Daily Lobo 03/08/18

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DAILY LOBO new mexico

The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895

Regents vote on renovation funding By Austin Tyra @AustinATyra The recent resignation of University of New Mexico Regent Alex Romero leaves the Board of Regents Finance and Facilities Committee with only two members: Regent Chair Marron Lee and Regent Tom Clifford. Both members attended this Tuesday’s meeting and discussed two large-scale proposed projects, each regarding on-campus athletic facilities. Football locker renovation The first proposal was a renovation of the UNM football lockers. Presenters in favor of the renovation explained that the current lockers were both outdated and damaged, and keeping them may reduce player recruitment, because many other programs have already upgraded their locker rooms. Presenters also said the locker room is currently equipped with 120 lockers, but the football program maintains a 115-player capacity, meaning that a renovation would also include a better utilization of space. The proposed cost of the project is $675,000. With approval,

the completion date would aim to be Aug. 1 in order to be ready for new recruits. Regent Clifford was opposed to the renovation and cited the hotly debated athletic debt as the cause of his disapproval. “Why aren’t we looking at our operating deficit, which is a real concern? I’m not sure why this is coming forward right now. We have to revisit all our plans. The donors want to support specific things, but we have a program that’s underwater,” Clifford said. In response to Clifford’s concerns, presenters said the project was under a strict timeline, and if it was not passed soon then it would not be completed by Aug. 1 and in time for the football season. Clifford maintained his position. Because there are only two voting members, there was no way that the proposal could pass, Lee said. Johnson Center renovations Next, the committee entertained a project that would renovate certain sections of the Johnson Center while also expanding the building into the southern parking lot. The cost of the renovation and expansion was estimated to be $35,000,000. Construction would

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SPRING BREAK SUGGESTIONS

Meow Wolf, the Bosque, Tent Rocks and more — check out dailylobo.com for Danielle Prokop’s ideas on what to do over spring break. Autumn Scott / @autumnsagekingg / New Mexico Daily Lobo / @DailyLobo

A tram car travels along a cable up the Sandia Tram on Sep. 6, 2017.

begin in June 2018, and its completion projection date would be in March of 2020. A new panel of presenters said this project has been in development for two and a half years. It aims to accomplish a number of goals, including making the entrances and exits of the center more accessible, and also allowing

students to have prolonged access to areas that may be restricted if classes are using them. The southernmost basketball courts would be completely renovated, and the expansion would include a new running track. Lee acknowledged that there is a need for the renovation and inquired whether those leading the

project have thought about keeping the center open longer, especially as freshmen will soon be required to live on campus. The presenters said plans to lengthen the hours of operation were not set but could possibly take place later.

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Prof. earns award for research on teaching Group shares

Danielle Prokop / @ProkopDani / New Mexico Daily Lobo / @DailyLobo

Assistant Professor Vanessa Svihla demonstrates an interactive feature of the OILS Learning Lab on March 7, 2018. She won the National Science Foundation CAREER award for her work in creating design problem-solving teaching resources for engineering professors.

By Danielle Prokop @ProkopDani At the University of New Mexico students learn a lot of vital skills — for

one UNM faculty member, the process of learning also matters. Assistant Professor Vanessa Svihla was awarded $516,000 by the National Science Foundation to develop better frameworks for

teaching design and engineering that mirrors real-world situations. Her original research project, “Framing and Reframing Agency in Making and Engineering,” received the NSF CAREER Award. Research began

Jan. 1 and is funded through 2022. The NSF describes the award on its website as “most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education.” Svihla is a learning scientist, who studies how people learn and specifically how they develop designs to solve problems. Her work is often focused on engineering but applies across academia. Her FRAME project has two parts: first, challenging the current model of teaching a single solution to a problem set and second, supporting students to better learn design. “It’s pretty widespread,” Svihla said about the model. “A lot of the experiences in K-12, and even a lot of college courses, there’s a single right answer that’s known ahead of time. And life isn’t like that.” Svihla’s previous NSF-funded project, FACETS — Formation of Accomplished Chemical Engineers for Transforming Society — complements her current work. The FACETS project aimed to take non-traditional experiences and cultivate problem solving in students. Svihla illustrated an example of the gulf between students from different economic backgrounds and how they view a butter knife. “If you’re from a well-resourced

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info on immigrant rights By Amy Byres @amybyres12

The New Mexico Dream Team discussed immigrants’ rights and resources at a community gathering at South Valley Academy Monday. Isaac de Luna, an undergraduate student at the University of New Mexico and the communications director for the NM Dream Team, addressed what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, were to come to a community member’s home. The tips included: • There is no obligation to open the door to anyone. • Keep in mind the right to remain silent. • Do not sign anything — even if they present what seems to be an order for removal — unless an attorney is present.

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On the Daily Lobo website

LUTNESKY: Coffee and Code program showcases technology and Centennial Library’s resources

CARTRON: Men’s Tennis — UNM takes third in Mountain Pacific Invitational

MALER: Men’s Basketball — Lobos to take on Wyoming in Las Vegas during MW Tournament


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