NM Daily Lobo 041113

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DAILY LOBO new mexico

thursday

High art? see Page 11

April 11, 2013

The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895

Not first time ‘Believe’ slate owns election fraternity in trouble Sexual assault allegations have plagued Sigma Alpha Epsilon for years by John Tyczkowski news@dailylobo.com

Inside the

Daily Lobo volume 117

issue 136

Ardee Napolitano / Daily Lobo ASUNM President-elect Isaac Romero, center, celebrates with fellow “Believe” slate members. The “Believe” slate dominated this year’s ASUNM elections, winning the presidency, the vice presidency and nine of 11 Senate seats up for election.

by Ardee Napolitano news@dailylobo.com

Wednesday night was a good night for the “Believe for ASUNM” slate. Undergraduates elected 11 of Believe’s 12 candidates to represent them next year. Nine new senators, the new vice president and the new president of the undergraduate student government are from the slate. In all, 1,521 students voted in the elections, which means only about 7.8 percent of undergraduates voted. Isaac Romero snagged the presidency after garnering 757 votes. Holly Marquez, part of the “Unite for ASUNM” slate, came in second place for the position with 402 votes, and Matthew Skeets, part of “Shout for ASUNM” slate, came in third with 265 votes. Brandon Meyers won the vice presidency with 715 votes. Nancy Martinez from “Shout,” came next with 449 votes, and David Saucier from “Unite” trailed behind with 238 votes. Two senators-elect, Erik Nava and Jason Fuller, ran with “Shout.” No candidates from “Unite” were elected. Romero said he expected his win because of the amount of effort his slate put in during its months-long campaign. He said his experience as an ASUNM senator helped the slate during the elections. “This is something that I have been working hard on for quite a while,” he said. “It just came down to the votes and having a great strategy. A lot of experience helped.” Romero said he plans to focus on the solvency issue of the Lottery Scholarship during his presidency. “What I’m going to have for that will be similar to what President Muraida and Regent Wellman did,” he said. “We plan to pick up where they left off.” Current ASUNM President Caroline Muraida and former Student Regent Jacob Wellman worked on House Bill 586 last year. The bill aimed to turn the Lottery Scholarship into a need-based award. The Legislature decided to table the bill during

this legislative session. Romero also said he plans to encourage student involvement in University affairs. Meyers said that although he did not expect his slate’s overwhelming win, he is thrilled that he won the seat. He said his slate’s victory depended on its hard work. “I never stopped. I was always on my feet and I know everyone else in my slate was,” he said. “Ultimately, it’s paying off for most of us. It’s amazing. I’m excited to finally have the capacity to do all the things that we have been planning to do.” Meyers said he would work closely with Romero to address Lottery Scholarship solvency, because the scholarship is supposed to run out of funding for full-time awards for students in fiscal year 2014. But he said he is confident that Romero will find a way to save the scholarship. “Really, in Isaac’s term is where we are going to see the Lottery Scholarship fully addressed,” Meyers said. “He needs to be persistent with this. But if anyone can, I’ll put my money on Isaac. He’s a finance guy like no other.” Eleven senators were elected in Wednesday’s elections, after one additional Senate seat opened because Meyers, who is serving his yearlong term as an ASUNM senator, was elected vice president. Believe candidate

Costa Logothetis came in 11th among votes for senators. He will take Meyers’ remaining half term and will serve until the end of the upcoming fall semester. Jenna Hagengruber, a candidate from “Believe” who ran for the Senate, received 537 votes, the most of any elected senator. Hagengruber said that because she did not expect her win, she was overwhelmed. “It definitely wasn’t just me,” she said. “All of the candidates that worked with me were just such good sports. I want to learn from the other senators. I want to start working right away, but I don’t think I can just come in there and change the world.” Saucier said he congratulates “Believe” on its victory and that members of “Unite” will take this election as a learning experience. “I’m not sure what could be said about that,” he said. “Maybe in the future, we could just learn to spread out our campaign area more. We should think on these lessons and improve upon them.” Saucier said that he cannot run for a seat again because he is graduating this semester. But he said he urges the rest of his slate to file an election bid again. Romero thanked students for turning out to vote. “It was a tough race but I think the students made the right choice,” he said.

Election Results

800

600

votes

Sigma Alpha Epsilon is no stranger to clashes with the University administration. UNM’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity was suspended April 4 following allegations of criminal sexual penetration. The alleged crime occurred at a nonregistered party, during which alcohol was served, at the fraternity’s house on April 1. The criminal case is considered active, with no further developments, pending the return of evidence from the state crime lab. Student conduct officer Robert Burford said Sigma Alpha Epsilon was already on probation until December as part of sanctions imposed due to an incident in the fall involving another unregistered party on the fraternity’s property where alcohol was served. Burford said that the fraternity had been socially suspended, meaning it was unable to hold regular social events, until last month. The fraternity also had to hold a risk management workshop as a refresher about the guidelines outlined in UNM’s Fraternities and Sororities Risk Management Procedures document. Burford said that in addition to the first hearing, which will discuss reasons behind whether the fraternity’s probation should be continued, there will be a second hearing about the alleged violations. Burford said both hearings are closed to the public. According to the Daily Lobo, Sigma Alpha Epsilon had been previously suspended in August 2007, when a pledge who was living at the fraternity house was arrested and charged with criminal sexual penetration and sexual contact with a minor. Then-Dean of Students Randy Boeglin said the whole fraternity was suspended because there were allegations of activity involving alcohol and other drugs surrounding the incident at the house. In October 2006, a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon was arrested on suspicion of rape, which also allegedly occurred at the fraternity’s house. Boeglin said the University did not suspend the fraternity after that incident because UNM found no evidence that any other members of the fraternity were involved. “I do take past history into account, should a student group be found responsible for a violation of the UNM Student Code of Conduct,” Burford said. Jon Gayer, a Greek-Life adviser for Student Activities, said fraternities and sororities must register all parties where alcohol is served through the Student Activities Center seven business days before the event takes place. Gayer also said fraternity or sorority members must meet to discuss risk-management strategies before the event and after filing registration paperwork. UNM’s Fraternities and Sororities Risk Management Procedures document lists safety and noise guidelines, and rules the hosting organization must follow, such as refraining from drinking games. According to the alcohol event registration form provided by Student Activities, the event hosts must possess a valid liquor license for the event, events must conclude by specified times, and at least three members of the fraternity or sorority must serve as event monitors during the event to ensure all UNM policies are followed. The form states that the site that hosts the event carries the same responsibility as any other vendor that sells alcohol, and as such must engage in standard industry practices which include but are not limited to checking identification, not serving minors, not serving alcohol to those who appear to be intoxicated and maintaining complete control of all alcohol served.

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I’m makin’ waffles

Pope’s Secret

see Page 8

see Page 10

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Isaac Romero

Holly Marquez Matthew Skeets

President

Brandon Meyers Nancy Martinez David Saucier

Vice President

TODAY

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