Dear Colleagues,
The coming weeks will be an important time to participate in activities that will shape the future of both UNM and Albuquerque. This is the time — despite our school obligations, work pressures, etc. — to share what is important to us as students. Remember, if we don’t speak up for ourselves, no one else will.
Wellness Center
On Monday and Tuesday of this week there will be two student forums to introduce plans for a new wellness center on campus. These forums will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the main level of the SUB. Students will get a chance to see and prioritize amenities they would like to have in the new facility — including a climbing wall, leisure pool, indoor running track, martial arts training rooms and more — as well as their estimated costs. Please visit these forums, and future events, to let the planning team know what you want.
We will continue working with UNM administration to find out how this project can be funded so that the construction of this facility will not be paid for entirely with student fees. It is our firm belief that the design process is as important as what ultimately gets built and that the involvement of everyone will make the final design better. We urge you to step up and voice your thoughts about the possible materialization of this project.
Health Insurance Awareness Week
Next week, GPSA, SHAC and Young Invincibles will be hosting a Health Insurance Awareness Week to inform students of their health care options under the new Affordable Care Act. Three informational sessions will be held on Monday, Nov. 18 between 8:30 a.m. and noon in the SUB Ballroom A. Then, on Tuesday, Nov. 19 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be a health insurance enrollment fair for those who are interested in learning about their coverage options. If you need health insurance or would like to know about your health care options, these sessions will be a great way to learn more. As an incentive, GPSA will be offering free massages by a trained massage therapist throughout the week.
Your Bill: Tuition, Fees, and Differentials
GPSA continues to pressure the UNM administration for greater transparency efforts regarding tuition and fees. Graduate and professional students began the 2013-2014 school year with a 10 percent increase in tuition from the last academic year. In addition, the tuition block — a program enabling students to pay a fixed price for course loads of 12 to 18 credit hours — was eliminated. For some students, these combined changes meant an increase in tuition of up to 20 percent. Given the importance of this issue, we will be asking for the reinstatement of the tuition block for graduate and professional students.
In the meantime we are working with the Bursar’s office, the IT Department and the Office of the Provost to create a new web platform that will clearly explain tuition, fees and differentials. As we all know, the current UNM platform for billing related information does a poor job at clearly differentiating between tuition and fees, which often confuses students about the true cost of their educations. GPSA strongly believes that charges that are not reasonably explained should not be implemented.
It is vital that all UNM students bring a collective voice and take a clear stand on the importance of this matter. If you’d like to join us in this initiative, please contact the GPSA office at unmgpsa@gmail.com.
Special Election
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On Tuesday, Nov. 19, Albuquerque residents will decide whether or not to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Regardless of your stance on this matter, please vote. Unfortunately there will not be a polling center on the UNM campus, but this should not discourage you from voting.
Several student-led organizations will provide free shuttles to early voting on November 14 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the UNM Bookstore. To get more information on where to vote, please contact Young Women United and The Feminist Majority respectively at achavez@youngwomenunited.org and feministunm@gmail.com.
Fundraising Initiatives
With Thanksgiving and the holidays approaching, so comes the opportunity to donate to causes you support. In collaboration with the UNM Foundation and United Way, GPSA is launching a fundraising campaign to create a permanent Fellowship Fund to expand assistantships to graduate students. Next week we’ll be sharing our fundraising letter with the graduate listserv and we hope that you will help us pass it on to potential donors.
These are just some of the ways you can get involved with things happening on and off campus. It’s time to reaffirm our roles as the leaders of tomorrow. Yet, without your active participation, GPSA is limited to what we can accomplish. Let’s work together to bring positive change to UNM and the communities we care about.
Yours,
Priscila, Matt, James and Maria Elena
