Ballots will open for the Associated Students of the University of New Mexico Presidential and Vice-Presidential Election on March 9 at 8 a.m. and will close on March 11 at 5 p.m. Elections this year will feature four different candidates and a constitutional amendment.
Presidential Candidates
Jacob Silva will be No. 1 on the ballot for president. Silva is a junior studying Population Health with a minor in Chemistry and a distinction in Honors. Silva is a Student Affairs Fellow, Student Union Building Board Chair, ASUNM Chief of Staff, member of Alpha Tau Omega and a member of Student Fee Review Board.
Silva has previously served as Speaker of Joint Council, ASUNM Senate Outreach and Appointments Chair and ASUNM Senate President Pro Tempore. Silva wants to ensure student voices are highlighted as well as heard throughout the UNM community.
Mia Amin will be No. 2 on the ballot for president. Amin is a junior studying in Anderson Schools of Management. Amin is a New Student Orientation Leader, Finance Director of LoboTHON and helped create Center for Financial Capability—a financial literacy center out of the Dean of Students Office.
Amin, an international student from India, aspires to lead a student government that embodies diversity at UNM.
Vice Presidential Candidates
Emma Hotz will be No. 1 on the ballot for vice president. Hotz is a sophomore studying Political Science with minors in business and sociology. Hotz is the ASUNM Senate President Pro Tempore, member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, UNM Trailblazers, UNM Honors College, BeKind Committee, Student Fee Review Board and LoboTHON Communications Chair.
Hotz has previously served as the ASUNM Legislative Coordinator, ASUNM Steering and Rules Chair and LoboTHON Marketing Director. Hotz is running for ASUNM Vice President to ensure UNM is inclusive and affordable for every student.
Ana Paula Milan will be No. 2 on the ballot for vice president. Milan is a junior studying Economics and Statistics with a minor in French. Milan is also a Senior Resident Advisor, New Student Orientation Leader, a member of Kappa Delta Chi Sorority, Inc. and ASUNM Senator.
Milan is also an international student. Milan cites that being from Ecuador, she understands the necessity to have a student body that represents UNM’s diverse population. Milan is running for ASUNM Vice President to ensure that happens.
ASUNM Constitutional Amendments
ASUNM will have one constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amendment is set to change the ASUNM Fee from a prorated $20 fee to a $25 flat rate. Through this fee, ASUNM is able to fund chartered student organizations, eight student service agencies, as well as, events like Fiestas, Red Rally, Spring Storm and Cherry Reel.
The ASUNM Fee has not been raised since 2002. At the time, there were 226 student organizations and 6 student services agencies. Since then, student organizations have grown to more than 450 and eight student services agencies. ASUNM also brought back events like Fiestas and created Red Rally, Spring Storm, Silent Lights and Cherry Reel.
As it stands right now, the ASUNM receives $1.67 per credit hour from every undergraduate student. This fee is currently embedded with the rest of student fees, and is entirely dependent on the number of credit hours enrolled that semester. The amendment proposes instead a flat rate at $25. This amendment will pull the ASUNM fee from the generic Student Fee line item—similar to how the Graduate and Professional Student Association has their fee.
ASUNM cites increasing transparency in ASUNM finances, a decrease in enrollment and generating more revenue for student organizations and ASUNM events as reasons for this change to the ASUNM Constitution. The student government believes this flat rate will increase financial transparency because as it stands now, it is difficult for members within and outside of ASUNM to predict how much funding ASUNM will receive for future years, as well as, how much funding ASUNM has during the fiscal year itself.
Additionally, ASUNM is pushing this fee through because the drop-in enrollment has caused in a decrease in funding for student organizations and student service agencies. The fee change will ensure that adequate funding is funneled back into student organizations and ASUNM events and resources. Because all undergraduate students—regardless of credit hours—have access to student organizations and ASUNM events and resources, ASUNM says the flat rate is a logical solution.
If this amendment passes, full-time undergraduate students would see an increase of $5 to the ASUNM Student Fee. If this amendment does not pass, student organizations and student services agencies will see a decrease in funding. Amendments must be passed with two-thirds of the student population.
Undergraduate students are able to vote in the Student Union Building or online at MyUNM. Election results will be revealed on March 11 at 6 p.m. in the SUB Atrium.
