DAILY LOBO new mexico
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monday October 21, 2013
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895 Let’s be Frank
Why did the Bridge scholarship change? by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com @ArdeeTheJourno
This semester, UNM decided to raise the GPA requirements for the Bridge to Success Scholarship, which now amounts to $1,500, from 2.5 to 3.0 with an ACT requirement of 23 for incoming freshmen in fall 2014. The University also created the Success Grant, which amounts to $1,000 and would require next year’s incoming freshmen to have a GPA of 2.5 and to fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In a forum at the Student Union Building Wednesday, hundreds of upset members of the University community voiced their concerns and objections about these changes. UNM apologized to these people for not involving the public with the decision making process, but many said they rejected the University’s apology. The Daily Lobo spoke with UNM President Robert Frank on Friday for an explanation of the decision making process behind the changes,
what went wrong and why such changes were considered important to the University. Daily Lobo: When did you start planning to make changes to the Bridge Scholarship? Robert Frank: We’ve been looking at making changes to the Bridge Scholarship for several months, and as the Lottery (Scholarship) has changed, it also seemed to make sense that we would also change the Bridge because as the challenges with the Lottery change, we recognize that we should bring the Bridge along. DL: Can you give me a gist of what the changes you originally planned were and how it actually turned out? RF: What we originally planned to do was to increase the amount of the Bridge so that it would be a $1,500 scholarship to assist students until the Lottery kicks in on the second semester, with a 3.0 GPA and a 23 ACT. That was our target (for this school year). But we realized that we are so far into this year. That’s now a 2014 target, and now we are going with the Success Grant, which is the same as the original Bridge to Success Scholarship. And all the only change
now is that you have to fill out a FAFSA. DL: So these changes are not going to affect the students who already received the Bridge this semester? RF: For the students applying right now for the next year, all they have to do is one change: they have to fill out a FAFSA … Kids that are here now will see no change, because they are already doing it. DL: What made you consider these changes on the Bridge? RF: When this conversation started, all the legislative talk was higher standards to get the Lottery next year. And then the report came out last week. They did not come up with as strong recommendations as they were telling us they would. We still believe that at the end of the day, that they are going to say that to get the Lottery, you would have to have a higher level of academic performance. We still believe that’s going to happen. So in our logic… the Bridge should lead somewhere. It’s certainly not a bridge to nowhere. The Bridge should be a bridge that
goes to roughly the same GPA that you’re going to have to get to get the Lottery. That’s our logic on why this should be commensurate with what you’re going to have to perform at. We are trying to hit that target, and it’s a moving target because we’re not there yet. That’s what we’re trying to prepare students for. DL: Who were involved in the decision making process? RF: This was done the same way that we always do. All of our scholarships are done by our Provost’s Office. They hand out all our scholarships all the time. They make recommendations, they talk to me about it, but it’s done through the provost. (Associate Vice President) Terry Babbitt reports to Provost Chaouki Abdallah, who then reports to me. That’s the typical way of doing it. DL: A lot of people have discussed their problems with the communication of the changes. What exactly went wrong with that? RF: Our communication was bad. That’s what went wrong. We should’ve talked about
see Bridge PAGE 2
UNMH sued over cancer care
“HUMBLE” LIKE THE WOLF
by Stephanie Hoover news@dailylobo.com @StephCHoover
Sergio Jiménez / @SXfoto / Daily Lobo Donnie White glances toward the scoreboard at the results of the New Mexico vs. Utah State football game at University Stadium Saturday evening. The Lobos (2-5, 0-3 MWC) lost 45-10 to the Aggies, which hampers the Lobos’ chances for a bowl berth. See full story Page 8.
UNM seeks bigger and better chairs by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com @ArdeeTheJourno
UNM is facing an armchair evolution. Rick Henrard, interim director of UNM’s Office of Capital Outlay, said the University is buying bigger chairs that are more ergonomic, which means that they are “the best and most comfortable for the human body.” One of the reasons is to address the growing size of students, but he said that this is generally the case nationwide. “I think there are trends out there and data that do say that our population has
Inside the
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gotten bigger,” he said. “In some cases, some manufacturers are making task chairs a little bigger for waiting room areas for health care in particular. But I think that’s just a general kind of trend, too.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 27.1 percent of New Mexican adults had self-reported obesity in 2012. In 2011, the statewide obesity rate was 25.6 percent, while in 2010, it was 25.5 percent. Henrard said that UNM is buying sturdier chairs to accommodate students of all sizes. Kim Sylvester, UNM’s associate project manager of interiors, said the University now considers ergonomic aspects of chairs to
ensure students’ comfort in the classroom and to prevent injuries. “We never used to look at that,” she said. “Many, many years ago when we were looking for student chairs, it was just a place for them to sit in. Now, we do think more about how it’s going to affect someone who has been sitting for a long period of time.” But Sylvester said the weight aspect is only a “small part” of chair renovations on campus. She said the chair manufacturers are producing wider and sturdier chairs generally because of technological improvements. The chair renovations in buildings make it
UNM want brains
Photogenic fútbol
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see Page 9
see Chairs PAGE 6
UNM Hospital responds to a lawsuit filed against it for alleged mistreatment of children with cancer. “The UNM Health Sciences Center remains committed to providing the best possible care to its patients throughout the state and it will address the newly filed litigation in the appropriate legal forum,” said Billy Sparks, executive director of communication and marketing for UNMH. UNMH is seeking to resolve the case and efforts to achieve a resolution have gone through the State Risk Management Division, Sparks said in an emailed statement. He said because the case is still pending, further information about UNM’s efforts are confidential. The case was filed by Denver attorney Jim Puga of Leventhal, Brown & Puga and Albuquerque attorney Adrian Vega of Will Ferguson & Associates on Oct. 1. The suit alleges that children who could have survived or been cured of cancer were harmed or died because of UNMH’s substandard care. The two brought up the suit with regard to an incident involving Bernalillo County resident Rose Quintana. Quintana’s son, David, died at age 19 in 1988 of complications from leukemia after being treated for by the UNMH pediatric cancer program. Puga and Vega filed the suit in the state District Court in Bernalillo County to seek classaction status for any child treated between 1977 and 1997 “for a
see Cancer PAGE 3
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