DAILY LOBO new mexico
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The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
August 26, 2009
Students can help set UNM’s direction Swine flu outbreaks likely as students return to class
by Tricia Remark Daily Lobo
The future of UNM’s campus could be in students’ hands. The Master Plan of Development, a long-term plan of construction projects and projected growth, has been in the works for several years, said Mary Kenney, UNM planning officer. Before it’s finalized, students can comment online on the proposed plan. Kenney said the final copy of the Master Plan should have been ready last December, but President David J. Schmidly and the Board of Regents want the Master Plan to be available to students, staff and faculty for as long as needed to consider all suggestions. “We had our first rough draft in February, but President Schmidly wanted us to go back out into the community and expand it,” Kenney said. “In April, we asked if we still needed more input and were told ‘Yes’ by Regents President Raymond Sanchez.” Will Gleason, the Master Plan project manager, said the plan outlines comprehensive construction projects. “In general, we’re just trying to lay out the framework for the next 10-to-20-year period at the University,” Gleason said. “Some projects are already under way, and some won’t start for another 15 years.” Gleason said the plan provides general guidelines on many issues that students are concerned about. He said bike and pedestrian paths, parking and sustainability are all major factors in the plan. Kenney said that the revised final draft of the Master Plan will be presented again to the regents at their Sept. 29 meeting. “I hope (the plan) will be approved at the next regents meeting,
Staff Report The H1N1 influenza virus hasn’t gone away since last spring’s outbreak, so Student Health and Counseling is reminding students to make efforts to prevent its spread. “The H1N1 virus that we saw emerge in the springtime has been circulating and, besides moving across the world in a pandemic, there have been various outbreaks in the United States all summer long,” said SHAC Director Beverly Kloeppel. “Unlike the seasonal influenza, where we usually get a peak in the wintertime, this virus is still hanging around.” Kloeppel said there have been recent outbreaks in northern New Mexico, and the number of cases might increase this month.
“The fact that we’re all gathering together as school starts makes the likelihood of a resurgence of the virus a high probability,” she said. “We hope that it doesn’t happen, but there’s a high probability of that.” Several universities that opened last week have already seen outbreaks of the virus, Kloeppel said. “There are multiple universities that have experienced outbreaks as classes have convened,” she said. “So we have a concern about that as well.” Kloeppel said that whether H1N1 vaccines will be distributed in the fall is yet to be determined, but seasonal influenza vaccines will be available soon. “We encourage everyone to get vaccines,” she said.
How to avoid the H1N1 virus
• Courtesy of Dekker/Perich/Sabatini An illustration of pedestrian trails connecting main and north campus to increase class accessibility for students. because it has been a labor of love over the last several years,” she said. “I think it provides a framework for how to move forward and develop the campus.” Kenney said that UNM hired design firm
Dekker/Perich/Sabatini to make the Master Plan, which cost the University $200,000, but Kenney said the plan is worth the money. “Generally speaking, a Master
see Master plan page 7
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Wash your hands often with soap and water. Soap hands for 15 seconds or as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song. Use alcohol-based hand gels when soap isn’t available. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve when you cough or sneeze.
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Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Avoid close contact with sick people — six feet is a good distance. If you have a fever, limit contact with others as much as possible. Stay home from school. Source: UNM Student Health and Counseling
SPECIAL REPORT
Migrants face hardship at every turn by Leah Valencia
immigration from Central America to North America. We worked with El Centro de This summer I looked into some- Orientación del Migrante de Oaxone’s eyes and saw fear, honest fear. aca (COMI), an organization based in Oaxaca, that supports I accompanied migrants who leave Editor’s Note : the UNM Cross-Border Issues Group to Leah Valencia traveled home in search of a betMexico in July. The to Mexico to investigate ter future. It is here that group, led by Com- immigration issues and I began to realize what immigration means to filed this report. munication & Jourmigrants. nalism Professor COMI manages sevRichard Schaefer, works primarily in Cuernavaca, Mexico, researching eral safe houses that provide lodgimmigration. This year’s research ing and meals to passing migrants. led us to Oaxaca City, Ixtapec, and In the safe houses, or albergues, migrants can learn about the rights Acapulco. The CBI group has investigat- they have and the dangers and coned Mexican migration to the Unit- sequences they’re up against in mied States as well as intra-Mexi- grating from Central Amerca and can migration over the past three Mexico. “They will get a job, but they years. The group expanded its investigation this year to include won’t be paid much,” said Fernan-
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Daily Lobo volume 114
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do Cruz Montes, director of COMI. “They will be both marginalized and discriminated against. They are hit hard and suffer by being taken out of their culture and country.” CBIG students had the opportunity to meet, interview and befriend migrants in transit. The students heard the stories of exploitation. I learned that migrants are often robbed, beaten and kidnapped as they ride freight trains they call “la bestia,” or “The Beast.” “Migrants suffer in transit. They die on the trains, in the rivers and roads,” Cruz Montes said. “They die in the desert. And their dreams die with them.” Cruz Montes told us migrants still face adversity even if they reach their destination.
see Migrants page 8
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Honduran immigrants seeking refuge in Mexico play cards in a safe house in Ixtepec, Mexico, on July 16. If their refugee status is denied, they said they plan to come to America. Courtesy of Carlos Rodrigo Guzmán Serrano
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