DAILY LOBO new mexico
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
monday February 24, 2014
Venezuelan students protest government by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com @ArdeeTheJourno
Ardee Napolitano / Daily Lobo Rosa Maria Edmunds, a Venezuelan who has been living in Albuquerque for 13 years, chants her country’s name in front of the UNM Bookstore on Saturday. Edmunds was one of about 80 Albuquerque protesters in support of the anti-government student protests in Venezuela that have been going on since Feb. 12. “I’d like to raise my flag to have parties,” she said. “I think it’s sad that this is happening. We’re doing wrong things.”
Every July, part-time UNM student Isolina Viloria flies to Venezuela to see family and friends. The constant presence of political turmoil in her homeland has never proved too severe to deter her from visiting. But this year is different, the mother of two kids said. “When I was younger, there were always some political debates, but it was different,” Viloria said. “Venezuela was one Venezuela. Right now, Venezuela’s divided in two … I want to bring my kids over there, and that’s one of the reasons why I’m here.” Viloria, who said she would not fly south to visit this year, was one of the protesters who gathered in front of the UNM Bookstore on Saturday in support of the anti-government student protests in Venezuela. About 80 people attended the event to express grievances against current Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s government. Viloria said her family moved to the United States seven years ago to escape political tensions in Venezuela. She said the government has been exacerbating the situation since. “My husband, we met in Venezuela and we married there,” she said. “He was teaching. He worked in an American school. Security, it’s one of the reasons why we moved to New Mexico.” The case of Viloria’s family is a frequent situation many Venezuelans find themselves in, said Ana Maria Gonzales, a UNM alumna who organized the
see
Venezuela PAGE 5
Student employees Frank discusses SB 347 seek pay increase Let’s be Frank
by Chloe Henson
assistant-news@dailylobo.com @ChloeHenson5
Amber Dukes, a UNM graduate student in psychology, took on an extra grading assistant position this semester on top of her teaching assistant job to avoid student loans. “I’m in poverty,” she said. “I had to take on an extra GA-ship just to be able to pay my bills without taking out student loans.” Dukes, who is also the GPSA chair for the Equity and Inclusion Committee, stood in support of increasing stipends for graduate assistants, teaching assistants and research assistants at a Graduate and Professional Student Association meeting on Saturday. Graduate and Professional Student Association President Priscila Poliana said these UNM student employees have not seen an increase in their wages for several years. “The last increase in pay that TAs, GAs and RAs had was in 2009,” she said. “That means that we have five years without a pay increase. If we account for CPI, the consumer price index, that means that we actually got a 7 percent cut in pay over these years.” The CPI measures the average change of cost for goods and services purchased by urban consumers monthly, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Consumers in the west
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 118
issue 103
urban area have experienced about a 7.7 annual percentage increase in the price of goods and services from 2009 to 2013, according to the site. Poliana said she thinks the council should consider going for a stipend increase that would bring the assistantship positions’ pay back to what it was in 2009. “I think that what we need to do, really, is to advocate for the 7 percent increase,” she said. There are about 1,500 teaching and research assistantships available to graduate students across the University, according to the UNM Graduate Studies website. GPSA Chief of Staff Matthew Rush said the increase that they are looking at would be ongoing for the students. “Currently, this one is looking at being a standard increase on the budget for paying for employees,” he said. While students have seen pay cuts due to increases in the cost of living, the state Legislative Finance Committee put forward a proposal to the governor suggesting a 1.5 percent increase for University employees, Poliana said. “There is some good news in that respect,” she said. “It doesn’t fix the problem, but it’s better than nothing.” The LFC proposal would apply to state, public school and higher education employees who are not on probation and have satisfactory job performance, according to
see Salary PAGE 5
Sergio Jiménez / @SXfoto / Daily Lobo UNM President Robert Frank said in an interview Friday that he was glad to see legislators come up with a compromise on the Legislative Lottery Scholarship’s solvency issue as this year’s legislative session drew to a close. Friday about his impression of SB tax revenues that would fund the by Ardee Napolitano 347 and how it might affect stu- Scholarship. How do you feel about news@dailylobo.com dents in the future. that? @ArdeeTheJourno Daily Lobo: How do you feel RF: I’m just glad they found a source to fund it. They’re going to As this year’s state legislative ses- about the passage of SB 347? Robert Frank: That’s great for have to take the money from somesion ended Thursday, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 347 to prevent our students. At the end of the day, thing. That’s as good a source as the Legislative Lottery Scholarship the most important thing is that anything. I don’t know if I have any from expiring at the end of this fis- (the Scholarship) exists, that it’s profound insight on it. solvent, that it will be here for next DL: The other aspect is that the cal year. Sponsored by Sen. Michael year’s class. The form that it passed GPA requirement wouldn’t inSanchez, D-Belen, SB 347 would use in, I think, is going to be good for crease. How do you feel about that? money from the state’s liquor excise UNM students … Some students I know in the past you’ve said that tax to fund the Scholarship over the would have preferred the hours you were in support of increasing next two years. The bill will also keep not to go up, and I think they could the GPA, correct? RF: Only because the GPA is the the Scholarship’s GPA requirement make a pretty good case for that. But at 2.5 but will raise its credit-hour that’s what the Legislature decided. best predictor of success in college. requirement from 12 to 15 credit The most important thing is that If I had my way, I would have found hours. In the case of insufficient it’s there and it’s funded. I would a way to keep it going just as it was, funds, the state will be able to pro- have preferred to see the GPA go but it was clear that something was rate scholarship amounts among higher and the hours stay down if going to change. I told you a second I had written a prescription. At the ago, I would have kept the hours students of all year levels. The bill is currently awaiting Gov. end of the day, I’m thankful for the lower and increased the GPA, so I Legislature. would have done it the other way. Susana Martinez’s signature. DL: There are many aspects to But it is the way it is. The Daily Lobo spoke with UNM President Robert Frank on this bill. First, there are the liquor
see Tuition PAGE 5
Lucky number 3000
Tied up in the mountains
see Page 8
see Back Page
TODAY
67 | 39