UNM Regents approve student fee increase in effort to bolster investment in Lobo Athletics 鈥� Geoff Grammer,
On the heels of the New Mexico Legislature approving a $3.2 million increase in its annual appropriation for University of New Mexico Athletics 鈥� $11.7 million for the coming fiscal year, up from $8.5 million this fiscal year 鈥� more investment help is on the way.
This time, it鈥檚 the students who will be footing the bill.
As part of a broad, multifaceted push by university leadership to bridge the financial gap between UNM Athletics and the peer universities the Lobos are expected to compete with, the Board of Regents on Tuesday approved a student fee increase of $45 more per semester next year and an additional $60 in two years (a total jump of $105 per semester for undergraduates in two years) going directly to athletics.
Five Mountain West schools last fall announced they would be departing the league ahead of the 2026-27 season to rebuild the old Pac-12. UNM was one of the schools not invited, essentially being viewed as a financial liability because of a lack of investment in athletics. Schools still in the Mountain West potentially stand to generate less revenue in media rights deals moving forward.
It鈥檚 a position UNM President Garnett S. Stokes, who was the chair of the Mountain West Board of Directors at the time the five defecting schools made their announcement, doesn鈥檛 want to be in for the next wave of conference realignment.
鈥淭his university has suffered greatly from a failure to invest in athletics,鈥� Stokes said. 鈥淚 think that we鈥檝e been able to see with some of the successes (in men鈥檚 basketball, in particular) and some of the investments that we can be competitive, but we鈥檙e now operating in an environment where the need for continued investment is very important.
鈥淲hat we tell the world about what it is we want to be in athletics, is very important.鈥�
UNM Athletic Director Fernando Lovo in his presentation requesting the fees increase made it clear the new revenue was a significant help, but so, too, are the optics that the entire UNM community has 鈥渟kin in the game鈥� on wanting athletics to succeed, also pointing out that state lawmakers earlier this year bumped state funding for UNM Athletics.
Students fees earmarked specifically for Athletics will increase $45 more per semester ($90 per year) in the 2025-26 academic year and then an additional $60 ($120 per year) in 2026-27. This is in addition to the $120 already going to Athletics from student fees.
Graduate student fee increases are a little less, but also don鈥檛 qualify to be covered by such things as the Opportunity Scholarship, which the school has reported covered 85% of in-state, undergraduate students 鈥� meaning this fee increase won鈥檛 technically be coming out of pocket for those students.
The increase will generate approximately an additional $1.7 million in FY26 for Athletics and $4.1 million in FY27.
It is the largest of three student fee increases for the coming school year at UNM, joining previously approved increases of $10 per year for undergraduate and graduate student government associations and a $60 per year bump for a 鈥淭echnology Fee鈥� going toward IT.
UNM student fees for an instate, undergraduate student this school year are $2,706. These three increases push that to $2,866 next year and then $2,980 in 2027-28, barring any other changes.
While student leadership thanked Lovo and Athletics for an inclusive, transparent approach to explaining the fee increase proposal to them and didn鈥檛 disagree an increase was needed, they objected to the amount and short time frame for the increase.
鈥淚 do want to support athletics, and graduate students do as well. And we see that value,鈥� said Travis Broadhurst, Graduate and Professional Student Association president, who spoke at Tuesday鈥檚 Regents meeting via Zoom while out of the country working on fieldwork for his graduate degree. 鈥淏ut frankly, this increase is too steep, too drastic, and I think needs a little bit more explanation to the student body to justify such an increase.鈥�
Athletics initially requested a moderately higher increase (about $30 more next year and the same increase in two years).
Student Regent Victor Reyes echoed he wasn鈥檛 opposed to student fees being increased for athletics, but not by as much as was requested and not as quickly. He succeeded in getting the request lowered moderately, but it will still be a two-year, phase-in on the new fees.
Based on 2023 fiscal year data, UNM ranked eighth out of 12 Mountain West members (11 fulltime member schools and football-only member Hawaii) in the amount of student fees going toward Athletics.
MLG joins other Dem governors to decry proposed Medicaid cuts in nation鈥檚 most-reliant state- Patrick Lohmann,
New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday called on Congress , joining a handful of other Democratic governors to decry the cuts as a giveaway to the ultra-wealthy on the backs of the working poor.
