DAILY LOBO new mexico
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January 23, 2013
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
IN SESSION
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JUMPING FOR JOY
Gallup campus may split from UNM by John Tyczkowski news@dailylobo.com
This week, representatives of the New Mexico Legislature proposed major changes for UNM as well as for higher education in the state in general, and began debate over what to do about dwindling retirement funds for UNM faculty and staff. The UNM Gallup campus may separate from UNM if House Bill 71 is passed. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Patty Lundstrom (D-Gallup), calls for a re-evaluation of the UNM Gallup campus’ status following a feasibility study to be conducted by the state Higher Education Department and a forthcoming decision by the UNM Gallup advisory board. The bill does not elaborate on how the campus would be evaluated. According to the bill, if the department releases a successful evaluation, and if the advisory board agrees with the department’s findings, UNM Gallup would have the chance to either become an “independent community college” or to “choose another parent institution with which to affiliate.” The bill does not say what will happen if the department releases an unsuccessful evaluation.
Aaron Sweet / Daily Lobo Aasha Marler competes in the women’s long jump final at UNM’s first home indoor track and field meet of 2013. The Lobos had eight athletes place among top three in their respective events at the meet, which was held Friday and Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center. See full story on page 6. Rep. Eliseo Lee Alcon (D-Milan) introduced House Bill 28, which involves UNM indirectly. According to AP reports, the bill proposes to make students attending tribal colleges throughout the state eligible for the Lottery Scholarship in addition to students attending state schools. The bill would give such tribal college students greater access to higher education, but would also place a heavier burden on the
already financially strained Lottery Scholarship. According to the Department of Higher Education’s website, the scholarship provides tuition for students attending the state’s 15 different state universities and colleges spread out over 25 different sites, including all of UNM’s campuses. The scholarship is projected to run out of funding in July. Neither bill has yet been acted upon nor is either scheduled to be
acted upon, according to the UNM 2013 Legislative Bill Tracker, found on govrel.unm.edu. Proposals to assure that the Educational Retirement Board’s defined-benefit fund remains solvent are to be the topic of a special joint session of the House and Senate along with ERB director Jan Goodwin. The fund is classified as a 401(a) retirement plan and provides a lifetime income source for UNM faculty and staff
and their selected beneficiaries. It is 63 percent solvent, according to the UNM Human Resources website. The session is scheduled for 10 a.m today, according to an email from Susan McKinsey of the UNM Office of Government and Community Relations. On Friday, there will be a joint session of the House Education and Senate Education Committees at 8 a.m. to continue this discussion.
UNM doubles money spent on federal lobbying Dissatisfaction with previous firm led to costlier contract
by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com
Daily Lobo file photo UNM President Robert Frank, shown above, supported hiring a new lobbying group, Madison Associates, to represent the University’s interests in Washington, D.C. This new lobbying firm carries a price tag of nearly twice the cost of The National Group, the agency which represented the University for the past two years.
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Daily Lobo volume 117
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The new lobbying group UNM hired this year will cost the University twice as much as the lobbying group it used in previous years. UNM’s contract with The National Group ended last year and the University hired Madison Associates to represent it in Washington, D.C. UNM will pay the group $237,000 as part of its one-year contract. This price is nearly double that of the past two years, when the University paid Delaware-based corporation The National Group $120,000 annually. UNM President Robert Frank said the University’s new contract with Madison Associates is a valuable investment by the University. Frank said the lobbying group’s expertise will represent UNM better in the national capital and may even bring more federal funds to the University. “In a highly competitive research environment, the University of New Mexico must assure yearly success in obtaining federal research money,” he said. “Having effective federal representation is critical to our success. The Madison Group has a proven record in facilitating federal funding. Other research universities spend two to four
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times as much on the types of services Madison is providing UNM.” Frank said that although the contract costs twice the price UNM paid for lobbying for the past two years, it is still an efficient move by the University. “For a major research university like UNM with a budget of $2.4 billion, it is essential that our interests are understood and well-represented before Congress,” he said. “This contract with Madison Associates, which outlines specifics that UNM wants to accomplish, is a cost-efficient way to do business.” According to the contract between UNM and Madison Associates, the lobbying group will represent UNM’s stance on matters in the national legislature, conduct annual visits with the University administration on-site at UNM, and be responsible for subcontracting “any business plans.” The group will also send monthly progress reports to the University. The contract will last until the end of 2013, but can be renewed for three additional years, for a total of four years. According to the previous contract between UNM and The National Group, the firm had been tasked with similar duties, with the exception of annual visits. Instead, the
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