged that the universities violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by partnering with a nonprofit that supports historically underrepresented candidates in obtaining Ph.D.s. Title VI prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin in programs and activities that receive federal funding. The Education Department also initiated investigations into six universities for allegedly awarding race-based scholarships, and one university for allegedly having a program that “segregates students on the basis of race.”

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University police bodycam bill passes first committee

Lauren Lifke and Lily Alexander | February 25

Lawmakers voted Monday, Feb. 24 to advance a bill that would explicitly require university police departments to use body cameras, just over a year after the Daily Lobo revealed a loophole in a state statute. The 2020 statute, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces), requires law enforcement agencies in New Mexico to use body cameras. While it does not explicitly exclude university police departments, it also does not explicitly include them.

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Stokes sets vision for UNM’s future at State of the University address

Lily Alexander and Jaden McKelvey-Francis | February 24

On Friday, Feb. 21, University of New Mexico President Garnett Stokes reflected on the past year and outlined plans for UNM’s future in her seventh annual State of the University address. During the speech, she mentioned the University’s response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive actions that target funding for higher education. Part of the University’s response, Stokes said, includes maintaining UNM’s resource centers and health programs in the face of Department of Education guidance telling universities to end race-based programs by Feb. 28 or risk losing federal funding. The University’s rapid response teams, which were implemented after Trump’s inauguration, will continue to analyze executive orders and regulations, she said.