May 13
UNM President Louis Caldera is revising a change in admissions standards at the University that he proposed in May. The policy required students who needed Introductory Studies courses to make up their deficiency in one area before gaining admittance to UNM.
Many argued it would disenfranchise minorities in New Mexico and discourage them from attending UNM because they typically do worse on ACT and SAT exams. The regents delayed a vote on the policy so they could consider it more thoroughly. It is not on the agenda for the next regents meeting.
June 2
About seven Santa Fe sixth-grade students were allegedly duct-taped to their desks by a UNM teaching intern in late May. Rudy Martin, an attorney who spoke with one of the parents, said in June he was not sure of any of the specific details regarding the incident. He said he was told that several students were duct-taped to their desks at Chaparral Elementary on the second-to-last day of school by a teaching intern from UNM while a certified teacher was present.
Breda Bova, associate dean of the College of Education, said the student had a bachelor's degree, and was working in the intern program to earn a teaching license. As of June 9, Santa Fe police said their investigation was closed and no charges were filed. The case has been handed over to the District Attorney's office.
June 8
AP - A former Baylor University basketball player pleaded guilty to murder June 8 in the shooting death of a teammate in 2003, a slaying that sparked a huge scandal in the basketball program at the Baptist school.
Carlton Dotson, 23, faces five years to life in prison for the slaying of Patrick Dennehy, who had been missing about six weeks when his body was found in a field a few miles from the Baylor campus. He had been shot twice in the head.
Dennehy played two seasons for the Lobos before transferring to Baylor in the spring of 2002.
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June 12
Hospital union members voted to approve a contract between the union and UNM Hospital on July 12.
Eleanor Chavez, director of Local 1199 of the National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, said the contract is not completely satisfactory, but members of the union were ready to move forward after frustrating negotiations between the hospital and the union.
Employees will get a 3.5 percent wage increase under the contract. Chavez said employees will also get paid 17 percent extra during the night shift.
Margaret Trace, a nurse at the hospital, said the wage increase was not good enough.
"Many of us feel a 3.5 percent increase across the board isn't the best the hospital could have done," she said.
July 1
The price of parking at UNM went up for the 2005-06 academic year.
According to UNM's parking and transportation Web site, prices went up from $66 to $76 for South and G Lots, and from $116 to $128 for the T Lot.
Parking prices went up 10 percent in the 2004-2005 academic year.
Parking permits for commuter students went on sale July 1.
"We are committed to keeping our rates as low as possible," said Clovis Acosta, director of Parking and Transportation, in a news release in July. "But with the rise in the cost of fuel and the increased growth at UNM creating the need for additional buses, keeping permit prices low is more and more of challenge."
July 15
Jamie Koch, president of UNM's Board of Regents, said July 15 he is concerned about a bonus plan approved by the regents in June, under which executives could receive up to 20 percent of their salary as a bonus.
"We are going to have a problem with bonuses," Koch said. "People who got them deserve them, and I'm not suggesting we take them away, but feedback from others tells me there is a problem."
The bonuses given to executives in June will remain, Caldera said. Among the six top executives at UNM who received bonuses were David Harris, vice president for administration, who received $41,000, and Rudy Davalos, director of athletics, who received $25,000, which is contingent on the performance of the basketball teams.
July 27
UNM basketball player Josh Jenkins was suspended amid allegations of sexual assault. According to an Albuquerque Police report, Jenkins denied the allegations and said the sex was consensual.
He has not been arrested or charged with a crime.
He was suspended indefinitely from the men's basketball team, head coach Ritchie McKay said in a statement issued July 27.
McKay said he would not comment on the reason for the suspension.
"There is potential for Josh to be reinstated pending further review," McKay said in the statement.
Jenkins played one season at New Mexico State before transferring after the 2005 spring semester to UNM and joining the Lobos as a walk-on.
