NM Daily Lobo 120312

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DAILY LOBO new mexico

Tiny tiger trophy

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December 3, 2012

The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895

Student regent candidates go to governor by Svetlana Ozden and Ardee Napolitano

UNM Student Regent Jacob Wellman’s term expires this

semester, so a new student regent needs to be chosen. Gov. Susana Martinez appointed Wellman in February 2011, and his term ends Dec. 31. UNM President Robert Frank

submitted his nominations for the new student regent to Gov. Martinez two weeks ago, and she will select an applicant to serve a two-year term at UNM. “As I interviewed the finalists,

we discussed the role and responsibilities, as well as the personal commitment and vision each would bring to the position,” Frank said. “All of these candidates have a passion

for UNM and strong academic credentials.” The Daily Lobo compiled candidate profiles for each of the five student regent finalists.

Alejandro Mendiaz-Rivera

Kurtis Donisthorpe

Heidi Overton

Frankie Gonzales

Athanasios Manole

Alejandro Mendiaz-Rivera was the first in his family to get a college education. After completing an undergraduate double major in Latin American studies and Spanish, he is completing his master’s degree in public administration. He has been at UNM for six years. Mendiaz-Rivera said he started to get involved with University affairs during his first year at UNM. Since then, he has been a New Student Orientation leader

Second-year UNM School of Law student Kurtis Donisthorpe said the biggest problem at the University is the low student retention and graduation rates. Donisthorpe, who obtained his bachelor’s degree in government from New Mexico State University, said students often drop out after completing only one year of college because of the rising costs of higher education in the state. “Many students come to UNM

Heidi Overton, who is a second-year medical student and medical doctorate candidate at UNM, has been on scholarship at the University since she was a freshman in the fall 2007. Overton received the Regents Scholarship and is enrolled in the BA/MD program at UNM, both of which paid for her tuition. Overton said that because the state of New Mexico and the University have provided her with access to education, the

Frankie Gonzales is a junior studying business with a concentration in finance and said that when he was in high school, he had a relatively negative opinion of the University. But he changed his mind during his freshman year because of his involvement in the Living and Learning Communities program. “I really came to love this University a lot, and I’m really glad that I ended up coming to UNM,” he said. “Some of them (his friends) started doing things in ASUNM, so I joined

Athanasios Manole, who is a third-year medical student and medical doctorate candidate, said his involvement in the University since he began undergraduate degree in fall 2005 has helped him understand all that the University has to offer. Manole said he has been involved with the University since he began attending UNM, including being in the Honors program, as vice elections chair and elections chair for ASUNM, as a member

news@dailylobo.com

see Mendiaz-Rivera PAGE 5

see Donisthorpe PAGE 5

see Overton PAGE 5

see Gonzales PAGE 7

see Manole PAGE 2

Decking the halls and hanging the greens Fee

board stays its course

Campus caroling tradition has large turnout by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com

Students dressed in elf costumes sang with audience members wearing Santa hats as more than 14,000 luminarias illuminated campus Friday night. Hundreds of people attended UNM’s annual Hanging of the Greens, which was organized by the UNM chapter of the Mortar Board Senior Honor Society. Mortar Board President Meena Lee said the group started organizing the event at the beginning of the semester and worked with other student organizations, such as Phi Eta Sigma and Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Lobo Spirit, to fund the event. She said the event, which was started in the 1930s by former UNM student and UNM Dean of Women Lena C. Clauve, is a tradition that unites the University community. “It brings people together,” she said. “You see how many people there are. It’s such an old tradition and it makes UNM truly unique.” Lee said that in the past, UNM students went to the mountains to collect greens, decorated them and then put them all over the

Inside the

Daily Lobo volume 117

issue 72

SFRB firm on hearings scheduled for winter break by Megan Underwood news@dailylobo.com

Adria Malcolm / @adriamalcolm / Daily Lobo Left to right, students Alex Borowski, Bianca Martinez and Jillian Martinez sing carols during the Hanging of the Greens festivities Friday. Since the 1930s, the Hanging of the Greens has been a campuswide event during which University community members carol throughout campus and present the UNM president with the University wreath. University. But she said that to make the event easier, students now only present the UNM president with a wreath, which is then hung in front of University House.

The event began Friday with people caroling in front of the UNM Bookstore. The crowd made several stops on campus on the way to University House, and sang holiday

Homer look out

Still ballin’

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songs at each stop. At the end of the procession, Lee presented the wreath to UNM President Robert Frank.

see Greens PAGE 3

The Student Fee Review Board (SFRB) remained firm in its decision to hold fee request hearings during winter break. At an SFRB meeting Thursday, the board confirmed that the hearings during which organizations will make their cases for funding will take place Thursday, Jan. 10 through Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013. SFRB chair and ASUNM President Caroline Muraida said the board is sending out a memo to organizations explaining why board members decided to hold the hearings on those dates. “We’re probably going to get questions no matter what. It’s

see SFRB PAGE 3

TODAY

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