Daily Lobo 08/21/23

DAILY L OBO new mexico

UNM Board of Regents files as a party in air pollution regulation

By Maddie Pukite @ maddogpukite

This past May, the University’s Board of Regents filed as a party in the ongoing petition to amend the New Mexico administrative code to stop new air-polluting projects in communities that already live with environmental hazards via a Health Environment Equity Impact regulation.

The Mountain View Coalition alongside the New Mexico Environmental Law Center filed the

petition back in November. This October, the Air Board will vote on the regulation. In May, the Board of Regents entered as a party.

Loretta Martinez, General Counsel for the University of New Mexico, wrote that the University has proposed changes to the regulation. Martinez did not specify what changes the University wanted, but said that UNM believed it could impact “current and future operations at the hospital and on campus.”

“(UNM) intends to continue to seek final regulations that balance

Lobos dominate

our values of health equity, sustainability, continuity of health and research operations and responsible future development of the South Campus, TIDD and UNM’s surrounding neighborhoods,” Martinez wrote.

The South Campus Tax Increment Development District “TIDD” is a publicly funded, 312-anchor project the University has begun working on with the City to add shopping and entertainment near Lobo Village on South Campus.

see Pollution page 8

Students hate PATS

By Maddie Pukite @ maddogpukite

“I hate PATS” is what the stickers plastered all over campus last year read. Created by Tomas Chacon and his roommates.

The stickers were created in protest of the Parking and Transportation Services at the University of New Mexico at the beginning of last year, Chacon said.

Currently, the cost of parking at UNM is on the rise. Since last semester, the cost of parking meters

on campus has been raised by 25 cents per half hour, totaling $1.75 per half hour with the maximum payment of $28 for 8 hours – $3 more than a parking citation. In April of 2022, parking was a dollar per half hour.

Chacon and his roommates created the stickers after being unable to obtain parking passes last year. Living off-campus and having nowhere to store their cars, not getting parking passes posed difficulties for getting to school and resulted in frequent parking citations.

“(We were) very annoyed, very

Inside this Lobo

Estrada: PHOTO STORY: Friday Night Live (pg. 2)

Walker: REVIEW: A Norse-inspired fantasy trilogy to enchant (pg. 4)

angry. And so one of us brought up the idea, ‘What if we started silently protesting PATS very anonymously, just to get word out there because we had been talking to people and everybody had the same sentiments,’” Chacon said.

The cost of a parking pass at Central New Mexico Community Campus – which is less than a mile away from UNM – is $7.50 a semester or $17.50 for a full academic year. The cost at UNM for a full year of parking in the Y Lot on campus is $534.

see PATS page 8

Chistoph Wagner makes the strings sing

By Addison Key @ addisonkey11

Christoph Wagner always wanted to play the cello. The new assistant professor of cello at the University of New Mexico, Wagner started playing when he was six.

Wagner says he watched his sister play the cello and never doubted that it was the instrument for him. What attracted him was the versatility of the instrument.

“You can do so many things with this instrument. You can play very low, you can play very high pitches. So you can mimic a huge spectrum of expressions, sounds, timbres and colors,” Wagner said.

Wagner’s responsibilities will include growing the cello program at UNM, teaching courses related to strings and pedagogy and sup-

porting the orchestra program. This semester, he will be co-leading the symphonia – the smaller orchestra. Wagner has been teaching cello since he was an undergrad student in Germany. Teaching cello does not only require technical knowledge of the instrument, but it also demands an understanding of the student, their skill level and emotional connection to the work, Wagner said.

“It’s a physical, almost athletic activity sometimes, but also we are dealing with expression and emotions and playing music which has emotional content – different characters and colors and emotions. Secondly, it requires for me to understand where the student’s coming from and how I can best support the students … (how to) meet a student where they are,” see Wagner page 7

Pukite: EDITORIAL: The importance of critical studies (pg. 4)

Davidson & Cicconetti: Lobos dominate New Mexico Highlands 4-0 in exhibition match (pg. 6)

Boost your savings with The Power of Change

Tristan Huffman / Daily Lobo #2 Kaitlynn Biassou serves at the pit on Saturday, Aug. 19. (See pg. 6)

Courtesy Photo

Christoph Wagner is the new cello professor at the University of New Mexico.

