DAILY LOBO new mexico
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tuesday
November 2, 2010
The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
New Pit, new season: Arena opens for business Politicos, fans celebrate with ribbon-cutting
by Ruben Hamming-Green rhamminggreen@gmail.com
The renovated and less-fallingapart Pit opened Monday for the first time since the $60 million upgrades were completed. Lobo basketball fans and state politicos including Gov. Bill Richardson and Mayor Richard Berry, as well as UNM Executive Vice President for Administration David Harris, attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, see the men’s team practice and explore the arena. “If you’re here, you’re like me. You’re a die-hard Lobo fan,” Berry said in the echoing arena. “It’s important to know how much this means to our city.” Each speaker stressed the importance for fans to fill the renovated arena and how it will benefit the state. Richardson said The Pit is a gathering spot for New Mexicans and a source of state pride. “When I first became governor, I wondered why this magnificent facility had not been renovated,” Richardson said. “I’m proud of our state for taking this step through funding and through bonding. At a time when New Mexico’s finances were strong, we invested in facilities like The Pit because they bring New Mexicans together. I want to thank the Lobo fans for being the best basketball fans in America.” Some Lobo basketball fans lauded the renovations, but others had mixed reactions to the price tag, even though the stadium was funded through bonds and loans. Student Jeff Breuer said the facility was in desperate need of repairs. “It started to be decrepit and the ceiling was falling apart,” he said. “Now you don’t have to stand outside to get your ticket. I’m totally willing to pay for this.” Kelli Chesire said she like the new changes and that the $60 million spent was worth it. “The bleachers were very shaky, and it sucked,” she said. “They were screwing them in as we were sitting down. They’ve had the old Pit for a long time. I think it was time for something new.” But students Alec Loeser and Cory Bowden said the renovation was money that could have gone toward other expenses. “I think that it’s (expletive) stupid, to be completely honest,” Loeser said. Bowen added, “It’s a lot of money, considering they’re raising tuition next year. I’m living off of scholarships — that’s the only reason I’m capable of coming here. So when they raise tuition, I have to pay out of pocket, as well as pay for the way overpriced books”
Sleek stadium inspires Lobos to hit the court
Above: Lobo fans file into the renovated Pit for the UNM men’s basketball team’s open house Monday. The men’s team will open its season Wednesday night in an exhibition game, while the women’s team will host an exhibition game Nov. 9.
by Ryan Tomari
sports@dailylobo.com For fans, the wait is over. UNM basketball aficionados came out in droves during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday at The Pit. Athletics Director Paul Krebs welcomed fans who came out to get a sneak peek of the 44year-old arena. “This is a great celebration,” he said. Much to the players’ excitement, the UNM basketball programs hit the court at the renovated Pit at a public grand opening. The renovated Pit was open to UNM students and the public from 2:30-6 p.m. The Lobos practiced until 5 p.m., where the men’s team showed off its skills to fans and stirred excitement for the upcoming season. The back-to-back
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Long Nguyen Daily Lobo
Long Nguyen / Daily Lobo Emmanuel Negedu, left, and Tony Snell battle for the ball at The Pit on Monday. At the renovated 44-year-old arena’s open house, fans got to see a brief men’s team practice and scrimmage.
Graduate students form union to tackle cuts by Danielle Boudreau news@dailylobo.com
UNM graduate students are organizing to find another way of tackling budget cuts that have left many uncertain about their jobs. Graduate Student Liza MinnoBloom is forming Graduate Employ-
Inside the
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ees Together, a committee that advocates for graduate and teaching assistants. She said half of all UNM classes are taught by graduate students, and most estimates under-represent their impact. “The budget issues in October kind of threw us into survival mode,” she said. So GPSA President Lissa Knudsen said it was imperative that graduate
students organize. “This situation made it more obvious that graduate assistants need to have a collective unit where we can negotiate annual contracts,” Knudsen said. “If this foundation is taken away, everything comes tumbling down.” At a Sep. 14 Board of Regents meeting, the College of Arts and Sciences suggested cutting 40 graduate teaching positions by the spring semester in
Smooth transition
By students, for students
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an effort to deal with state budget cuts. The 3.2 percent cuts took $1.5 million away the College of Arts and Sciences, said Curtis Porter, the provost’s associate vice president for budget, planning and analysis. He said the University is expecting an additional 5 percent cut in the fall. “It is looking grim,” he said. But proposed graduate teaching cuts sparked student outcry and
forced the University to revisit the issue and find alternative money sources, Porter said. He said the provost will give the college a one-time $300,000 payment from a backup fund, with $180,000 going toward spring studentteaching positions. Janet Cramer, associate dean at the College of Arts and Sciences, said pre-
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