by Jeremy Hunt
Daily Lobo
If UNM wants to increase enrollment, it has to build a better community on campus, not pour money into athletics and marketing ploys, said Joseph Garcia, president of GPSA.
"It's about infrastructure," he said. "If you build a proper community, it's going to lend itself to increasing enrollment."
GPSA submitted a resolution to the Board of Regents on Wednesday to construct housing for graduate students and faculty on University property. The resolution calls for graduate housing to be added to the University's Master Plan, which will be updated in the next couple months.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The buildings would be constructed in accordance with Gov. Bill Richardson's initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in New Mexico.
Jamie Koch, president of the regents, said the board will wait until UNM gets a new president before making any decisions.
"Graduate housing is a real important issue, just like all housing, that has to be addressed," he said. "That's something that needs to be looked at in the master plan, and the new president should be a part of that."
Garcia said housing at UNM isn't organized, and that's part of the reason there isn't more involvement with on-campus activities.
"It's not just about grad student housing. It's about housing in general at UNM and how it needs to be integrated," he said. "This notion of UNM being a commuter campus is sad because it's not conducive to a stronger learning community."
Graduate student Sandra White said the University tries to get graduate students involved. Between classes and research, graduate students don't have time for much else, White said.
"It really tries to get people active," she said. "They've (graduate students) got a lot on their plate."
White said University housing would help graduate students by bringing them closer together, creating stronger social networks.
"We're all so spread out, so I don't know what's going on until somebody tells me," she said. "It'd definitely be a place to get some support."
Graduate student Wenyun Zuo said it would be helpful to have graduate student housing on campus.
"It's more safe, especially for grad students who work later," she said. "It's convenient for you to go to class and go to the
office."
Zuo said UNM would be a better community if there was graduate student housing.
"It'd be easier for students to meet up with their friends, especially those who don't have cars," she said.
Before the spring semester, single graduate students couldn't move into the student family housing complex at 961 Buena Vista Drive.
They are allowed to live there now, but it's not a desirable home for graduate students, Garcia said.
"It needs to be completely remodeled," he said. "Students don't want to live there. There isn't a direct bus route from that facility to UNM, which is ludicrous."
A 2006 report from the GPSA and Family Housing Task Force states the residents at the complex have many safety concerns, including damaged concrete, deteriorating wooden posts and large holes on the exterior.
The report states the apartments have smoke detectors but no fire extinguishers. The residents said the student security guards were not properly trained and cannot deal with the nature of the crimes at the complex, according to the report.
Garcia said the University needs to pay more attention to graduate students and create an environment on campus that makes them want to stay here.
"We make up 23 percent of the population," he said. "We are instrumental in bringing in $165 million in research funding."
