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Students elect next ASUNM president and VP By Chtherine Stringam @cathey_stringam The president and vice president of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico for the 2018-2019 school year were announced Wednesday evening. Unopposed candidates Becka Myers, president elect, and Emily Wilks, vice president elect, were met with applause, as they were officially selected for their positions. Voting started Monday and closed at 5 p.m. Wednesday. Shortly after polls closed, students gathered at the Student Union Building Atrium to see the results and hear from their new leaders. “It’s incredibly liberating to be supported by my student body and to get to represent them,” Wilks said. “I really do think we have the mindset to change the culture on this campus.” As the new president, Myers said she wants to focus on making ASUNM more transparent and approachable for students. She said that from the beginning of their campaign, they have focused on outreach and making sure student organizations are included and represented well. Myers said, “Our work is just beginning.” She also said she wants to tackle the issues of safety and sexual assault on UNM’s campus. Noah Brooks, the 2017-2018 president of ASUNM, was in attendance Wednesday night as well, in one of his last events as president. “Being president has been the best experience I’ve ever had,” Brooks said. “I’ve
learned a lot, I had a really great team behind me and I experienced a lot of things that I never thought I’d experience at this age.” Brooks will soon be graduating from UNM with a degree in economics. “It’s bittersweet, but I’m excited for President Elect Myers and Vice President Elect Wilks,” he said “I think they’re going to do a
great job, and I feel very comfortable leaving ASUNM in their hands.” ASUNM Sen. Jordan Montoya said she thinks the transition between presidents will be a smooth one. “I know Becka and Noah have a good, cohesive relationship, and so I think he can give her a lot of insight and tips to help her excel
Danielle Prokop / Daily Lobo / @ProkopDani
Becka Myers, left, and Emily Wilks celebrate being elected as the ASUNM president and vice president, respectively, on the evening of March 28, 2018. The two ran unopposed.
and kind of pass the baton on,” Montoya said. Xavier Vallejo and Zachary Lichtie worked with Myers and Wilks on their campaign. Vallejo and Lichtie said Myers and Wilks knew what they wanted to do from the beginning. “I think they are going to do incredible. Becka and Emily both love ASUNM more than most of the students on this campus — actually more than all of them,” Lichtie said. Fellow ASUNM Sen. Nadine Oglesby said she has no doubt the new presidency will work hard to accomplish their goals. “Becka is always in and out of the office, running around doing the nitty-gritty stuff,” Oglesby said. “That goes for Emily as well, in her committees, she answers the tough questions and does the jobs that nobody wants to do.” “I’ve seen that (Myers and Wilks) really care and want to see a brighter future for UNM students, and so I definitely stand behind them in anything they do,” Lichtie said. Myers and Wilks stressed that, even in their busy jobs, they are always available and want to get to know the students. “Our door is always open, and students can always come in and hang out with us,” Wilks said. “Becka and I are undergraduates just like them, and we really do want to start building relationships with the student body...They should stop by and come get to know us.” Catherine Stringam is a freelance reporter with the Daily Lobo. She can be contacted by email at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @cathey_stringam.
Stokes breaks the ice at town hall
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Pair of Lobos to transfer out
By Noah Vigil @NoahJV21 The Daily Lobo hosted a town hall Tuesday with the University of New Mexico President, Garnett S. Stokes, in an effort to help the UNM community get to know her a bit better. Daily Lobo Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Sanchez and News Editor Kyle Land asked her questions throughout the event — some of their own, some from the public. The public’s questions were submitted through email, social media and on index cards during the event. The town hall began with introductions and Stokes telling the audience about her life experiences. Stokes was born in Washington, D.C. and went to college in Tennessee. She said one of her favorite memories of college is attending basketball games. When asked about the University’s role in political activism, Stokes said, “I know that our faculty plays a role in working with our students who are really thinking about what they’re passionate about.” She said she believes in efficiency and effectiveness in how the University invests resources. The discussion of the athletic budget arose, and she responded saying the need for athletics to have their own chief financial officer was discovered. Many questions submitted to the Lobo through email and social media inquired about the investigation of head football coach Bob Davie.
By Robert Maler @Robert_Maler
Morgan Ledden / @DailyLobo / New Mexico Daily Lobo
Left to right, News Editor Kyle Land and Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Sanchez speak with UNM President Garnett S. Stokes during a town hall hosted by the Daily Lobo in the SUB Atrium on March 27, 2018.
To this topic, Stokes said, “I take these issues very very seriously. I know that there is a desire for culture change and need for culture change, but I believe under Eddie Nuñez’ leadership that a number of things are taking place, so if there are future issues to be managed I will work with the athletics director to try to deal with those,” she said. The University’s budget was also discussed. The funding allocated for campus security is going toward increased personal, lighting and security throughout campus, Stokes said. “I certainly have heard from students the concern about campus safety, which made me happy that in the Budget Summit last week we were able to get approval for a tuition fee hike that would, in part, allow us to make investments that are important there,” she said. Stokes said she supported the tuition increase,
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knowing there was strong support among students, faculty and staff. “Without (a tuition increase) we would not be able to invest in some of the areas that we thought were high-priority, retaining faculty and giving raises,” she said. “(The town hall) opens up transparency for the students,” said the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico President Noah Brooks, who attended the event. Stokes said she was glad to have the opportunity to be a part of the event. A video of the town hall can be found on the Daily Lobo Facebook page. Noah Vigil is a freelance reporter at the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at news@ dailylobo.com or on Twitter @NoahJV21.
Last year, the University of New Mexico men’s basketball team saw a multitude of players announce their intentions to leave the program before a new head coach took the reins and coaxed some of them into staying put. And while head coach Paul Weir has seemed to connect with the roster and get them to buy into his philosophy, arguably bringing stability to what looked like a shaky program in that regard, a release said a pair of players were recently granted their release to pursue other opportunities: senior forward Connor MacDougall and junior transfer Jachai Simmons. MacDougall didn’t see any action during the past season after he suffered a foot injury during
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