A Norse-inspired fantasy trilogy to enchant

By Sydney Walker @squidneywrites

If you are prone to buying and reading books because TikTok said so, we need to be friends. A few weeks ago, a book by John Gwynne caught my eye and the giant dragon on the cover for “The Shadow of the Gods” sold me.

Gwynne is no stranger to adult fantasy books. He has written two lengthy fantasy series prior to “The Bloodsworn Trilogy.” The trilogy, so far, only contains “The Shadow of the Gods” and “The Hunger of the Gods.” When I tell you I ate them for breakfast, lunch and dinner for two weeks straight, I mean it.

In the first book, “The Shadow of the Gods,” Gwynne introduces the Norse-inspired land called Vigrið (pronounced Vigri-th). Lucky for us, Gwynne provides a glossary at the end of the book detailing the pronunciation and meanings of various words from his Nordic world. It certainly helps if you are interested in Norse mythology. There is detailed world-building throughout the entirety of both

books, but not so much that it muddles the enjoyment of reading.

I’m convinced that Gwynne must know the secret formula to sprinkling a little bit of scenery here keep you flipping pages effortlessly.

While both novels follow several characters’ points of view, the first book only follows three main characters: Orka, Elvar and Varg. All of them have different perspectives and storylines, but all are badass warriors. The second book, “The Hunger of the Gods,” adds two more perspectives to the storyline, which gives a interesting look into the dynamics of other characters.

The character-building and progression of their stories was very enjoyable. Gwynne introduces his main characters with little information about who they are, but with each scene and battle they face, it forces them to grow in emotionally complex ways. The growth matures the main characters, even though they are well into their adult lives.

Gwynne did not hold back when writing the battle scenes. When you think there is no way he can kill off more characters, he does it brutally. There was no skipping out on the

gory and gruesome details of battle. As Orka says, “Hard words are needed for this hard world.”

Reading about the dead gods and mythical creatures was my guilty pleasure. It added an extraordinary fantasy element to the novels. Dragons, wolves, trolls, berserkers, frost spiders, winged-rats that steal and munch on teeth, witches and rune magic – these books have it all.

Above all, these books include many different tropes. It felt like I was reading three different novels in one and I loved every page. You’ll encounter betrayal, love, heartbreak, vengeance, bloodlust, shifting power dynamics and so much more.

The Norse-mythology mixed with fantasy that Gwynne weaves into these novels is nothing short of epic. So far, this trilogy is an amazing display of deeply cunning storytelling.

Sydney Walker is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @squidneywrites.

EDITORIAL: The importance of critical studies

By Maddie Pukite @ maddogpukite

One of the oldest gender studies programs in the nation, the Women’s Studies Program has existed at the University of New Mexico since 1972. In 1999 a major was added, and in 2019 the name was changed from Women’s Studies to Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Last week, the first public university in the nation cut its gender studies department.

The New College of Florida did away with its Women’s Studies department – a decision supported by Ron Desantis, the Republican Gov. of Florida. The University is now “shifting gears” to a new athletics program.

I am in my final year of the program here at UNM and I could not be more grateful for my education in WGGS.

A gender studies degree may seem pointless to some. It’s not like there are many advertised career paths that require a degree in feminism. However, to say a degree is pointless is rooted in the idea that if you leave college without a career in your field of study, it was a waste.

But this happens to 27% of university students regardless of major.

Post-grad, I plan to continue reporting and working in journalism.

I am getting a minor in journalism, but my WGSS degree has been the most influential to my reporting and editing practices.

The classes I have taken for my WGGS degree have covered topics of gender, sexuality, race, popculture, politics, history, art and science. They have taught me how to approach a single topic from all of those angles and have discussions about how each experience can impact another.

This, in a lot of ways, is how I think about journalism now. When I begin working on a story, I take the pitch and I break it down – thinking about how all of these various life experiences could be impacting what I am covering.

