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New Mexico certifies election results

Shin Thant Hlaing | December 11

On Nov. 27, the results of the 2024 election were certified in New Mexico, according to Source New Mexico. Below is a look at the final results for various races. Presidential Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris won New Mexico's five electoral votes. She surpassed Republican President-elect Donald Trump with 52% of the votes, or about 55,000 more votes — a 6% lead over Trump, according to the New Mexico Secretary of State website.

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UNM researchers explore efficient synchronization

Arly Garcia | December 10

Biology and technology converged in research published in October by a team in the University of New Mexico’s mechanical engineering department. Researchers found potential pathways for technological systems to increase efficiency. UNM Professor Francesco Sorrentino and doctoral student Amir Nazerian partnered with researchers at the United States Naval Research Laboratory and the University of Genoa to investigate synchronization efficiency. Synchronization is the process of coordinating multiple parts to operate in unison or in sequence. Something is efficient when it achieves the desired result without wasting resources. Living systems naturally optimize efficiency, Sorrentino said.

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Family of Matthew ‘Solo’ Garcia speaks at city council meeting

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | December 9

During an Albuquerque City Council meeting on Monday, Dec. 2, the family of Matthew “Solo” Garcia was joined by community members and activists to request accountability from the Albuquerque Police Department after officers fatally shot Garcia while he was handcuffed in the back of a police car during a code enforcement on Oct. 18. About two weeks before the meeting, Albuquerque Police Department Commander Kyle Hartsock revealed in a public briefing the names of the two officers who shot Matthew Garcia: Precious Cadena and Zachary Earles. A total of 11 shots were fired, 10 of which struck Garcia, Hartsock said during the briefing.

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Four UNM Departments to host departmental convocations

Nate Bernard | December 9

Throughout the week of Monday, Dec. 9, graduating students at the University of New Mexico will celebrate their accomplishments. About 1,600 students from the Albuquerque campus will receive their degrees, according to UNM Newsroom. In addition to the main commencement ceremonies held on Thursday, Dec. 12 and Friday, Dec. 13 at The Pit, some UNM departments are holding convocation ceremonies for their graduating students. Convocations are generally smaller and give departments the opportunity to celebrate graduates in a more personal atmosphere, according to the UNM Departmental Convocations website.

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Western New Mexico wolf sanctuary fundraises to absorb Colorado sanctuary

Maria Fernandez | December 9

Hidden among the grassy hills of western New Mexico in a community called Candy Kitchen is the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, a nonprofit that houses wolves, wolfdogs, New Guinea singing dogs, foxes and coyotes. Founded in 1991 as The Candy Kitchen Wolf and Wolfdog Rescue Ranch, Wild Spirit is now in the process of absorbing the Indigo Mountain Nature Center, a nonprofit wolf and wildlife sanctuary based in Lake George, Colorado. Wild Spirit has grown to become one of the largest canid sanctuaries in North America, according to Executive Director Brittany McDonald. It provides sanctuary for animals from across the country and uses their stories to educate the public, McDonald wrote in a statement to the Daily Lobo.

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United Graduate Workers petition for chosen name recognition and neutral gender markers

Marcela Johnson | December 6

The University of New Mexico United Graduate Workers launched a petition on Nov. 20 that calls for UNM to update systems to accurately reflect chosen names and gender markers for their users. According to the petition, components of the University system, including email accounts and the course registration website, are denying the ability for transgender students and workers to use their preferred name. This contradicts UNM’s Policy 2720, which prohibits discrimination based on gender and gender identity, the petition reads.

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UNMH joins nationwide trauma care study

Arly Garcia | November 27

Earlier this year, the University of New Mexico Hospital partnered with a national research network to conduct a trial on changing the timeline by which two chemicals are administered in trauma care. Calcium and vasopressin are used as a standard part of patient care, but the “CAlcium and VAsopressin following Injury Early Resuscitation” — or CAVALIER — study is investigating whether giving them to patients earlier in the care timeline will improve survival rates. The chemicals are commonly used for patients who have lost a lot of blood, according to the Linking Investigations in Trauma and Emergency Services — or LITES — Network.

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UNM mandates new cybersecurity training for all employees

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | November 27

On Oct. 14, the University of New Mexico announced that it would require new annual cybersecurity training for all University employees. The training, which is called “Securing the Human,” covers basic cybersecurity principles. Through the course, employees learn how to identify phishing attacks, the importance of password security, and which steps to take if there is suspicion of a threat. The training is one of four mandatory training courses for UNM employees this year. The other courses teach basic and emergency safety procedures, as well as steps to take to prevent harassment, according to UNM Newsroom.

