NM Daily Lobo 042011

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DAILY LOBO new mexico

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April 20, 2011

The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895

IT balances $2 million cut without layoffs Department to reduce software, help desk, training by Shaun Griswold shaun24@unm.edu

Information Technologies will see roughly $2 million cut from its budget next year, but no one is getting fired. Instead, the department won’t hire replacements after full-time employees retire or quit. Temporary employees will take on their duties, a measure Chief Information Officer Gil Gonzales said should save IT $244,000 by next year. “We have many folks who are interested in retiring, and we’ll be very careful in how we re-hire people,” he said. “What we will do is every time somebody leaves and takes another job at another University or out of the state, we may not replace that position.” Central IT had more money cut from its budget than any other department. IT will cut back on equipment, employee training other miscellaneous spending, all to save the department about $500,000, Gonzales said. Gonzales said he was unsure what IT would do if fewer full-time employees than expected retire next year. Regardless, he said no positions would be cut. “Reductions aren’t always about cutting something,” he said. “They’re also about reinventing the organization. They’re also about looking at what we do and making hard choices about what’s important.” One of those tough choices will be

the decision to offer fewer services to staff, faculty and students. “Some things will be slowed down,” Gonzales said. “We won’t replace computers as timely as we would like to. We’re not going to install as much software on administrative units.” Student computer pods will not see a reduction in services. Student fees are appropriated to help fund the computer pods in the SUB and other areas on campus.

What IT isn’t spending: $74,912 in computers $93,000 in software $150,000 in Central IT Training $25,000 in Central IT dues and memberships $275,000 in Central IT miscellaneous spending

$50,000 in Central IT marketing budget $75,000 in IT related professional services $224,000 in Central IT and Main Campus Staffing $1,000,000 Redeployment of Central IT Revenue

$1,966,912 Total

Central IT had more money cut from its budget than any other department. “We’ve been approved for $200,000 in one-time fees to continue support for student labs,” Gonzales said. “So the labs are one area that we’re going to continue and even improve because the students have agreed that this is a priority.” Students, faculty and staff should expect a cutback in services at the IT help desk. Although IT saw the largest cuts, Gonzales reiterated that his department is an important component of UNM’s structure. “Being fair isn’t always the first order of the day,” he said. “What we really try to do is make sure we’re aligning ourselves with the needs of the University.”

Dylan Smith/ Daily Lobo Student Max McGuire works in the Lobo Lab on Friday. Information Technologies, which manages the University’s computer pods, is facing $2 million in budget cuts next year.

C&J creates new major

SOLAR SOLIDARITY

by Chelsea Erven cerven@unm.edu

Paul S. Howell / AP Photo This undated image provided by Chevron Technology Ventures shows a 1-megawatt concentrating photovoltaic solar power plant built at a mine tailings site near Questa. Chevron and Questa officials gathered Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the project, which Chevron will use to evaluate the emerging technology. See story page 5.

What do you get when you combine advertising, public relations and marketing? Strategic communication is a new major in the communication and journalism department and will be available to students in the fall. The major combines marketing, public relations and advertising into one area of study. C&J adviser Gregoria Cavazos said students shouldn’t worry about the transition. “The change hasn’t really affected advisement,” she said. “I’ve given all the students their substitute courses and no one is losing out on any courses.” The department also combined print and broadcast journalism

see C&J page 5

Inside the

Daily Lobo volume 115

issue 140

Hoping for homers

Where are we?

See page 8

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TODAY

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