Daily Lobo new mexico
The Independent Student Voice of UNM since 1895
wednesday September 3, 2014 | Volume 119 | Issue 13
UNM could face fines for not complying with Clery Act By Jyllian Roach UNM could be looking at heavy fines if the Department of Education turns its eye on the University. According to an internal auditor’s report released in midAugust, UNM is “not substantially compliant” with the Clery Act, which requires schools to properly communicate and monitor campus safety issues. The school is working immediately to resolve the issues, said Deputy UNM Police Chief Christine Chester, who was also named interim Clery coordinator based on the auditor’s recommendation. But if the Department of Education audits the school before all of the problems are solved, it’s anyone’s guess whether there will be fines.
“The Department of Education has put 55 schools on their radar, and fortunately we have not been contacted for an audit,” she said. “But if they did come, we would be in non-compliance and subject to fines.” Those fines run up to $35,000 per instance of non-compliance, according to the Clery Act Handbook, but Chester said every recommendation from the internal auditor should be implemented by June, 2015. In the report, the auditor found that UNM had not effectively communicated the importance of Clery Act compliance, had not created an organized system to verify crime, disciplinary, fire or safety information, nor clearly defined the locations of UNM properties.
The Clery Act states that any location owned by a university, regardless of its use as a learning facility, must be part of the areas monitored for safety. This would include locations in other countries, preserves and other University holdings. Chester said the auditor’s report also recommended creating a Clery steering committee. While this is not a Clery Act mandate, UNM’s eightperson Clery Steering Committee had their first meeting shortly after the auditor’s report was released. Another area of concern in the auditor’s report was the lack of an evacuation plan for the entire campus, but UNMPD Lt. Tim Stump said the department is creating that plan now.
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Clery Act requirements in a nutshell •
Publish an annual security report by Oct. 1 that documents three years worth of campus crime statistics
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Have a public crime log
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Disclose crime statistics for the campus and immediate public areas
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Issue timely warnings about serious or ongoing crimes that could affect students
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Devise an emergency response, notification and testing policy
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Publish an annual fire safety report
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Have policies and procedures for missing student reports
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Source: clerycenter.org
Bicycle Fine Arts lacking vital money for upgrades thefts on campus increase By Sayyed Shah The number of bicycle thefts on campus increased by 70 percent during the 2013-14 academic year, the UNM Police Department reported. UNMPD and the UNM Global Education Office are trying to find ways to counter bike thieves operating on campus by employing random security sweeps, bicycle registration and increased outreach and awareness efforts. “From Aug. 1, 2012, to July 31, 2013, we had 123 reported stolen bikes. However, from Aug. 1, 2013 to July 31, 2014, we had 209 reported stolen bikes,” said Lt. Tim Stump, information officer for UNMPD. Police officials said the new online reporting system for bike thefts implemented in Aug. 2013 could account for some of this increase. However, Stump said the most common crimes on campus are thefts because anyone is free to roam about the campus. Due to UNM’s open campus policy, it can be difficult for police to keep an eye on each and every individual, he said. Stump stressed the need to make students more aware of the security of their belongings on campus. “Bike thefts are the biggest right now. Because it is an open campus, people are free to come and go as they please, but that also means the students need to be more vigilant about their stuff,” Stump said. “They need to be more prepared when they walk around campus, whether it is day or night.” One of the ways students can prevent their bicycles from being stolen is by making sure they always lock them to a secure bike rack using a quality lock, Stump said. UNMPD recommends U-locks, which are relatively stronger and more difficult to break. Although
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Diana Cervantes / Daily Lobo
Danny McCarthy, a senior dual major in art history and studio art, works on a project in the Fine Arts woodshop on Tuesday. McCarthy, along with other staff and students, has been affected considerably by the lack of funding to the Fine Arts department.
By Matthew Reisen Facing aging equipment and leaky roofs, some professors in the Fine Arts department are struggling to help their students succeed with limited resources. Randall Wilson, a professor in the sculpture area, said equipment is severely outdated and money to fix the problems is just not arriving. Many machines in the department were used, unwanted surplus equipment donated by other institutions, he said. Wilson, who has been at UNM for two years, said much of the equipment on the floor is around 60 years old.
“In many areas of the Fine Arts (department), you’ll see physical conditions that are lacking,” Wilson said. “The message is ‘we don’t care. We don’t care enough to put a new coat of paint on; we don’t care enough to maintain an AC system.’ It begins to talk about our relationship to students and how we feel about students and the curriculum itself.” Besides machinery, there is a need for updated lighting and vacuum systems. Wilson said the lack of these resources is a glaring reminder of what needs to be done and has been largely ignored by the University. The budget for the department
mainly comes from student fees, which provides some art supplies and staffing, but Wilson said it is not enough. Where staffing is concerned, a part-time employee is necessary to monitor safety in the evening, he said. So far that position is filled by rotating work-study employees, offering very little consistency where it is most required. The lack of proper funding not only affects the professors, but students as well. Daniel McCarthy, a student employee in the department, said there are just not enough funds to keep things running smoothly. “I don’t have enough hours
to do everything that needs to be done around here. As a work-study, my hours were cut nearly in half last semester,” he said. “There’s only enough time now to monitor students and clean. There’s no time for shop upkeep.” Wilson said some assistance comes from private institutions like the Frederich Hammersley Foundation, which helps a little. Last week the foundation donated $50,000 to the sculpture lab, giving Wilson and his students some breathing room, but there is work to be done elsewhere in the department, he said.
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