DAILY LOBO new mexico
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wednesday
December 1, 2010
The Independent Voice of UNM since 1895
WELCOMING WINTER
UNM opens probe into nightclub incident by Isaac Avilucea
managingeditor@dailylobo.com Little by little, the news continues to get worse for three UNM football players who were allegedly involved in a brawl at a downtown nightclub early Thanksgiving morning. The latest episode: Kim Kloeppel, with the Dean of Students, said the office is investigating the incident to determine whether UNM football players breached the University’s Student Code of Conduct in allegedly fighting with members of Lotus Nightlcub’s security staff. The three players, later identified as football players Julion Conley, Joe Harris and Bryant Williams, are a part of an on-campus fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, and Kloeppel said the office is also looking to determine if other fraternity members were involved in the scuffle.
Conley, who was arrested and charged with aggravated battery and engaging in a public affray, will have a court date set soon, but as of Monday it was still pending. In the meantime, Kloeppel said she will explore whether the three violated the University’s Code of Conduct, which bars students from “actions which have great potential for physically harming the person or property of others, including that of the University.” The policy says the University can discipline students, “when the offense occurs on University premises … or when the violation occurs off campus.” If found to have violated policies, students face punishment ranging from verbal/written warnings and disciplinary probation to suspension or expulsion,” according to the policy sanctions section. The early morning Thanksgiving brawl injured at least four Lotus Nighclub security personnel and a go-go dancer.
“These guys are punks.” ~Brian Craig Lotus Nightclub owner “At this time, I don’t have any specific answers as far as what the investigation has involved,” she said, adding that she would have more definitive information later this week. On top of that, Lotus Nightclub owner Brian Craig is threatening to file a civil complaint against the three players. He said it would have been a different story if his security were fully staffed the night of the incident. “These guys are punks,” he said about the football players. “My security staff are professional security staff. We know how to handle losers like this.” An Albuquerque Police Department spokeswoman said Monday that Williams and Harris have not been charged in connection with the incident, but will likely be summoned to court in the near future. She said
To date, it’s unclear whether others affiliated with the University were involved. Security guards at the club said they were outmanned. The Athletics Department said in a statement that Conley, Williams and Harris were downtown with an on-campus fraternity, but didn’t release the name of it. An online search revealed that Conley, Williams and Harris are a part of Kappa Alpha Psi, along with six other individuals, according to the latest roster provided Monday by the Student Activities Center. What started as a verbal confrontation quickly escalated after Chris Roybal, the club’s head of security, stopped a member of
Vanessa Sanchez / Daily Lobo The “Tribute to Mother Earth” fountain froze Monday night. The ice was thick enough to support a 170-pound person.
see Lotus Incident page 3
SHOWTIME
Housing ‘plan’ confuses, worries community ACC officials say details have not been hashed out by Chelsea Erven cerven@unm.edu
Robert Maes / Daily Lobo Tim Castillo, director of UNM ARTS Lab, stands before one of the props that will be on exhibit Thursday during the open house at the Interdisciplinary Film & Digital Media facility in Mesa Del Sol. The building, which sits across from Albuquerque Studios, will be home to the IFDM program.
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Daily Lobo volume 115
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The Lobo Development’s housing forum turned into a rapid-fire, question-and-answer session at the SUB on Tuesday night. ACC representatives did not present building plans, even though the forum was advertised as a public meeting to discuss American Campus Community’s main campus “Strategic Housing Plan.” “When folks hear ‘plan,’ they assume it’s a planning document and expect to see architectural deliverables and where buildings are going, and that’s not what the ‘Strategic Housing Plan’ is,” ACC representative Matt Stein said. “The ‘Strategic Housing Plan’ is defined by the memorandum of understanding that UNM and ACC entered into, and what it does
Where are we? See page 2
is it helps quantify a business plan for moving forward.” About 40 people, including UNM, Lobo Development, ACC ASUNM and Residence Life student representatives, attended the forum, and ACC didn’t get through its presentation before being bombarded with questions. Lobo Development and ACC representatives explained that the housing plan is an “investment thesis,” and it does not involve concrete building plans. Stein said architectural designs won’t be developed until Lobo Development and the Board of Regents approves the housing plan. If Lobo Development approves the housing plan Friday, it will be presented to the Regents’ Finance and Facilities Committee on Dec. 9. Phase II of the housing plan could involve building a dining hall, Stein said, which prompted questions about the hall’s viability and location. Residence Life specialist Megan Chibanga
see ACC page 3
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