by Arthur Simoni
Daily Lobo
Duff Lill, director for the ASUNM Lobbying Committee, said that Feb.10 will be UNM Day at the State Legislature and he urged senators to go to Santa Fe to help lobby at Wednesday's Senate meeting.
He said that the Associated Students of UNM Lobbying Committee's number one priority was keeping student tuition increases as low as possible.
ASUNM President Jennifer Onuska agreed with Lill and said that senators need to be the voice of the students while the N.M. Legislature is in session. She said that the legislature decides student tuition increases for all state institutions of higher education and that the increase is dependent on an enrollment-based funding formula. She said that a Blue Ribbon Task Force is currently trying to change tuition increases changed to a mission statement-based formula.
"We understand the New Mexico economy hasn't gotten any better, but we need to keep tuition rates as low as possible," Onuska said.
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Lill said the committee will also be lobbying for text books to be tax-free at all times during the year and would speak to state legislators about maintaining and improving the Lottery Scholarship.
The Senate also passed a bloc of 10 presidential appointments. Reyna Chavez, Michele Griego, Sara Oliveria and Kelly Shaffer were approved as elections commissioners; Abby Hanson as the Community Experience executive director; San Johnson as Craft Studio technician; and Zara Southard as Crafts Studio Director. Additionally, Grant Nichols was appointed to the Campus Safety committee, Duff Lill to the Planning Council and Alicia Collins to the Student Conduct committee.
ASUNM also passed one appropriations bill to compensate a guest speaker for the Peacecraft student group and four bills amending the ASUNM legislative code and law book.
Two resolutions were also passed, but one failed and caused a minor debate among the senators. Resolution 4A, which congratulated candidates who participated in yesterday's election, was criticized by some senators for being unworthy of an official resolution.
"ASUNM resolutions should be reserved for strong statements from the Senate," Sen. Paul Campbell said. "They should be for people that really do outstanding work, that's my position. Not just everyday things."
Sen. Nicol†s Cabrera, who wrote the resolution, was disappointed that it failed.
"I was just trying to extend my gratitude to the candidates by writing this resolution," Cabrera said. "Frankly, I'm offended that this has become an issue."