By no means is this revolutionary. I think that’s the point. The concepts aren’t outlandish or complicated, or some scary agenda by the left-wing to terrorize children. But this doesn’t mean the classes or concepts are simple either.

As white person raised in a predominantly white area, the lessons and lectures in my WGGS classes have constantly challenged me to

Volume 128 Issue 2

reckon and address the ways I am inherently racist as a white person. It is not easy. It can be uncomfortable, but it is not radical.

So what makes a degree worth something?

I would argue it is how often you can apply the concepts you learned in daily life. No matter what profession you wind up in, being able to reflect critically on how gender, race and sexuality are impacting the work environment, or work itself, is instrumental. Having a broader understanding of the lived experiences of those around you facilitates accessibility and creates safe spaces.

The abolishment of the women’s studies department at the university in Florida is terrifying. It says that education that isn’t overtly profitable doesn’t have value. Banning books, cutting departments and regulating what can be taught in schools reflects values of control and facism. It sets a dangerous precedent that those across the nation will feel the repercussions of.

Maddie Pukite is the editor-inchief at the Daily Lobo. They can be contacted at editorinchief @dailylobo.com on Twitter @maddogpukite

The New Mexico Daily Lobo is an independent student newspaper published on Monday except school holidays during the fall and spring semesters. Subscription rate is $75 per academic year. E-mail accounting@dailylobo.com for more information on subscriptions.

The New Mexico Daily Lobo is published by the Board of UNM Student Publications. The editorial opinions expressed in the New Mexico Daily Lobo are those of the respective writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the students, faculty, staff and regents of the University of New Mexico. Inquiries concerning editorial content should be made to the editor-in-chief.

All content appearing in the New Mexico Daily Lobo and the Web site dailylobo.com may not be reproduced without the consent of the editor-in-chief. A single copy of the New Mexico Daily Lobo is free from newsstands. Unauthorized removal of multiple copies is considered theft and may be prosecuted.

Letter submission policy: The opinions expressed are those of the authors alone. Letters and guest columns must be concisely written, signed by the author and include address and telephone. No names will be withheld.

UNM Land Acknowledgement statement

Founded in 1889, the University of New Mexico sits on the traditional homelands of the Pueblo of Sandia. The original peoples of New Mexico – Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache – since time immemorial, have deep connections to the land and have made significant contributions to the broader community statewide.

Courtesy Photo “The Shadow of the Gods” and “The Hunger of the Gods” by John Gwynne. Image courtesy of Amazon.

Jessica Baca / @Jessica_Baca_ / Daily Lobo New College Gender Studies logo. Courtesy of New College. Background photo and editing by Jessica Baca.

Lobos dominate New Mexico Highlands 4-0 in exhibition match

The University of New Mexico

Women’s volleyball team played in an exhibition match on Saturday, Aug. 19 against the New Mexico Highlands Cowgirls. Following last season’s exhibition victory against the Cowgirls, the Lobos won 4-0 for the second year in a row.

UNM’s volleyball team had a strong season last year, going 1712 in the regular season and 8-10 in conference play. The Lobos finished the season in fifth place, making the University’s second appearance in a row in the Mountain West Tournament.

Being an exhibition game, the final roster has not yet been released. There were several newcomers who competed during the match for the Lobos.

It was a clean sweep for the ladies in cherry. The Lobos were able to secure the first three sets with ease. It wasn’t until the fourth set that the Cowgirls brought their

game, but it wasn’t enough to beat the Lobos who closed out 26-24.

The first set started strong for the Lobos with a series of powerful serves from one of the liberos, with an ace and a string of points. Setter, Melissa Walden showed up ready to play, getting an ace on her first serve of the match. This gave the Lobos a huge momentum advantage from the beginning.

UNM senior Kaitlynn Biassou missed her first serve of the match but came back better, never missing an opportunity to attack the ball from the opposite position. After service aces and errors by the Cowgirls, the Lobos secured set one with a solid 25-10.

UNM kept the pressure during the second set, particularly from Biassou who brought the flames and fire for the last season of her college career. She displayed a wide array of exceptional skills on the court, whether it was hitting, digging, blocking or serving.

