NM Daily Lobo 081913

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DAILY LOBO new mexico

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monday

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The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895

August 19, 2013

UNM to back small, emergency student loans

WATCH OUT, PLEASE, FRESH MEAT COMING THROUGH

Credit union partnership aims to boost retention by Jamillah Wilcox news@dailylobo.com @JamillahSW

Vikki Lobato / Daily Lobo Incoming freshmen and their families walk around campus finding their classrooms during Freshman Family Day on Sunday afternoon. Freshman Family Day is an annual event held to welcome the incoming students to the UNM community the day before classes commence for the academic year. The class crawl is only part of Freshman Family Day; it also includes the Freshman Convocation and reception.

A new needs-based microlending program at UNM will allow students to pay back their loans by doing well in school. UNM will collaborate with the New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union on a program called “Powering Success: Micro Aid for Educational Achievement,” which will aid students who plan to drop out of school because of their financial situations, said Robin Brule, vice president for community relations at the credit union. And Brule said loans can be forgiven if a student maintains good grades, although it has

see Microlending PAGE 5

A look at ABQ UNM graduation rates up mayor candidates news@dailylobo.com @ArdeetheJourno

In less than two months, Albuquerque will have to decide whether to keep its current leader or to select a new one. Mayoral elections for the city are set for Oct. 8. To get yourself acquainted with the 11th-floor hopefuls, here are the basics about current Mayor Richard Berry and candidates Pete Dinelli and Paul Heh.

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Incumbent runs for re-election Albuquerque Mayor Richard

47.3% Berry will test his political luck

once again after winning the 40%seat in 2009. Berry snagged the

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Inside the

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seat from then-Mayor Martin Chavez by winning 44 percent of the city’s popular vote. He is the ninth mayor of the city. Born in Iowa, Berry, 50, spent his early years in Nebraska. When he was 19, he moved to Albuquerque to study finance and administration at UNM’s Anderson School of Management. There, he was a decathlete and he met Maria Medina, his future wife. In 2006, Berry won the 20th district of the New Mexico House of Representatives unopposed in the general election. This happened again when he ran for reelection in 2008. During his mayoral term, Berry has cut government spending by about $140 million and has reduced the city government’s size by about 200 positions. This happened through attrition, which means that the mayor decided not to hire replacements for retiring or resigning employees in certain positions. Berry, a Republican, said he has also decreased crime in Albuquerque. “We’ve driven the FBI crime rate to 20 year lows during my first term, public safety is important to people,” he said during his official announcement of his re-election

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news@dailylobo.com @ArdeetheJourno

UNM awarded more diplomas this year than in each of the past 24 years. According to a document from the office of the provost, the University’s six-year graduation rate, which is at 47.3 percent, is its highest since it first released numbers in 1989. This year’s rate is 1.5 percentage points higher than last year’s 45.8 percent. UNM’s four-year graduation

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Graduate in 6 years

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1,620 fans make quite the breeze

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see Graduation PAGE 6

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According to the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems’ website, the national average for universities’ graduation six-year graduation rates in 2009 is 55.5 percent. New Mexico’s average six-year graduation rate is 39.4 percent, according to the site. Abdallah said one of these new resources, UNM’s Graduation Express program, keenly monitors students who are close to graduation through academic advising. He said the program also provided “additional scholarship aid to a few students … who only needed a course or two

Graduation rates through the years

see Mayor PAGE 10

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rate also increased by 2.4 percentage points, from 12.6 percent in 2012 to 15 percent this year. UNM Provost Chaouki Abdallah said UNM has been focusing on improving graduation rates by increasing resources for students. “President (Robert) Frank, through his UNM 2020 initiative, has established aggressive goals for the six-year graduation rates, but just as importantly, towards increasing the four-year graduation rate,” Abdallah said. “As we raised funds from tuition, we have allocated considerable resources towards helping students to graduate.”

by Ardee Napolitano

Percent Graduated

by Ardee Napolitano

Officials credit improved student resources for rise

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