As Lujan Grisham noted in the call with the Democratic Governors of America, 840,000 New Mexicans are on Medicaid, which is more than 40% of the state. That鈥檚 the highest per capita rate of Medicaid coverage in the country, according to recent estimates.
In addition to people losing their healthcare, she predicted the cuts would spell the closure of several hundred hospitals nationwide. In New Mexico, which already faces healthcare shortages particularly in rural areas, that will result in less access to care, she said.
鈥淭hat means you鈥檙e driving not one hour or two hours for care,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t means that you鈥檙e likely driving four or five hours for care.鈥�
According to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office, more than 10 million people would lose Medicaid coverage by 2030 under the current version of the spending bill making its way through Congress.
The bill also would impose work requirements for those receiving Medicaid. The other Democratic governors on the call, including Jared Polis of Colorado, Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Laura Kelly of Kansas, had slightly different takes on what the work requirements could mean.
Polis, for example, said the American people would be fortunate if Medicaid work requirements emerged as the worst thing to come out of Congress, so long as states had flexibility in how to administer it.
Lujan Grisham spoke up after Polis鈥� comment, saying that Medicaid work requirements are 鈥渢ried, not true,鈥� and would ultimately impose a heavy administrative burden on states without spurring an increase in employment.
鈥淵ou have many working poor people on minimum wage in any of our states, whether that鈥檚 a state minimum wage or the federal wage, it鈥檚 not enough to afford health insurance,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his notion that you鈥檝e got all these folks who aren鈥檛 working, who willingly choose that, is also a false narrative.鈥�
The governors expressed alarm at the proposed cuts, and said their states can鈥檛 afford them. A received nearly $9 billion for Medicaid in 2024. That鈥檚 equal to more than 80% of the state鈥檚 newly passed, record operational budget of $10.8 billion.
鈥淲e want every American to understand what this really means, and not let Congress off the hook in the dark of night to cut a backroom deal with this president on the backs of working American families, on the backs of New Mexico working families,鈥� Lujan Grisham said. 鈥淟et鈥檚 tell Congress what we think of these outrageous cuts to basic necessities for everyday, hardworking families.鈥�
Money race heats up in NM's open contest for governor- Dan Boyd
While the first votes in New Mexico鈥檚 open contest for governor won鈥檛 be cast for nearly a year, the money race is already in full swing.
Democrat Sam Bregman recently announced he had raised more than $1 million in campaign contributions in the five weeks since launching his campaign on April 10.
His Democratic primary rival, former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, said she has received nearly $3.7 million in donations since announcing her campaign in mid-February.
The indicate next year鈥檚 gubernatorial race will, as expected, be an expensive one, following on the heels of the 2022 race between Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Republican Mark Ronchetti.
In that year鈥檚 race, Lujan Grisham spent roughly $13 million on her successful re-election campaign, while Ronchetti spent more than $9 million. Those figures do not include hefty spending on the race by outside groups.
Bregman, who is currently the Bernalillo County district attorney, said his fundraising figure shows he has built momentum in the race.
鈥淔or too long, the status quo has left too many behind,鈥� he said in a statement. 鈥淣ow, people across the state are stepping up because they鈥檙e ready for change.鈥�
The $1 million-plus in contributions does not include any personal loans from Bregman to his campaign or any contributions from his son Alex Bregman, an All-Star third baseman with the Boston Red Sox, said Bregman campaign spokeswoman Joanie Griffin.
She also said the Bregman campaign has about $850,000 in its account, with some spending on digital advertising.
For her part, Haaland said her campaign has received contributions from roughly 51,000 people, with an average donation of about $72 per donor.
Her campaign had a balance of about $1.7 million in its account as of last month, according to a report filed with Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver鈥檚 office.
鈥淲e鈥檙e running a grassroots campaign to fight for hardworking New Mexicans,鈥� Haaland said in a statement. 鈥淭his campaign is going to be funded by the people, and that鈥檚 the way it should be.鈥�
Bregman and Haaland will soon be joined in the Democratic primary race by former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima, who plans to launch his campaign officially next week after previously . Lt. Gov. Howie Morales is also considering entering the race.
On the Republican side, Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull confirmed his plans to run for governor last month after reporting . He鈥檚 expected to announce his campaign formally next month.
