by Jennifer Onuska
ASUNM President
and Duff Lill
ASUNM Lobby Director
Earlier in the year, we told you about our ASUNM lobby initiatives. We are pleased to announce that we feel optimistic about all of our goals.
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Our fist priority was to keep any tuition credit -- tuition increase -- as low as possible. Through lobbying the legislature and working with the UNM administration we were able to express student concern pertaining to large tuition increases.
After Wed., March 26, we will know for certain what our tuition increase will be. Currently, the increase will be approximately 4 to 4.5 percent (meaning that tuition will increase by this amount). Part of this increase, 0.67 percent to be exact, is due to an administrative initiative to maintain current Mental Health services at the Student Health Center.
Considering the state of the economy, the total tuition increase estimate is a fairly positive scenario. Other schools around the nation are looking at mid-year tuition increases as well as double-digit increases reaching or exceeding that of 20 percent. It is also important to keep in mind that based on the current information; this increase will be lower than the past four years. We are now waiting for the Legislature and governor to approve these numbers.
If you are concerned or would like to know more, please attend the ASUNM tuition forum this Wed., March 26, at 6 p.m. in the Kiva Lecture Hall. Vice President of Business and Finance Julie Weaks Gutierrez will be present to answer any questions and deal with any concerns.
ASUNM's second lobby initiative was to get year round tax-free textbooks. After three years of discussion, committee hearings, and lobbying the tax-free textbook bill has finally made it to the governor's office. Therefore, if the governor signs the bill, we will have tax-free textbooks year-round. Thus, the bookstore will no longer have to close to the outside public at the beginning of each semester and students will have more time to purchase their text materials.
However, we did not carry the ball across the line alone. There were many key players who were instrumental to the bill's success. These include Rep. Edward Sandoval, UNM administrators Dupuy Bateman, Curt Porter, Melanie Sparks, Debbie Morris and UNM's lobbyist Phillip Larragoite, as well as past and current ASUNM lobbyists, including Jason Weaks, Sara Schreiber, Duff Lill and Ed Mazel.
Another ASUNM initiative involving an internship that was cut in 1994 due to lack of funding is now being re-examined by Gov. Bill Richardson. During Gov. Bruce King's term, a 10-week gubernatorial executive cabinet internship existed called the New Mexico Fellows Program. However, after great success, Gov. Gary Johnson cut the program due to lack of funding. Richardson is bringing this program back and will release details in the near future.
Thanks to everyone who helped ASUNM achieve its goals and initiatives for the UNM student body.
