DAILY LOBO new mexico
January 18, 2011
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TODAY’S LESSON
demolish old dorms by Chelsea Erven cerven@unm.edu
The Board of Regents approved a housing plan in December that calls for the demolition of a dorm building, two Student Residence Center apartment buildings, a parking lot, two tennis courts and part of lower Johnson Field. Lobo Development’s approved “strategic housing plan” allows for building materials to be developed, Real Estate Director Kim Murphy said, and used by American Campus Communities, a private company charged with the campus construction. “ACC has prepared what’s called the preliminary materials, which is really the development proposal for the first phase,” he said. “We received that (Jan. 3), and it’s still under review.” The first phase involves the removal of Santa Ana Hall, the parking lot north of it and two buildings
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Robert Maes / Daily Lobo From left, Brant Hayenga, Emilia Vesper, Meagan Salvaag and Amy Vesper hold signs on Monday in protest of potential cuts to public education in front of the State Capitol building in Santa Fe. See page 6 for full story.
REMEMBERING THE KING
Basketball revenue offsets football losses by Chelsea Erven
Daniel Hulsbos / Daily Lobo
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Speakers at Sunday’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. rally reminded guests about the Tucson shooting and how continuing to preach King’s message of peace is important. In his speech, Mayor Richard Berry stressed helping others. “Such tragedy can bring out the best in us and the worst in us, as we struggle to make sense of such senseless acts,” he said. “Take a little time to be of service. Read to a child. Provide a coat to someone who is cold.” Hundreds congregated at University
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“Let us recommit ourselves to achieving the fulfillment of Dr. King’s message” ~Mayor Richard Berry
Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue to join the march, which concluded with a gathering at the Harry E. Kinney Civic Plaza. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan said King’s message of peace is relevant after the Tucson shooting, which left six people dead and injured Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. “In the wake of the Arizona tragedy, let us recommit ourselves to achieving the fulfillment of Dr. King’s message,” he said. “Let us to continue to strive to make America what it ought to be.”
On track so far
Comic Con convenes
See page 16
See page 14
volume 115 issue 79
The Board of Regents welcomed President David Schmidly back to work during its Jan. 11 meeting before discussing the University’s financial state and its Athletics Department. As 2011 begins, pending 2010 financial reports show the largest deficit exists in Athletics. GPSA president Lissa Knudsen said that is unacceptable. “It’s very disturbing, and we want to know what the plan is,” she said. “How are they going to stop this hemorrhaging of resources, especially in times like these ... We need to be focused on academics.” A “consolidated financial report” for the first one-third of the year, July-October, lists an Athletics deficit of more than $3.1 million. The report says Athletics’ “unfavorable net margin” is the result from the timing of football expense versus football revenue, and expected football revenue will not meet the budgeted level. Ava Lovell, vice president for finance, said that revenue from the rest of the football season still needs to be booked, as well as funds from the Mountain West bowl games and basketball season. The report says basketball revenue should offset debt payments on UNM bonds used to fund the renovation of The Pit, and that Pit revenue will be closely monitored.
“Our basketball always does help us balance out these books,” she said. Knudsen said basketball revenue should help the struggling department, but in years past, it hasn’t been enough. “Potentially, basketball can bring in more money than football,” she said. “It seems to have done that in the last couple of years, but it hasn’t made back enough.” Athletics, however, is not the only area struggling financially. UNM’s golf course has a nearly $200,000 deficit, according to the report. Other areas showing deficits include student aid, public events and ticketing services, but Lovell said revenue in those areas is typically made in the spring. Despite significant deficits in Athletics and other areas, the University’s general fund was almost $47 million favorable because of tuition being recorded on a semester basis, rather than a monthly basis. Other meeting items: A Lobo Energy “energy conservation presentation” showed that UNM’s efforts to reduce energy consumption over the past decade have resulted in a 30 percent reduction in energy density and made for $4.1 million in avoided costs. The regents approved funds for emergency repairs to chemistry buildings and labs. The regents approved nominations to the hospital Board of Trustees.
TODAY
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