DAILY LOBO new mexico
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
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Frank wants UNM to aid job creation by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com
UNM President Robert Frank said that at least 100,000 new jobs need to be created in New Mexico to return to prerecession employment levels, and that UNM will support that effort. “UNM, as a University, works for the broader community to hopefully create opportunities for people like you as you graduate,” he said. “At the end of the day, New Mexico is losing jobs, and we want to increase jobs.” According to the UNM Economic Development Report, 40,000 jobs have been slashed since the recession began in 2008, and another 50,000 are being lost due to sequestration of federal jobs. The report suggests the creation of 40,000 economic sector and 60,000 service sector jobs by 2022 so the state can have a more stable economy. Frank said the University needs to focus on jobs in knowledge-intensive fields, such as
engineering and medicine, to encourage the creation of other jobs. Doctors, for example, need nurses. He said at least eight companies are created through UNM’s Science and Technology Corporation (STC) each year, and that the nonprofit serves as a “job incubator” for the state. “It was clear to me that the University has a responsibility for jobs … and that as a research university, we create a lot of knowledge jobs,” he said. “We have to pay attention to how we support this incubator. We need support services for our faculty and postdocs who create jobs.” Frank said research for the report started in June when he was appointed UNM president. He said he appointed an Economic Development Advisory Group, which is composed of 16 members and chaired by Anderson School of Management Dean Doug Brown, to plan UNM’s future initiatives. Brown said the suggestions
finals week December 10-14, 2012
WINTER WONDERLAND
Adria Malcolm/ @adriamalcolm / Daily Lobo A man walks down Central Avenue bundled up for the cold. After a trend of higher-than-average temperatures, Albuquerque’s winter weather arrived Sunday as the temperature dropped with an evening low of 12 degrees and winds of 10-20 mph.
see Jobs PAGE 5
GPSA mulls funding rules Free STD tests may by Svetlana Ozden news@dailylobo.com
The Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA) plans to make the rules for funding allocations more structured than in the past. At a GPSA meeting on Saturday, GPSA member and Executive Finance Committee Chair Sarah Coffey said GPSA has about $30,000 left for the 2012-13 academic year to allocate for graduate student organizations. She said the council should create stronger rules to determine how to better allocate money throughout the year. GPSA began the year with $58,294 for allocations, which is an estimated amount that factors in expected enrollment for spring 2013. “We have limited funds,”
she said. “But our actual main concern … is we don’t want to make these judgment calls for what is a worthwhile organization and what isn’t, and if you don’t have rules in place, we’ll have to start making those.” Coffey said the rules would impose limitations for allocations in hopes that all student organizations won’t ask for money at the beginning of the academic year expecting that the money will run out by the end of it. She said the rules will ensure that new ideas and plans that arise later in the year can be funded. “We don’t want to kind of race to the finish. We don’t want everyone to come to us in January because they know that in March there won’t be anything,” she said. “We are really concerned that if someone has this amazing idea in April, we’re going to be like ‘Oh, that’s awesome, but we
can’t help you.’ We really don’t want to be in that situation.” GPSA member Talal Saint-Lôt said changing the rules for how money is allocated will also help ensure that GPSA members are not subjective in their decisions as to how money should be allocated. “Our job is to facilitate the process of giving them access to money,” he said. “We’re not looking to become gatekeepers of the money or make exception calls on what type of research is more important or what conference is going to serve students better than others.” Graduate Scholarship Fund Coffey said GPSA allocated $20,000 in scholarship money on Friday through the Graduate Scholarship Fund. She said 20 students who were in need of funding received $1,000 each.
see GPSA PAGE 5
get new location by Svetlana Ozden news@dailylobo.com
Students may have access to free sexually transmitted disease testing if the Student Health and Counseling Center gains the support of the students and the New Mexico Department of Health. At an Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Senate (ASUNM) meeting on Wednesday, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution recommending that SHAC provide free STD testing services for students every two weeks. According to the resolution, “studies have shown that the cost of sexually transmitted infection testing is a significant barrier for screening and treatment and that lower costs can increase
the acceptability of testing treatment.” The resolution also states that “additional emphasis on getting tested may help prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections and decrease the complications that arise from infection.” ASUNM Sen. Julie Lautenschleger said the Women’s Resource Center has provided free STD testing but that because it is offered in the WRC, male students be reluctant to visit the center for testing. “It doesn’t really seem as legit as if you were to go to the Student Health and Counseling Center,” she said. Lautenschleger said the resolution would show student support for SHAC providing free
see ASUNM PAGE 3
Student regent reflects on term, Lottery Scholarship by Svetlana Ozden news@dailylobo.com
Student Regent Jacob Wellman’s two-year term ends Dec. 31. The Daily Lobo spoke with Wellman about his term, his plans for the future and his successor, Jacob Wellman whoever that may be. Here’s what Wellman had to say. Daily Lobo: Your term as student regent will end this month. How have the past two years treated you?
Jacob Wellman: My term has been an incredible learning experience. I’ve learned about higher education, public administration and business. Most importantly, I’ve learned a lot about leadership from some very incredible leaders around the state. I do feel that I’ve started to give back to a community that has given me so much, but paying it forward is a lifetime pursuit. DL: You recently spoke about a “tuition policy menu.” What progress have you made so far? Will your involvement end as your term comes to an end? The “tuition policy menu” is a
proposed tuition-increase policy that would create restrictions for how much the administration could increase tuition each year and require the administration to explain the need for any increase that exceeds the amount set by the policy. In the past, Wellman said the “tuition policy menu” would ensure that the administration cannot increase tuition costs in a random fashion. JW: The regents’ Academic/Student Affairs and Research Committee did have a discussion last month about tuition policy. The Tuition and Fee Team, a University committee tasked with studying tuition and
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fees, has indicated that a tuition policy will be on their agenda this year. I look forward to hearing their recommendations and will help further their work however I can. Setting tuition by policy is a long-term goal that I’m sure the University will continue to pursue after my term ends. DL: Where have your discussions about the Lottery Scholarship led you? Do you have a more concrete idea of the proposal you and ASUNM President Caroline Muraida plan to bring to the legislative session? The New Mexico Legislative
Lottery Success Scholarship is expected to run out by fiscal year 2014, which begins July 1, 2013. Because of this, Wellman and ASUNM President Caroline Muraida hosted a Lottery Scholarship town hall to gather student input for a proposal as to how the New Mexico State Legislature should respond the solvency problem. Some of the proposals include changing the scholarship requirements to needbased, merit-based, not funding remedial courses or a hybrid of these options.
see Wellman PAGE 5
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