“I just want to continue developing my craft in all aspects of my game. This is my last college season, so if I can just continue to better my game – whether it’s hitting, block-

ing or serving - I just want to tune it up,” Biassou said.

Lobos won the second set 2515. The final point was scored off a failed block by the Cowgirls.

The Cowgirls started with the serve in set three, but the first point was immediately won by the Lobos off a tip by Elizabeth Woods. From there, UNM’s serves were on fire. The Cowgirls called their first timeout of the set with the score 6-1.

Out of the timeout, the Lobos continued to control the game, forcing the Cowgirls to call their second timeout with the score 14-2.

The Lobos couldn’t be stopped. Straight out of the timeout, UNM’s Kali Wolf scored on a kill and they refused to let their lead go, ending the set with a score of 25-6.

The fourth set was the most competitive of the day. UNM brought out a completely different line up, which Highlands saw and responded to quickly.

Highlands’ Ashleigh Meyer served for six points, securing the Cowgirls an early lead. The Cowgirls were stopped by UNM’s Wolf with a kill point to shift the momentum, making the score 8-6 with

Highlands in the lead.

This started a back and forth for the rest of the set. Highlands’ Aziza Morris kept the Lobos on their toes with consistent attacks at the net and strong blocks.

By the halfway point, UNM began substitutions to bring back some of the original lineup. The Lobos and Cowgirls were neck and neck until the final point was scored by UNM’s #5, securing the Lobos a win 26-24, which allowed the Lobos to secure their 4-0 sweep.

After the match, head coach Jon Newman-Gonchar expressed his confidence in the team.

“I’m proud of our team. They handled sets one and two, then set four. We made some changes with some new players and they showed that they are ready to play at a high level – ready to keep the standard for Lobo Volleyball,” Newman-Gonchar said.

The Cowgirls did not go without a fight, forcing the final set into a 24-24 tie. The Cowgirls played well, displaying solid communication, technical ability with the ball and unwavering confidence in later sets. It was a good match for the

Lobos as they showcased new talent, upcoming strategies and the rock solid connection the players. The season looks good for the Lobos as they go into the UCI Invitational that will start on Aug. 25. They will play three games away before coming back for UNM’s Lobo Invitational on Aug. 31. BillyJack Davidson is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo. com or on Twitter @BillyJackDL. Francesca Cicconetti is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at sports @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @fran_cicconetti.

By BillyJack Davidson & Francesca Cicconetti

@BillyJackDL & @fran_cicconetti

Tristan Huffman

The Lobos play against NM Highlands mid-match at The Pit on Saturday, Aug. 19.

Tristan Huffman

Lobos move in to hit the ball at The Pit on Saturday, Aug. 19.

Wagner from page 1

Wagner said.

The cello can emulate voice-like qualities. Olga Perez Flora – an assistant professor of voice – said that Wagner’s playing has a particular resemblance to singing.

“I think that Christoph has what we would call a cantabile sound … (it) means to sing in Italian, and he really does understand the singing of the cello and the way the acoustics work and just the way the line moves. Vocally, we try to also mimic the strings so it’s a beautiful partnership of people singing and playing together, and he obviously has an incredible ear for the singing style,” Perez Flora said.

Perez Flora is excited to work with Wagner and said that his belief in a balance between work and life was one of the reasons he stood out as an applicant.

“He has … a holistic approach to life and he’s very organic, so he’s really interested in a healthy lifestyle, which is something that is really symbiotic to opera singing and the way we try to stay healthy and we use our whole instrument,” Perez Flores said.

In addition to developing the cello program, Wagner is interested in playing throughout the state and making educational opportunities for the cello more accessible for younger students.

“I see this as an immense responsibility to really contribute to the cultural life in the state, to support music education initiatives and collaborate with various partners throughout the state to allow students to have first class access to instrumental training … I do believe that music education and

music in general has the capacity to enrich our lives,” Wagner said.

Performance itself is an educational and community experience. The power of music, Wagner said, comes from the relationship between the performer, the audience and the music.

“I strongly believe that performance is not something the performer does and that the audience just listens,” Wagner said. “I think the power of music actually comes to its fruition when everyone participates.”

