Daily Lobo 03/28/2019

Page 1

Daily Lobo new mexico

The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895

dailylobo.com

Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Vo l u m e 1 2 3 | I s s u e 5 4

Questions raised about legality of ASUNM meeting By Justin Garcia and Kyle Land @Just516garc @kyleoftheland An undergraduate student-government committee violated the New Mexico Open Meetings Act (OMA) during a meeting last week, according to open meeting experts. The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Steering & Rules Committee held a meeting on March 20 and unanimously voted down a series of bills that would have dramatically changed the structure of the institution. At Attorney General Emily Hartshorn's suggestion, the committee adjourned to discuss the idea of changing ASUNM's makeup further. “We can go ahead vote on all of them and close, and then talk about it,” Hartshorn said. This discussion involved a quorum of the six-member committee. This included Chair Mohammad Assed, Madelyn Lucas, Xavier Torres and Daniel Stearns. How and when new legislation could be created was discussed as well. Vice President Emily Wilks, who was at the meeting, eventually ended the meeting out of precaution that OMA might have been violated. OMA requires policy-making

Anthony Jackson / Daily Lobo / @TonyAnjackson

Emily Hartshorn, the ASUNM attorney general, exits a full ASUNM senate meeting on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.

bodies (including ASUNM) to provide meeting notices, agendas and minutes, among other measures to ensure transparency, for meetings in quorum — none of which were provided for the conversation after the adjournment. OMA states that all discussions by a policy-making body are

subject to the act, which includes the creation of meeting notices, agendas and minutes, none of which were provided for the secondary conversation. However, during the second meeting Hartshorn said the conversation was not subject to OMA because it was not on

any prior agenda. Daniel Yohalem, a Santa Fe attorney and executive member of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government (NMFOG), told the Daily Lobo this is an incorrect reading of OMA. “Anytime there’s a meeting of a public body to discuss public

business, that is required by OMA," Yohalem said, adding that the conversation after the meeting had adjourned was illegal. NMFOG is a non-profit organization that advocates for transparent governments and First Amendment

see

Violations page 2

ASUNM

Biederwolf wins presidential election Student org highlights

farmworkers By Sophia Sambrano @sambsoph

Justin Garcia / Daily Lobo / @Just516garc

By Justin Garcia @Just516garc Adam Biederwolf won the 2019 Presidential election of the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico. Biederwolf beat Mohammad Assed by just

Newly-elected ASUNM President Adam Biederwolf, left, cries in Mohammad Assed’s arms. Assed lost to Biederwolf by 115 votes on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.

over a hundred votes. Biederwolf received 779 of the 1,476 voted in the election according to the Election Commission. Assed received 664. Madelyn Lucas won the Vice President’s office with 868

votes, beating Holly Gallegos by 372 votes. Biederwolf said after hugging his brother, mother and father. “When you’re running a campaign

see

ASUNM page 2

Camperinos, a student organization at the University of New Mexico, held its 7th annual Farmworker Awareness Week (FAW) in the SUB Atrium. The three-day event held March 25, 26 and 27 was in support of farmworker justice, coinciding with National FAW and activist, Cesar Chavez’ birthday. The event featured themes on each of the three days, with Monday’s theme being Dia de la Mujer Campesina, Tuesday’s being Farmworker Student Appreciation Day and Wednesday's being Cesar Chavez’ birthday. FAW has a social justice mission, and the intersections of worker justice, gender justice and migrant justice. Their mission pertains to farmworker justice as a whole, something that was emphasized throughout the event. Although there is a large focus in the event’s programming on the injustices farmworkers face, the event also serves as a celebration of the resilience of the communities and families of farmworkers through music, storytelling and

community-building. The student-led event also hosted campus and community organizations such as El Centro de La Raza, the Food Justice Project, College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), Rural Student Project (RSP), Chicanx Student Collective, the Mexican Consulate and others. Organizations had tables at the event with resources, educational materials, political actions as well as ways to get involved both at UNM and in the community. UNM student, Leila Sonora, was tabling at the event with the Chicanx Student Collective, she said she liked the event because of its visibility and relevance to her daily life. “A lot of people pass through (the SUB Atrium) so they at least get exposed to these issues, which may lead to them stopping and engaging more,” Sonora said. The event’s visibility invites people to engage, with representatives from local organizations lining the basement of the SUB. Social justice through community building and organizing around farmworker rights has a

see

FAW page 2

On the Daily Lobo website Mendoza: Out Friday — Outpost Jazz Concert Review

Guerrero and Schatz: Food Truck Friday — Curbside Pie


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.