The Associated Students at the University of New Mexico voted on 12 appropriations requests from student organizations and elected a new president pro tempore during its full senate meeting Wednesday, Feb. 12.
This was the second election for the president pro tempore position in three months.
The newly elected president pro tempore, Sen. Gabbie Gonzales, won over Sen. Charlie Doyle in the roll-call ballot, with endorsements from former President Pro Tempore and current Finance Chair Hope Montoya and Steering & Rules Committee Chair Mary Garcia.
The title previously belonged to Bailey Rutherford, who was elected over Josiah Ward during the final fall 2024 meeting. Both senators have since resigned from the assembly. Ward had been appointed S&R Committee chair after the previous chair, Jackson Zinsmeyer, vacated his seat.
The senate approved the National Society of Black Engineers’ appropriations request after last semester’s request was capped due to funding rules.
NSBE was among five organizations that were awarded more funding than originally approved by the Finance Committee — often for conference attendance and travel fees. Leaders from each organization, including the World Affairs Delegation, ASUNM Student Court, Small Satellite Group and SCRAP Productions, spoke during public comment or through a senator in dedicated remarks.
The senate passed these and all other appropriations requests by a vote of 18-0-0-1, with the exception of SCRAP Productions’ request. Sen. Nicholas Romero abstained from voting, citing a belief that extra funding should be reserved for organizations that send representatives in person to advocate for the increase.
These remarks were rebuked by Sen. Gonzales, who spoke with SCRAP’s representative after they arrived at the meeting too late for public comment, and said she disagreed with the notion that every organization could spare the time to make it to a senate meeting in the first place.
During the first discussion for a request from a group advocating for extra funding, Montoya expressed concern about the precedent the senate could set by repeatedly subverting the finance committee's recommendations. However, she never voted or advised against any of the motions to increase funding beyond said recommendations from her committee.
Other organizations that were awarded funding by the senate included Alpha Omega Albuquerque, Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Mock Trial UNM, the Bangladeshi Student Association, the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Hindu YUVA.
While a single bill was also brought to the meeting, it was inundated with questions and suggestions during the discussion. The bill ultimately failed after a recommendation by Attorney General Hilaria Barragan that it be tabled for the appropriate edits to be made. The bill, sponsored by newcomer Sen. Britten Ratcliff, would have moved the cultural director position from its current place in Student Special Events to ASUNM Community Experience.
Vice President Mutazz Jaber said after the vote that it was the senators’ responsibility to work with Ratcliff and the S&R Committee to make their comments in discussion a reality.
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ASUNM’s next full senate meeting is on Feb. 26.
Elliott Wood is a beat reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. They can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
