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Veterans won't get free tuition in N.M.

March 28

A constitutional amendment to give veterans free tuition to New Mexico colleges died on the House floor when the session ended after it passed House committees and the Senate. Senate Joint Resolution 15 aimed to expand New Mexico's Vietnam Veteran Scholarship program to include veterans of any conflict or war. If passed, the amendment would go to voters in the 2008 election. It may be reintroduced during the next legislative session and appear on the ballot in 2008. Lee Pierre, a Vietnam veteran and certifying clerk for UNM's Veteran's Office, said the scholarship program shouldn't be limited.

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UNM could get 225 tuitions, or 1 coach

Caleb Fort | March 28

One head basketball coach costs UNM as much as 10 full professors. "I think it seems ridiculous," student Trisstin Maroney said. "Think of what else you could spend the money for his salary on - pretty much anything else." Steve Alford's $975,000 salary could also pay for 17 assistant professors or tuition and fees for 225 students. Athletics Director Paul Krebs announced Alford's hiring and six-year contract Friday. Student Elisa Bonner said UNM should wait to see how good Alford is before giving him so much money. "I don't think it's reasonable to give him so much right off the bat," she said. "If we're to become a top-20 school, I think it would be worth it. UNM needs more light shed on it." Alford has a record of 308-183 in 16 years coaching college basketball. Maroney said no matter how well the basketball team does, it won't be worth Alford's salary.

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Wages raised for students

March 27

The minimum wage for student employees will rise from $5.25 per hour to $6.25 starting Saturday. All student employees will receive at least a $1 raise starting July 7. The raise is meant to keep University hourly jobs competitive with others in the city, said Ron Martinez, director of the Student Financial Aid Office.

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Club preserves Tolkien's world

March 27

If you've ever wondered about the morality potential of orcs, the UNM Hobbit Society is for you. Orcs are mythological beings from the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The society is the only place on campus where students can have a lot of fun while discussing Tolkien's work academically, said Zach Watkins, president of the student organization.

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Radio show keeps ear to the streets

March 27

Being a hip-hop DJ is about two things. "It's skills and knowledge. It's got nothing to do with your sex or race," Jason "DJ Scientific" Marchiondo said. "All it has to do with is, are you good and have you studied?" Marchiondo spins records on "Street Beat," an uncensored hip-hop radio show on KUNM 89.9. It mostly plays underground hip-hop Fridays from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.

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Daily Lobo spotlight

March 27

Anna Bergman Sophomore Intercultural communication Daily Lobo: Why are you majoring in intercultural communication? Anna Bergman: Because I've been all over the world in so many countries. I have linguistic skills - that was my previous focus in Europe. I'm a polyglot, which means I speak a lot ...

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Alford to rake in $975,000 a year

Steven Fernandez | March 26

If you're wondering how high the expectations are for Steve Alford, look no further than his wallet. Alford, officially introduced as the new UNM men's basketball head coach on Friday, will be making an annual salary of $975,000 - nearly twice the amount of former head coach Ritchie McKay, who was fired Feb. 22. UNM Athletics Director Paul Krebs said Alford's salary is necessary if the Lobos are going to be one of the elite teams in the nation. "We aspire to have a great basketball program," he said. "We aspire to compete with the best. And if you want to compete with the best, you need to pay the best, and that's what we're willing to do."

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Seeking unity in Gaza Strip

Bryan Gibel | March 26

A Palestinian youth organizer spoke at UNM on Saturday and called for nonviolence and dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians as a solution to the problems in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Hisham Jabi spoke to about 65 people in the SUB about the lives of young Palestinians and the political and socioeconomic situation in those two regions.

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Alford's contract to be $975,000 a year

March 23

The UNM men's basketball team officially announced Steve Alford as its new head coach today, signing the former Iowa Hawkeye head coach to a six-year deal.

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Professor finds perfect mixture

Joe Buffaloe | March 23

When something has to be mixed in a channel that is measured in micrometers, it's complicated. Liquids in a microscopic channel can't be mixed by shaking them up like gin and vermouth in a martini, said Dimiter Petsev, assistant professor in chemical and nuclear engineering.

