DAILY LOBO new mexico
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June 25-July 1 2012
Judge: Internet not a place, prostitution can’t happen on it
The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
PRIDE NOT PREJUDICE
Ex-president, accused of having ties to sex ring, could walk away by Elizabeth Cleary
editorinchief@dailylobo.com
F. Chris Garcia
AP Photo
The former UNM president accused of running an online sex ring could be off the hook after a judge ruled June 18 that brothels can’t exist in cyberspace. New Mexico law defines a house of prostitution as a “place where prostitution is practiced, encouraged and allowed,” and according to court documents from the hearing, state district judge Stan Whitaker ruled that an online message board or computer is not a place of prostitution. The case is on hold following the ruling. F. Chris Garcia and David Flory,
a retired professor at a New Jersey university, are both accused of running Southwest Companions, a 1400-member, multistate online prostitution ring. On June 23, 2011, Garcia was arrested and charged with promoting prostitution, tampering with evidence and conspiracy for his alleged involvement with Southwest Companions. The New Mexico law that defines what is and is not a brothel hasn’t been updated since 1981, before the advent of the Internet as the world now knows it. Matthew Coyte, the vice president of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, told KRQE that Southwest Companions was simply a site that connected prostitutes and potential clients. “Connecting people to do whatever they want to do is not illegal. It never has been,” he said. Coyte does not represent Garcia or Flory in the case. Garcia’s attorney David Serna said Garcia could still face other charges related to the case, but he’s not yet sure what those could be. The district attorney’s office could also push for the state supreme court to reverse Whitaker’s ruling. Serna said Garcia feels encouraged that the judge agreed
with the defense concerning the application of the law. “He’s feeling wonderful … that he finally got his first day in court,” Serna said. “He is still very frustrated because even if these charges are completely thrown out, the public will be left with an impression based on a lot of false and untrue allegations.” The DA’s office didn’t immediately return a request for comment. In the more than 50 years Garcia was employed at UNM, he served in positions such as provost, vice president of academic affairs and Arts and Sciences dean. He assumed the role of UNM president from August 2002 to July 2003. According to APD, Garcia used the Internet handle “Burque Pops” and was one of seven site moderators known as the “hunt club.” Lt. William Roseman, the detective in charge of the case, told the Daily Lobo last year that Southwest Companions moderators were in charge recruiting new clients and prostitutes and screening members to ensure they are not law enforcement agents. Garcia and other moderators were paid little, if anything, for their moderation duties, he said.
Britney King / Daily Lobo Sister Celeste L. Powers, from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence raises the rainbow flag at Santa Fe’s annual Pride Parade on June 23. Voted “Second Gayest City” by The Advocate, Santa Fe delivers with its colorful flags and people.
Speedy sessions, lack of structure plague advisement by Avicra Luckey
avicraluckey@gmail.com One of the top 10 reasons students do not return to UNM is inadequate academic advising, according to the Division of Enrollment Management. Last semester, officials from National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) visited UNM to assess its advisement practices. In NACADA’s Academic Advising Program Review Report, officials said advisement problems at the University include high adviser-tostudent ratios, confusing registration holds and processes to clear them, and shallow consultations between advisers and students. Director of University Advisement Vanessa Harris said the University recognized the need for change in advisement protocol in order to improve services to students. “The provost’s office and the president’s office agreed that it was time for us to bring in some consultants to look at UNM from the outside and provide us with some feedback and I think they did an excellent job,” she said. Britney King / Daily Lobo Students wait in line at the University Advisement Center. National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) officials reported that UNM’s high student-to-adviser ratio causes advisement appointments to be too short and concluded that UNM students receive insufficient advisement.
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 116
issue 158
Intense review
Artsy fartsy
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Issues with the system:
Adviser overload According to the report, advisement appointments are
too short to provide adequate advisement. Officials said in the report that the short appointments lead to a poor perception of advisers. “The role of advisers is perceived by the students we interviewed as one that focuses on clearing holds so they can register for courses and does not provide opportunities for developmental conversations or extended conversations about degree plans…” officials said in the report. Harris said the University will hire four new advisers within the next year to improve the studentto-adviser ratio. She said one of the advisers will be added to the University Advising Center and the other three will be advisers in the College of Arts and Sciences. Harris said the other advisers focus on advising transfer students. But Harris said the high studentto-adviser ratio is affected by inadequate faculty pay. She said the University has a high adviser turnover rate, which was included in the NACADA report. “Because of the high adviser-tostudent ratio you can get burned out a lot, because you have so many students you’re interacting with and you want to be able to give them your best, but sometimes you cant’s simply because of the numbers,” she said.
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