Cannabis entrepreneur and former state Cabinet secretary Duke Rodriguez is also , with a final decision expected by this summer. Other candidates could also join the race in the coming months.
New Mexico鈥檚 2026 race for governor is an open contest, since Lujan Grisham is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term.
The state鈥檚 primary election is scheduled for June 2026, with the general election then set for Nov. 3.
Heinrich Calls for end to blockade of food, aid to Gaza- Kevin Hendricks
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has joined Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) in introducing a resolution urging the Trump Administration to employ all diplomatic means to end the blockade of food and humanitarian aid to Gaza. The resolution expresses significant concern over the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, including the risk of widespread starvation among children.
The resolution highlights that since March 2, the Israeli Government has blocked food and emergency aid from reaching Palestinian civilians in Gaza. This blockade includes essential supplies such as medicine, infant formula and fuel. The impact has been severe, with the closure of all 25 World Food Program-supported bakeries in Gaza, depletion of wheat flour and cooking fuel, and the running out of food parcels meant to last families two weeks. The United Nations reports that approximately 10,000 children have been identified as suffering from acute malnutrition since January 2025.
鈥淲e must deliver critically needed food and medicine to innocent civilians in Gaza facing extreme hunger, death, disease and widespread destruction,鈥� Heinrich said. 鈥淲hile Israel has the right to defend itself, it must follow U.S. and international humanitarian law. Unfortunately, Israel has been and continues to act in direct violation of the requirements mandated under the Foreign Assistance Act and the Arms Export Control Act.鈥�
Heinrich also said a long-term, post-war plan is vital for lasting peace in the region.
鈥淎s we continue to pursue pathways to achieve a two-state solution, which remains crucial both for Palestinians鈥� sovereignty and self-determination and for Israel鈥檚 security in the region, we must work toward a long-term, post-war plan that can achieve lasting peace in the region,鈥� Heinrich said.
The resolution is co-sponsored by several other senators, including Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).
Sandia Labs tops DOE facilities in supply chain savings-
Sandia National Laboratories has reduced supply chain costs more than any other U.S. Department of Energy site over the past 12 years.
Totaling $439 million in savings, Sandia is responsible for nearly a quarter of the $2 billion in cost reductions from DOE鈥檚 Supply Chain Management Center since 2013 鈥� when Sandia joined the program 鈥� according to a May news release from the lab.
The cost savings align with President Trump鈥檚 recent goals to cut back on spending though the DOE work has spanned multiple administrations.
And, it鈥檚 an especially important time to save money amid economic uncertainty happening on a federal level, caused by global tariffs the Trump administration has threatened, implemented or plans to implement, said local trade expert Jerry Pacheco.
鈥淥ne of the hardest jobs in the world right now would have to be supply chain manager and trying to save money here and there, because you could be subject to tariffs, either exporting your goods or importing to the United States,鈥� said Pacheco, executive director of the Border Industrial Association.
Sandia鈥檚 savings are a result of establishing purchase agreements that multiple DOE sites can share, according to Sandia鈥檚 news release. There are 117 contractor agreements across the entire Supply Chain Management Center.
鈥淐ollaboration is key,鈥� said Scott Bissen, senior director of the DOE鈥檚 Supply Chain Management Center, in a statement. 鈥淭his achievement is proof of what happens when prime contractors work together for the benefit of the enterprise.鈥�
University of New Mexico Economics Professor Mat铆as Fontenla agreed that a centralized supply chain has clear benefits, adding that it comes with consistency and less paperwork on top of savings.
鈥淎s long as it allows for some flexibility to deal with specific issues, the transparency and cost efficiencies win out,鈥� he said.
Government supply chains tend to be centralized, according to Julie Niederhoff, associate professor of supply chain management in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University.
鈥淒ecisions are made for a larger geographic area or across several locations or product lines,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ith this bigger perspective, a company can get volume discounts and make sure products and services are price competitive, at a consistent quality and generally consistent across the network.鈥�
Pacheco said every company involved in global supply chains needs to think about their business positions, applauding how Sandia is doing it.
鈥淭his is the kind of innovative thinking I think we need right now to mitigate risk and to bring a little more certainty to industry,鈥� he said.