Addison Key is the culture editor at the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @addisonkey11.

Downtown Albuquerque in August

Jessica Baca / @Jessica_Baca_ / Daily Lobo

View of Downtown Albuquerque taken on Aug. 20.

Pollution from page 1

The area the TIDD is planned for ranks in the 90th percentile for both Air Toxics Cancer Risk and Air Toxics Respiratory HI, according to the EPA Environmental Justice Indexes, and is close to the South Valley where the Mountain View Community is located.

Feleecia Guillen, UNM Leaders for Environmental Action and Foresight Director of Communications, said the Regents reaction to the regulation was disappointing and confusing.

“I would like to think that the University recognizes that air pollution disproportionately affects low-income and communities of color. G oing against this regulation is going against everything (they stand for) as a Hispanic-Serving Institution,” Guillen said. “We just want transparency. We want the Board of Regents to be transparent with us and to let us know what they’re planning and what they’re doing.”

The Mountain View community has faced the realities of polluting

industries in their neighborhoods for years after the zoning of the land was changed from acultural to industrial in the 1960s. Marla Painter, President of Mountain View Community Action, said they have been working towards a solution around air quality regulations for the past 14 years.

“It just became a storm that some of us who live in the neighborhood felt like we needed to finally address,” Painter said.

The polluting industries in the community have led to respiratory illness and high rates of cancer amongst those living there who are predominantly people of color. Painter said the community has been left by the wayside in terms of State regulation and took the matter into their own hands with the HEEI regulation.

“It started out as inherently unjust, and it’s continued because there has really been no way to challenge the placement of polluting facilities one after the another,

right next to one another, and without having to be accountable to what the ongoing consequences are the people’s health and wellbeing and welfare,” Painter said. In light of ever-present environmental safety hazards like the recycling plant fire earlier this month, the issue of air quality in communities of color, Guillen said, has become even more pressing.

“Recently with the fire at the recycling plant, the HEEI regulation has become more than a topic of interest. The effects of the air polluting industry overwhelmingly impact low-income communities and communities of color who are already experiencing the health impacts of airport air pollution disproportionately,” Guillen said.

Maddie Pukite is the editor-inchief at the Daily Lobo. They can be contacted at editorinchief@ dailylobo.com on Twitter @maddogpukite

addressing operational and infrastructural needs,” Arruti wrote.

Chacon said he was able to secure parking passes this year after waking up to wait in line at PATS the day permits went on sale. He said he wishes there was financial aid for those who might not be able to afford hundreds of dollars for a permit, being in a state where the median household income is $14,418 below the national average, according to the U.S. census.

“If you’re a New Mexico resident, $500 is a lot of money – a lot of money to spend on something you put on your car,” Chacon said.

Chacon said after accumulating so many parking tickets last year, he was fearful of getting his car booted, which he said could have interfered with him getting to his internship at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science from campus.

The increase in the cost of metered parking, UNM PATS director Shawn Arruti said, was due to inflation.

“In light of these evolving financial factors, UNM PATS has found it necessary to introduce a measured rate and fee increase this year. This strategic decision ensures that we

can uphold the high standards of efficiency within our parking and transportation services and that we can continue to meet the needs of our campus community,” Arruti wrote.

PATS is a self-funded auxiliary department at UNM. Expenses associated with the University’s shuttle buses and wage adjustments for staff also influenced the increase – aimed to ensure equitable access, Arruti said.

“(The increase) was a considered response aimed at ensuring equitable access to parking while

After noticing the removal of some of the “I hate PATS” stickers, Chacon said they began to pass out sticker sheets. They gained popularity and other students joined in the silent protest.

“They make their revenue from ticketing poor college students who couldn’t get a parking pass but still need a car on campus. And the amount of tickets I see every day just walking around is still mindboggling,” Chacon said.

Maddie Pukite is the editor-inchief at the Daily Lobo. They can be contacted at editorinchief@ dailylobo.com on Twitter @maddogpukite

PATS from page 1

Courtesy Photo

Sticker image courtesy of Thomas Chacon.

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