NM Daily Lobo 11 10

Page 1

DAILY LOBO new mexico

MONDAY November 10, 2014 | Vo l u m e 1 1 9 | Is s u e 5 9

The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895

Aggies burned by OSU, Lobos rally in support

Pistol Pete New Mexico State University By David Lynch The Associated Students of UNM has voted to support New Mexico State University, UNM’s main sports rival, in the lawsuit NMSU is facing over its mascot, Pistol Pete. NMSU is being sued by Oklahoma State University over the use of the mascot, a pistol-wielding cowboy that OSU claims to have exclusive rights to. ASUNM unanimously passed Resolution 7F during Wednesday’s meeting stating that the student government body is in support of NMSU in the lawsuit.

Sen. Tori Pryor, a graduate of Oñate High School in Las Cruces, authored the resolution, which essentially states that ASUNM is on the side of UNM’s in-state sister school in the wake of the lawsuit. “We get to pick on (NMSU), but OSU doesn’t get to touch them,” Pryor said during discussion of the resolution. “It’s our state. It’s our rivalry.” The lawsuit, filed in Oklahoma, accuses NMSU of violating trademark rights by using an image of Pistol Pete that looks similar to OSU’s current depiction of its mascot. The attorney for OSU has demanded a jury trial.

Pistol Pete Oklahoma State University

The image OSU is referring to was widely used by NMSU from the 1960s until its re-design in 2006, according to NMSU’s Heritage Council. However, NMSU recently sold pennants with the original mascot in its bookstore. Pryor said the lawsuit affects UNM because Pistol Pete is the inspiration for one of UNM’s most popular traditions: Red Rally, which occurs every year before the UNM-NMSU football game and features the burning of a Pistol Pete replica as the main attraction. She said that without Pistol Pete, Red Rally wouldn’t be the same. Her fellow senators agreed.

LGBTQ resource center gets national recognition By Matthew Reisen UNM has been named one of the top 30 schools in the nation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning students, thanks to the efforts of a resource center on campus. The list, compiled by BestColleges. com, ranked UNM number 17 in the nation for LGBTQ college students based on high levels of support and innovative resources at the university, according to the website. “The LGBTQ Resource Center at UNM provides a significant array of services, such as hosting awareness events, conducting Safe Zone training, providing safe sex resources and hosting educational lectures at cafes,” the website stated. Alma Rosa Silva-Bañuelos, director of the LGBTQ Resource Center, said it is quite an accomplishment to have UNM on the list. “We are incredibly excited and honored to be recognized on the top 30 list across the nation,” she said. “I’ve been working diligently over

the last four years to make sure that we are up to par with national resource centers, to ensure that we’re providing the best service to UNM staff and faculty. I do have to say, this effort would not have happened without all of the dedicated time and commitment from our student staff and all of our allies across campus.” The LGBTQ Resource Center started in 2010, when in the previous year the Queer-Straight Alliance, along with other student groups, realized there was no visibility, resources or support services for the LGBTQ community at UNM, SilvaBañuelos said. They approached Josephine De Leon, vice president for Equity and Inclusion, about finding a unit to house them on campus. After De Leon agreed to house the group, they went to the Board of Regents, who agreed to approve funding for an official resource center, she said, hiring Silva-Bañuelos as director. Within the first year, the program grew into a full-on department, she said. The department offers various

services and information to students and faculty alike. “We offer several things: we offer visibility, advocacy, education and safety for LGBTQ and allied students, staff and faculty across campus,” she said. “Now part of our mission and part of our work is to try and integrate all departments on campus to have some kind of cultural competency of LGBTQ.” Part of that mission includes the newly printed “Out and Ally List,” a full-page ad in the Daily Lobo, she said. The list is a compilation of faculty, staff and instructors who have pledged to act as allies to LGBTQ members of the UNM community across the various departments, according to the resource center’s website. The center also provides Safe Zone training, a four-hour course that delves into how to be an ally along with appropriate terminology and education on different types of hate, negativity

see

LGBTQ page 3

“As a freshman I went to Red Rally, and it completely changed my view of UNM,” Sen. Kyle Biederwolf said. Sen. Moises Ibarra, also an Oñate High School graduate, said the event was one of the things that stood out to him the most when learning about UNM. “Red Rally was one of the things that really attracted me,” Ibarra said. There was no controversy over the issue during the discussion period for the resolution. Red Rally has been featured on Sports Illustrated’s 102 Things to Do before You Graduate. Hundreds of UNM students attend

the event, Pryor said. Pryor called her legislation a “lighthearted resolution,” which she said was important to have as a balance to more serious legislation. “UNM and NMSU are older than the actual state is,” Pryor said. “The lawsuit affects us just as much as it affects them.” David Lynch is a freelance reporter for The Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @ RealDavidLynch.

“The 30 Best Colleges for LGBTQ Students” Methodology and Criteria: 4 or 5 star Campus Pride Index Rating, Greek social organizations and LGBTQ Campus resources

University at Albany – New York American University University of Arizona Arizona State University Bowling Green State University University of California – Berkeley University of California — Davis University of California — Irvine University of California – Los Angeles University of California – Riverside University of California – San Diego California State University – Long Beach University of Central Florida University of Houston Iowa State University University of Kansas Kansas State University Michigan State University University of Minnesota University of New Mexico New York University Northern Arizona University – Flagstaff San Diego State University Penn State Purdue University Rutgers University University of Texas – Austin University of Toledo Tulane University University of Washington Source: BestColleges.com / Graphic by Casey Purcella


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.
NM Daily Lobo 11 10 by UNM Student Publications - Issuu