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Schmidly suggests taking walk

Caleb Fort | March 23

David Schmidly, UNM's next president, said the University's student and campus employees could alleviate parking problems by walking more. "I'm a walker," he said. "I try to walk everywhere I can. I try to lead by example."

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daily lobo asks you:

March 23

Matthew Duran Sophomore Political science No, because it's not that hard just to show up to the polls and write in who you want. That's what I've done the last few elections. It's not that hard. Nichole Wilson Freshman Health sciences Yes, because I am in (ASUNM) Lobo Spirit, and I feel that ...

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ASUNM targets voter turnout

Bryan Gibel | March 23

ASUNM met for an emergency session Wednesday and passed two election reform bills aimed at increasing voter turnout for the student government's elections.

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Bill to increase pay for part-time faculty

Bryan Gibel | March 22

House Bill 384 gets the ball rolling to increase compensation and benefits for part-time faculty at New Mexico colleges and universities, said Democratic Rep. Danice Picraux, who introduced the bill. The bill passed in the House and Senate but has not been signed by Gov. Bill Richardson.

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Toy plane mistaken for bomb at Johnson

March 22

A toy airplane caused a bomb scare at Johnson Center on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. after it crashed through a window on the roof and into a yoga class, said Lt. Pat Davis, UNM Police spokesman.

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Law makes work easier for breast-feeding moms

Bryan Gibel | March 21

Gov. Bill Richardson signed a bill March 13 that requires employers to provide a private, clean space for breast-feeding mothers to pump their milk. Graduate student Lissa Knudsen lobbied the Legislature in order to show how important it was to get the bill passed. Lobbying wasn't easy, she said. "I felt like a fish out of water," she said. "This was the big time, and I'm a student, but it went really well, and we made it through with flying colors." House Bill 613 also requires that employers allow flexible breaks for employees who breast-feed. Sandrea Gonzales, director of the Women's Resource Center, said it is a step toward protecting breast-feeding rights for mothers at UNM. "It's extremely important for nursing mothers, because in the past, it's been difficult for them to find places," she said. "This makes it more convenient for a nursing mother to be a student, to be successful and to complete her education." Knudsen said a mother's right to breast pump should be protected.

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Site gives researchers new way of searching

Caleb Fort | March 21

Researchers of the future can expect to search library archives as easily as they search the Internet, said Michael Kelly, director of the Center for Southwest Research. "They want it to be like Google," he said. "They want to be able to go to one place, type in what they're looking for, and it searches everything." UNM is moving in that direction with the Rocky Mountain Online Archive - Rmoa.unm.edu - a $250,000 Web site launched by the University on March 1. More than 20 libraries in New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming are part of the archive. Before the archive, there was no place to search collections in the three states. "You'd have to look at a list from each library and find out what you wanted and tell them," Kelly said. "It was pretty laborious." A search on the site for Billy the Kid lists 65 documents, including Lincoln County documents and a collection of photographs. Most of the documents are not available digitally, but the Web site lists enough information to request the documents from the library. "We'll have people call us and say, 'Could you photocopy the contents of folder six in such-and-such a collection?'" Kelly said. "They wouldn't have been able to do that before."

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From solvents to medication, poison center can handle it

Caleb Fort | March 20

Whether you've been bitten by a snake or swallowed some acetone, the New Mexico Poison and Drug Information Center probably has an answer.

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Doctor offers advice to help find the stork

March 20

For couples who have a hard time conceiving, the Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Center hosts a fertility seminar at UNM once a month.

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Daily Lobo spotlight

March 20

Jeannette Ferguson Senior Biological chemistry Daily Lobo: How long have you lived in Albuquerque? Jeannette Ferguson: I was born here, left when I was 3, came back when I was 8, and now I am 24. DL: What do you like about this city? JF: It's pretty. There's not a lot of tall buildings, so you ...