Stop Smoking on Campus

Smoke blown in your face as you’re walking through campus is not a good feeling. There are times when I’ll see a smoker approaching me and in order to avoid smelling the cigarette smoke, I’ll start walking in a different direction. That’s pretty sad. People shouldn’t have to change the path in which they are walking just to avoid a smoker. Since I have asthma this issue affects me more than other people. It’s already hard for me to breathe as it is, so when cigarette smoke is thrown into the mix, it makes it ten times harder to breathe.

Smoking on campus does not have to be an issue anymore. There are already 60 college campuses around the U.S. that have smoke free policies that affect the entire campus. On these campuses smoking is banned indoors, in dorm rooms, in student facilities as well as throughout the campus. Once a college campus becomes a smoke-free campus the air becomes cleaner, and the campus itself becomes cleaner since there are not any cigarette butts lying around.

This idea may seem terrible for people who do smoke, but this can also be seen as a great opportunity for smokers to quit. A big issue that people face when deciding to quit is that there is not a support group available to help them quit, but there are programs aimed at supporting college students who decide to stop smoking. The American Cancer Society encourages campus directors to give out items such as gum and support information to people who are interested in quitting. This type of information lets students know that the faculty members as well as other students are there to support them, and that they are not alone when deciding to quit.

The reality of the situation is that prohibiting smoking on campus altogether might be a hard first step. In order to make the transition a bit easier, the campus should first designate areas where students are allowed to smoke. These areas would be away from entrances to buildings and away from any areas where people usually walk or gather. There would only be a few designated areas for smoking on campus, making it harder for smokers to get to one, thus convincing them to start thinking about quitting. The Daily Lobo did a survey on this issue and 42% of students thought there should be designated areas for smoking on campus, so that people who want to avoid those areas are able to.

I think that once UNM starts designating specific areas for smoking, it will become easier to stop smoking on campus altogether from that point. The majority of UNM’s student population seems to agree on this issue, but the question is, how can we get this movement started?

The First Eighty Percent

When I began my UNM career last June, I knew that one problem I’d have was transportation. At age 42, I had no intention whatsoever of living on campus. However, living about 1-½ miles from campus made walking inconvenient at best. I thought about bike riding, but having been laid off six months prior, I hesitated to invest in a bike. For the same reason, I didn’t want to drive. Gas was rocketing toward $4.00/gallon, and parking was a nonsensical issue. Why pay $125.00 to park a mile or more off campus and take a shuttle bus when I already live that same distance from campus in a different direction?

The university solved my problem by advertising the free UNM bus pass program. I saw it everywhere on signs, fliers, and in newspaper articles. It was lauded by UNM – and CNM, who had initially been left out – as a primary answer to several problems. Foremost, of course, is the abominable parking situation at both campuses. There simply isn’t enough parking to accommodate commuting students. Secondarily, the program was advertised as a solution to high gas prices, air pollution (and, by extension, global warming), and congested traffic along Central and Lomas. “Free public transportation for UNM is one way that we all show commitment to both University success and environmental sustainability," said UNM Parking and Transportation Services Director Clovis Acosta.

It became an excellent solution for me. I walk about two blocks to the bus stop, ride for about five to ten minutes to campus, and go home contrary-wise. Not only does it save me money, it eliminates the hassle of parking as well as the possibility of having my car stolen or vandalized. The extra walking has become a habit, one that, along with regular visits to the gym, has helped reduce my waistline. I’m not alone. There are over 7,000 free bus passes in the UNM community alone. Only halfway through this fiscal year more than 500,000 rides have been given. At a cost of $65,000, this is a prime example of the University getting its money’s worth.

That is why I was amazed to see that the program’s funding could be cut as a result of budget cuts relating to the current American economic situation. I feel that of all possible sacrifices to the Gods of the Bottom Line, this should be among the last

I am here at UNM for one reason only – education. Having grown sick of not making good money at jobs I don’t like, I am driven to do something that I do like and will probably be far more lucrative. I have not joined any clubs or extracurricular programs. I come to class, I use the gym, I study at home. While I feel no disdain toward any extracurricular clubs or programs, they are not my priority, and I’m guessing that can be said for a large number of students like me – those that are older than the student body average and are here to change or improve their careers. I’m not saying that these programs have no value – of course they do. When cuts are inevitable, however, a long, hard look at the organization’s purpose is in order, as well as a long, hard look at every program’s contribution to that purpose.

What is UNM’s purpose? Higher education. Do political clubs contribute to learning? Absolutely. Can one earn a degree without participating in a political club? Yes, one can.

Do ethnic clubs contribute to the purpose of higher education? Undeniably, they do. Is it possible for a person of any ethnic group to earn a degree without these programs? Undeniably, it is.

Don’t even get me started on the “necessity” of having a football team. Educationally, that’s a null set.

Transportation, however, is highly integral to getting an education. Not all classes can be taken via Internet, especially by those who don’t have computers. Learning is a participatory process. As Woody Allen once said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” People cannot benefit from UNM without getting here. Why make that more difficult, especially when the program is one that actually works as it is supposed to? Greg Payne, ABQ Ride director, estimates it would cost “about $204,000 a year” for the current pass holders to continue riding the bus if the program were eliminated. The state cannot afford $65,000 to support the use of its main educational institution, but 7000 students can afford to pony up more than three times that much?