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New Mexico LGBTQ+ advocates prepare for Trump presidency

Lily Alexander | November 25

As former President Donald Trump prepares to take office, LGBTQ+ advocates in New Mexico are preparing for the administration’s potential impact on Queer and transgender rights in the state. New Mexico is considered one of the most protected states in the country for LGBTQ+ people, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico. The state’s Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Act was updated during the 2023 legislative session, extending its scope and expanding definitions. 

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ASUNM Senate elects Rutherford next president pro tempore

Elliott Wood | November 25

On Wednesday, Nov. 20, the Associated Students at the University of New Mexico met not just to deliberate 10 appropriations and three bills — all of which eventually passed — but also to celebrate the semester and elect a new president pro tempore. In his opening address, Vice President Mutazz Jaber congratulated the senators on their individual and committee accomplishments. This semester, the Finance Committee awarded over $420,000 to student groups across UNM through appropriations, outgoing President Pro Tempore Hope Montoya said.

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Cloned parents of endangered ferrets give birth to offspring

Arly Garcia | November 22

On Nov. 1, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced the first-ever birth of black-footed ferrets to a cloned parent — marking the first time a cloned U.S. endangered species has produced offspring. The ferret babies — aka kits — named Red Cloud and Sibert were born to their cloned mother, Antonia, and their father, Urchin, earlier this year, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Cloning refers to processes used to create an identical genetic copy of a biological entity, according to the National Human Genome Research Institute.

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Protesters gather and march after Trump’s reelection

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | November 18

On Nov. 11, community members and activists rallied in Downtown Albuquerque and marched against fascism following former president Donald Trump’s reelection. Fascism is a “far-right, authoritarian political philosophy that exalts nation and race above the individual,” according to The Associated Press. Fascist governments are associated with having a dictatorial leader, according to Merriam-Webster. In an interview with The New York Times, Trump’s former chief of staff called Trump a far-right authoritarian who falls into the general definition of fascist.

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How does lobbying work at UNM?

Lily Alexander and Nate Bernard | November 18

The University of New Mexico, like many other educational institutions across the country, lobbies the local and federal government to advance its interests. Lobbying is the attempt to influence a legislative decision or an official action by a state official or state agency, board or commission, according to the New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. UNM employs five lobbyists, including two contract lobbyists, who are hired to work on a certain issue for a certain period of time, according to Mike Puelle, chief government relations officer and lobbyist at UNM.

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New Mexico experiences warmest October in more than a century

Jaden McKelvey-Francis | November 18

In October, New Mexico experienced an average temperature of 60.8 degrees Fahrenheit — the highest for the month since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began keeping records in 1895. The high temperatures in the fall are expected to continue throughout the winter as well, according to a recent report from NOAA. Throughout the United States, above-average winter temperatures will likely occur across the east coast, the Gulf of Mexico and the Southwest, according to the report. Along with the warmer temperatures in these areas, NOAA predicts lower-than-average levels of precipitation over the next few months. Drought conditions are expected to persist in the southern part of New Mexico, according to the report.

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Community participates in same-day voter registration at UNM

Shin Thant Hlaing | November 12

After 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, a line of students and community members for same-day voter registration voting extended through about half of the Student Union Building’s lower level. The line of voters extended from Louie’s Lounge to the Lobo Food Pantry. Earlier in the evening, the moving line went as far back as the entrance of the Southwest Film Center. Some voters waited in line for up to four hours. This is the first year that same-day voter registration on Election Day was made available in New Mexico, according to the Bernalillo County Clerk website.

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Winter storm leaves thousands of New Mexicans without power, trees damaged

Leila Chapa and Paloma Chapa | November 11

On Thursday, Nov. 7, a winter storm caused 50,000 people to lose power throughout the northern half of New Mexico. Impacted areas included Albuquerque, Valencia County, Santa Fe County and Sandoval County, according to Public Service Company of New Mexico spokesperson Jeff Buell. The University of New Mexico and Albuquerque Public Schools were closed on Nov. 7 due to the snow. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham declared two statewide emergecies Nov. 7, providing $1.5 million to state agencies that were responding to the impacts of the storm, according to a press release.

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From ‘concrete pond’ to ‘center of peace’: Students react to Duck Pond renovation

Shin Thant Hlaing | November 11

The University of New Mexico Duck Pond is scheduled for renovations from Nov. 6 until late spring 2025. Originally named University Pond, the Duck Pond was previously an artificial structure built over the area of a parking lot that lacked surrounding foliage. University Pond was perceived as an obtrusive, tacky structure, until the introduction of ducks made it an “instant hit” among students, according to UNM Campus History. The Daily Lobo called the pond the “Concrete Pond” in an article that ran on Oct. 8, 1975. Today’s Duck Pond, as UNM Over the Years put it, is “almost never devoid of student life.”