Lorena Olmos, new president of GPSA, said she will work to ensure that UNM's graduate and professional students' concerns are voiced this year.
The president of the Graduate and Professional Student Association is responsible for appointing chairmen for eight separate committees and coordinating efforts with UNM administrators, local media representatives and state legislators.
"I would like to see a more diversified participation for all the departments," Olmos said.
Many of the departments, such as Latin American Studies, have a smaller representative body than the Anthropology or Biology departments, she said.
The new president is a student at the School of Law and also is pursuing her master's degree in Latin American Studies. Olmos said she will complete her master's by the time she finishes her presidential term in May. Last year, Olmos served as the Latin American Studies student representative for GPSA.
In addition to her commitment to diversifying student group representation on campus, Olmos is working with Andrew Mara, a UNM English graduate student, to develop a campus-wide conference this spring for all graduate and professional students who intend to publicly present any work or research.
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"There has been a history of preference for certain field research," she said. "Many graduate students receive grants for their work, and professional students' funding for conferences is limited."
Although the state Legislature began the Graduate Research Development fund last year, Olmos said she would like to see a more equal disbursement of financial resources across the graduate and professional student spectrum.
"We lobbied for $100,000," she said. "Hopefully this type of funding will happen on an annual basis."
Olmos also plans on increasing and improving communications with the campus community by writing a monthly column in the Daily Lobo and producing a newsletter for professional and graduate departments.
"I'd like to make an institutionalized process," she said. "We need to pull together as students to get information out in an innovative way."
Olmos also expects the new Student Union Building, which is set to be completed in January, to aid her and GPSA in achieving increased communication and organizational goals.
"People might just wander in; we will be in a centralized location," Olmos said. "We will no longer be in a basement."
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ASUNM president Jennifer Onuska said she plans to expand her role as undergraduate student body president to include more communication with the students.
"I'd like to extend the role that is expected and have more one-on-one time with students," she said.
As president of the Associated Students of UNM, Onuska's responsibilities include overseeing and appointing leadership to six executive committees, which are the Arts and Crafts Studio, Elections, Homecoming, Lobbying, Students Special Events, and the Southwest Film Center.
She also will provide counsel to the New Mexico Board of Regents by representing undergraduate students in matters of University policy affecting them.
"Many students don't know all that we do here in ASUNM," she said. "We are a group unit and better outreach and involvement by students is what makes us successful."
Originally from Farmington, New Mexico, Onuska is a junior majoring in political science and history. She plans to either attend law school or work on her master's degree in administration.
Onuska said she is currently trying to pass a seventh executive committee, focusing on community service through the Senate.
This committee, Onuska said, would act as a University liaison to community service organizations across the city so that a permanent contact can be established for those on campus who express interest in community support.
"Whether it be a Greek organization or a dorm hall, we can set it up," Onuska said.
The seventh executive agency will not be official until the Student Senate approves its creation.
Her position also makes her chairwoman of the Student Fee Review Board, where she will select three undergraduate students as part of a panel that will distribute $5.5 million to student services on campus.
Of the 22 departments on campus that applied for funds, decisions on distribution will begin in September and will be finalized next spring after an extensive interview process.
ASUNM representatives attended a retreat at the end of the summer as a means of opening communication in each student body role. The retreat's team activities in Hokona Lounge helped to foster a positive community for each branch including legislative, judicial and the executive, Onuska said.
"My job here will play into the future, wherever I go," she said.
