News

Feature Photo: May Day

UNM literary, arts magazine celebrates 30th anniversary

Writers, poets, painters, musicians and art lovers gathered as Conceptions Southwest, UNM's fine arts and literary magazine, celebrated the release of its 30th issue. Since 1978, the magazine has served as a creative outlet for the University community. Clara Boling, Conceptions Southwest editor, said choosing what goes into the magazine is a democratic process.

Library staff looks back after 2-year renovation

Staff members of Zimmerman Library commemorated Wednesday the second anniversary of the fire that gutted the library's basement. The fire happened April 30, 2006. It burned a 7,500-square-foot area, damaging the upper basement on the eastern side of the building.

Feature Photo: Clowning around

Crime Watch

April 23 A UNM Police officer was dispatched to the Mental Health Center because a staff member requested assistance with a patient who had become verbally abusive. The man said he was tired of waiting after six hours. The man said all he wanted was to talk to someone.

UNM team takes 2nd in College Bowl

UNM's College Bowl team took second place at a national competition over the weekend. Students Jason Zuffranieri, Vanessa Gatsch, Chad McCoy, John McCulloch and John Ogren participated in the 2008 College Bowl National Championship Tournament, which was held at Macalester College.

Faculty wants say in fiscal decisions

About 450 faculty members packed into the Anthropology Building to discuss financial issues with President David Schmidly on Wednesday. UNM's faculty sounded off against the "centralization and unfettered control of University finances," and Schmidly defended his fiscal decisions during the two-hour meeting.

AP Briefs

Prison sentence suspended for witness SANTA FE (AP) - A key witness in a corruption case involving the state treasurer's office will not serve time in prison for his guilty plea to a state charge of racketeering. Leo Sandoval, who formerly worked in the treasurer's office, was given a five-year sentence on Wednesday, but state District Judge Barbara Vigil suspended it and placed Sandoval on supervised probation for three years.

Project to promote use of alternative transportation

With gas prices expected to reach $4 a gallon this summer, UNM students can look to public transportation to get around. Students at the Anderson School of Management set up an advertising agency to encourage 18- to 25-year-olds to use greener transportation in a project called My Other Ride.

Study: admin salaries steadily on the rise

UNM is spending more than three times as much on administrators as it was in 2002, according to the Faculty Senate. The Senate reported that UNM spent $8.2 million on administration salaries in 2007, compared to $2.6 million five years ago. But that information wasn't intended for public release, and the Faculty Senate is in the process of revising its analysis, said Howard Snell of the Faculty Senate Operations Committee.

Feature Photo: Blazing VW

Schmidly: New VPs to focus on diversity

President David Schmidly said he has spared no expense to create two new vice president positions and fill them over the summer. Josephine De Léon will be vice president for equity and inclusion, and Carmen Alvarez Brown will take over the University's enrollment management.

Students petition in support of China

About 30 students from the Chinese Student Association collected signatures at Cornell Mall on Tuesday to support China's hosting of the Olympics. Student Qiao Wang said about 100 people signed the group's banner. Student Bo Yin said the group plans to mail the banner to the Olympic Committee in China.

AP Briefs

NM Tech gets $1.8 million to research water for study HOBBS (AP) - Lea County has been awarded a $1.8 million grant to help the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology research ways to reuse some of the water used in oilfield production. The study, funded by the U.

Spotlight: Christopher Van der Merwe

Senior Biology Daily Lobo: So, what brings you to the SUB this afternoon? Christopher Van der Merwe: I just thought I would get some studying in. As you can see, I'm sort of taking a break. DL: How long have you been playing the piano? CV: Well, my class got canceled - so since 12:30 p.

$9,000 of equipment stolen from building

About $9,000 worth of computer equipment has been stolen from students and faculty at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building in the last two weeks, said Chaouki Abdallah, chairman of the department. Abdallah said the suspect probably has a key to the building, so the department will have to replace all the locks - which could cost up to $20,000.

Basketball team can no longer afford gym

A local wheelchair basketball team said it cannot afford to continue practicing at Johnson Gym. For the past four years, the Albuquerque Kings have paid $500 to practice at Johnson Center's south gym for each session, said Jake Schmalzriedt, a forward on the team.

AP Briefs

17-year-old found dead in restaurant parking lot (AP) - A 17-year-old Albuquerque boy has been found dead in a car in the parking lot of a restaurant. Police say they were called about a fight at an Albuquerque park, then shortly afterward received a call to the restaurant.

Event promotes healthy kids

More than 5,000 people attended the National Hispanic Cultural Center Foundation's Dia del Nino celebration Saturday. The center, in partnership with New Mexico Children, Youth and Families, sponsored the event to promote healthy, literate children and families in New Mexico.

'Night' raises awareness about violence

About 150 people gathered at Johnson Field on Friday to raise awareness for sexual and domestic violence. The event, called Take Back the Night, included a candlelight vigil in remembrance of the silence associated with abuse. Event coordinator Molly Maguire-Marshall said she was pleased with the community support.