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April 21, 2016 | Volume 120 | Issue 61
ASUNM opposes Regents’ timeliness By Evan Barela Associated Students of UNM has made a stance representing UNM undergraduates who feel their voice wasn’t heard before the Regents passed a2.5 percent tuition increase last month, as well as a and 10.5 percent fee increase for the 2016-2017 school year. Last week the undergraduate student government unanimously approved a resolution pushing for stronger communication between the student body and the Board of Regents. The legislation proposed that the student academic calendar be lined up with the Regent’s meetings to avoid future issues. The resolution came was born after a scheduling conflict left student government officials with only one day to gauge how 20,000 undergraduates would feel about a proposed tuition increase, something ASUNM Sen. Noah Brooks said is impossible. Brooks, who co-authored the resolution with ASUNM Legislative Coordinator Noah Michelsohn, says he didn’t write the resolution because he was opposed to the tuition increase, but rather because of the short period of time the Senate was afforded to speak with their constituency about the increases. “Without students on this campus, there is no campus,” Brooks said. “So we believe the Board of Regents
James Coulter / Daily Lobo / @James_C_Coulter
ASUNM Senator Ben Maggard speaks at a ASUNM meeting Wednesday March 30, 2016 at the SUB. ASUNM passed a resolution criticizing UNM Regents on the timeliness on their decision to raise tuition.
should be listening to students.” Brooks’ sentiment was shared by Michelsohn, who said it was his and the Senate’s understanding, before returning from spring break, that tuition increases wouldn’t be discussed during the March 22 UNM Regents Budget Summit. Nonetheless, they came back from break only to return
to find that the Regents would be voting on the tuition increase the following day. “We think the process should have been taken was to at least give the students their fair shot at telling the Regents how they feel,” Michelsohn said. “At ASUNM we’ve pushed really hard to get student
input on everything and it was really disheartening, especially in this case, the student voice wasn’t heard.” Both Brooks and Michelsohn praised ASUNM President Jenna Hagengruber for her diplomacy in handling the potentially contentious issue with little time to prepare. Hagengruber, alongside Graduate
and Professional Student Associated President Texanna Martin, suggested a 2.5 percent tuition increase to the Regents after other advisors on the board suggested a seven to nine percent increase. “I’ve supported the fee increase,” Hagengruber said. “If we don’t raise tuition at all we’re losing eight to nine million in staff, resources, the free printing for students each semester, the minimum co-pay at SHAC goes up and we can’t pay our favorite faculty members.” Hagengruber says cutbacks like this will probably still happen, but hopefully not to as high of a degree with the tuition raise being approved. While she said she wishes she had more time to prepare for the Budget Summit and understands the frustration of students, she doesn’t want to see the core of UNM shaken by inadequate funds. “Regardless if any change comes of this resolution, I think it’s wonderful that the senators were able to pass something like this and are trying to speak on behalf of all the students who weren’t able to talk about it prior,” she said. “I’m really hoping if any change can come out of it, is that the calendars can be more aligned.” Evan Barela is a student in the communication and journalism department.
Research center provides unique study opportunities
The CSWR also provides class- his academics is simply through people to come use the CSWR. “We try to make connections es to inform students about their providing him a quiet place to study. “Out of any other place I’ve with the academic community resources, and possibly inspire them to study historical docu- studied, this is probably the best. and encourage classes to come ments more in-depth, Geherin You get good sunlight. In the here and make connections with said. For example, a professor basement it’s all dark, and I like the Albuquerque and New Mexin the UNM English department the sunlight,” Norton-Giron said. ico community, to tell people took her Enlightenment Survey “It’s quiet, and there’s not a lot of what we have and try to encourclass there to show them books people that come in. But the peo- age people to come use the Cenple that I assume would come in ter,” Geherin said. from 18th-century Europe. Norton-Giron plans to return “I’m glad she does that class would be like me.” Geherin said that the depart- and do just that, whether for acabecause a lot of people think we do just Southwestern history, but ment can get anywhere from a demics or out of his own interest. “It’s my first time,” he said, “but those are books from the 1700s handful of researchers to maybe in England and France,” Geherin 15 people any given day, and they I will come back.” said. “It’s something different for are all for the most part focused on Ariel Lutnesky is a sophomore us to show people, but it’s also their research. Both Geherin and Norton-Gi- English Studies major at UNM. good for students and professors ron said they wanted to encourage to know we have that stuff here.” Besides feeding his interest in history, Norton-Giron said the Nick Fojud / Daily Lobo / @NFojud CSWR also helps him with his school studies in multiple ways, The Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections is located in West Wing of Zimmerman library. The collection focuses on Southwestern U.S., New Mexico, Mexico, Latin America and it including providing more material to use in his general educacan be used by students in person or online. tion classes. operations manager for the By Ariel Lutnesky He said he was working on a CSWR, said the department can three-page paper about skiing in inspire people who already like New Mexico for an English class Branen Norton-Giron is a history to look further into it, like and found a book in the CSWR freshman business administra- it did for him. titled, “Ski Pioneers: Ernie Blake, tion major. At first glance, there “There are always students His Friends and the Making of wouldn’t seem to be much for who come here and it sparks Taos Ski Valley” that helped his him at the Center for Southwest something in them and they end research for the paper. Research and Special Collections, up majoring in a field, going to It is not only undergraduate which specializes primarily in in- work here, or going to graduate students like Norton-Giron who terdisciplinary subjects related to school. So for some people, it use this section of the library, the surrounding region. opens up a career,” Geherin said. Geherin said. In fact, the opposite is true. Even though Norton-Giron “We might have an For starters, the department, said he just recently utilized the undergraduate working on a located in Zimmerman, helps CSWR for the first time, he got a school project, we might have a him expand interests located feel for the motivational abilities community member researching outside of his academic studies. of the department as well. family history or we might have “There are a lot of interesting “This would be a way easi- a researcher from wherever and things, a lot of history. I’m kind of er place to study for people. It even with three people working David Lynch / Daily Lobo / @RealDavidLynch a history nut,” Norton-Giron said. would probably help with their there,” Geherin said. “It’s pretty A man is handcuffed after attempting to steal a bike near Castetter Hall on campus Tuesday afternoon. “I’m definitely into conflicts, like interest in school and actually intensive.” UNMPD officers said a witness in a nearby building alleged the man was using boltcutters to steal wars and political issues.” probably motivate them to do Another way Norton-Giron the bike. Christopher Geherin, library more,” Norton-Giron said. said the CSWR helps him with
CAMPUS CAPTURE