I’m one of the lucky ones. After all, I have a car that I can use if need be, and with some uncomfortable re-budgeting I could probably manage to pay for either bus fare or gas/parking, whichever is ultimately cheaper. I’m sure there are many who are cutting things a bit tighter. I can easily imagine that losing your favorite club or activity can reduce the benefit that you gain from your education, but imagine losing a program that helps make your education possible in the first place. If New Mexico’s – and America’s – long term economic health is the issue, then the benefit of helping as many people as possible get to and use UNM is obvious, isn’t it?

No matter what, cuts will have to be made, and someone is going to be disenfranchised. That’s the reality of the situation we are in. The responsible way to do it, however, is to preserve, as long as possible, those programs that directly impact students’ educational opportunities regardless of ethnicity and interest – in other words, those that address both the core purpose and the big picture. After all, what could possibly promote diversity on campus more than helping diverse groups of people make it to class?

Taking a Stand

As many of you all know the economic state is affecting the University, and the University’s response to this is to cut the minority programs, or the programs that receive less than 35 thousand in funding, which just so happen to be the minority programs. I know that some of my class mates are writing about the same issue so I’m trying to approach it form a different angel not blogging about the issue itself but by blogging about the students response to the recent cuts and articles regarding the University’s so called solution to the recent economic crisis.

Now if this is your first time hearing this you must have been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks, but there are numerous articles online on the Daily Lobos website locate in the archives dating back to January 23rd 2009 that will help fill you in a little more. But basic any program that receives less than 50 thousand dollars of funding is currently on the chopping block to cut all funding. It just so happened to be programs geared towards minorities and women. But to my understanding 5% of the funding they receive currently will be taken as soon as next fall.

I know there are number of things that different programs have done in order to raise awareness of this problem but I can only speak for the things that the African American Student Center or the “Fro” has done because I guess this is what has directly affected me. The First thing the “Fro” did was organize a meeting to kind of put all the chips on the table and reveal to the students exactly what was going on and to tell them what wasn’t in the Lobo articles they have read. This meeting also pointed out the importance of student participation in all the AASS events, because this is how the University is basing its cut upon, importance to and benefit to students.


I think that’s apart of the problem though, having these separate meeting! I think the first thing that needs to happen in order for the UNM to understand the importance of these smaller programs is to see all the programs come together and make a stand. Cause when we come to the board and when we write letters to the Lobo we look like a slim few fighting for individual programs, especially since we are all ready the minority. But I think if we band together instead of fighting for just Native American student programs or just for African American student programs and fight for Minority programs together the University will understand that cutting these programs are not okay and shouldn’t even be an option!!!

See http://www.dailylobo.com/home/archives/
Jan23-31

UNM Funding Cuts

In recent weeks, UNM has been advised that the state will be reducing its funding, affecting specific programs by reducing some program/department budgets and eliminating others. The cuts and eliminations as of today are only recommendations and the numbers can change or stay the same. Some of these cuts will be affecting the students of color programs known as special projects by the state legislature. For many years the ethnic centers have counted on the state legislature money to keep the centers running. Some of the places affected are the American Indian Student Services, African American Student Services and El Centro de la Raza. To better understand the impact these cuts will have at UNM, I am providing some examples. The information is provided by the Project of New Mexico Graduates of Color (PNMGC). If you would like further information you can visit www.unm.edu/~gradpeer or http://www.dailylobo.com/. American Indian Student Services will lose 33.3% $33,300 according to Pamela Agoyo, the director of the center. She said that these funds are used for the American Indian Summer Bridge Program faculty, and UNM student outreach and support services. African American Student Services will lose 100% ($34,500) of their program funding, and El Centro de la Raza will lose 39.2% ($78,300) of their funding resulting in a potential loss of three of their staff members according to Veronica Mendez-Cruz, the director. Not only are the centers losing funding which will impact the retention rate of many students of color. These Student Service Centers help students to make the transition into a college environment.

Many students served by these Centers are first-generation college students, away from home for the first time. These Centers provide support for them which includes addressing their cultural needs. I am one of them. Although, I, like others, are appreciative of the State funding these student centers and other programs, the funding process is not transparent to determine who is making the recommendations to cut specific programs/departments at UNM. Is it UNM’s leadership, the powers that be, or the State Legislator? As a minority student I am suggesting that it is time for the University to make these programs that support student retention a priority in their decision-making.

The centers should not be struggling every year to retain level funding. It is now time for us to take the initiative to make the centers stable. The minority groups are being hit the hardest. The state legislature has done its part in helping to build these centers over the years, and so today I urge UNM, the president and all the students to advocate that UNM place level funding for these Centers within its priority funding. What are your feelings towards this issue? What steps should UNM take to fix the situation? Or do you think the state should be held responsible? Please give your sincere opinion it would be greatly appreciated.

Coming Soon!

In the next several weeks, this blog will begin to share perspectives from UNM students (all enrolled in a section of English 320) on various subjects related to life at the University of New Mexico. Stay tuned!