DAILY LOBO new mexico
The fatal frontier see page 4
September 23, 2011
friday
The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
No money to repair or update Johnson Gym by Luke Holmen holmen@unm.edu
While none of the students, administration members or anyone on the planning committee knows if a new recreation center will be built or if Johnson Gym will be renovated, Recreational Services says it’s clear Johnson is aging and over capacity. The 7,800 seat facility, built in 1957 as UNM’s main gym, now accommodates the physical education and exercise science departments, as well as portions of Lobo Athletics and recreational services. Associate director of Recreational Services James Todd said the facility is struggling to support services for students in a facility that is overcrowded and in need of maintenance and expansion. “Johnson Center hosts more that 2 million visitors per year,” he said. “With the volume of people in and out of the Center, facilities and amenities can take on a ‘used and tired’ look very quickly.” Student Jacob Field said the facilities in Johnson are old and cramped. “I think it needs updating,” he said. “There’s no space and feels really crowded. We try to play basketball, but there are usually classes in there.” Johnson Center receives about $1 million in reimbursement for services from the University each year, about $650,000 from students ($33 per full time student equivalent) and about $400,000 from faculty and staff, but Todd said it costs nearly $1.6 million to operate the facility. “We have to raise half a million dollars to make up operating costs,” he said. Recreation Services raises money by renting the facility through non-UNM groups, and selling rec-
Laurisa Galvan / Daily Lobo These over-sized urinals in Johnson Gym use as much water as a regular toilet, but the toilets are only one aspect that needs improvement at Johnson Center according to James Todd, the associate director of recreational services. Johnson Center has over 2 million visitors per year Todd said. reation cards to alumni and spouses as well as hosting fitness and recreation programs. The Center was forced to close its doors on weekends last spring and this summer after the State of New Mexico pulled a portion of its Institutional and General funding. “We now have to pay $270,000 in
additional costs,” he said. “We realized we would have to start saving money, and we can’t cut programs that make money. So last year we had to cut hours.” The New Mexico Department of Higher Education performed a facility audit last year and determined that Johnson has to pay for
BUBBLE BOBBLE
27 percent of its bills. The state funds buildings, of which academics is the primary purpose and Johnson Center was 100 percent funded as an educational facility. But the state determined that because Johnson houses Athletics and Recreation services, that 27 percent of its
expenses should not be funded with I&G. “I have absolutely no money for repairs,” Todd said. The department can place work orders with Physical Plant for repairs deemed necessary for
by Stephanie Hoover
Kloeppel said the switch to electronic records is estimated to have cost nearly $75,000. The funds came from extra student fees SHAC receives when enrollment is high. “The money came from our putting money aside for every budget year,” she said. “We have been planning to do this for 10 years.” Most of the SHAC staff members are on salary so they aren’t paid overtime, but Kloeppel said she hopes the electronic records are no more expensive to maintain than paper records. The electronic records run on software through Medicat, a company that specializes in college health centers enables the system to be linked to Bursar and Registrar systems. The software tracks billing, health and safety issues and allows more insurance companies to be billed so more students can
Student medical records digitized stephchoover@gmail.com
Gabriela Ventola / Daily Lobo Luis Ochoa played with bubbles during the New Mexico State Fair on Sunday. The fair ends this Sunday. Entry for adults is $7, and parking is an additional $7 per vehicle.
Inside the
Daily Lobo volume 116
issue 25
The thrill of the kill
Crunching numbers
See page 5
See page 7
see Johnson PAGE 3
UNM’s Student Health and Counseling center made the switch to electronic records last month, making students’ records safer but nurses’ jobs harder. SHAC Director Beverley Kloeppel said the electronic system is safer because it eliminates risk of illegible practitioners’ notes. Also, health care workers no longer have to flip through pages of records to find information, and clinicians are alerted immediately of any drug interactions for prescriptions. The system, though, is also causing longer work hours for practitioners struggling to enter patient notes into the system. “Clinicians take the brunt of it,” Kloeppel said. “All of the staff are taking more time to learn the system.” Kloeppel said she estimates it could take up to three years for SHAC to be completely efficient using the system.
see Records PAGE 3
TODAY
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