While less than half (42.7 percent) of UNM undergraduates reportedly engage in “binge” drinking, those who do will incur substantially more problems than peers who abstain from alcohol or drink moderately.

At UNM, one of four students report academic problems associated with drinking – missing class, falling behind and doing poorly on an exam or paper. Alcohol is a contributing factor in the majority of sexually transmitted infections and sexual assault cases. Traffic fatalities – the leading cause of death for this age group – frequently involve alcohol.

Just as youth may think they’re immune to negative consequences, parents may believe their students will make wise choices and avoid negative consequences related to alcohol/other drug abuse. Given the potential harm even one occasion of binge drinking poses, it is valuable for every parent to understand the risks and to have a conversation with their student.

Clearly communicate your expectations, make safety the “bottom line,” and encourage using the following protective measures:

• Never drink & drive. Use a sober, designated driver or alternative transportation
• Use the buddy system: friends stay together and look out for one another
• Avoid drinking games and guzzling
• Maintain a blood alcohol concentration below .08% (Calculate Your BAC at unm.edu/~cosap)

For more information, contact the UNM Campus Office of Substance Abuse Prevention at 277‑2795 or cosap@​unm.​edu.

College Parents of America is a good resource for UNM parents. Free informative articles are posted on the organization’s Web site regularly. Parents choosing to join as full members will find comprehensive resources and detailed information on everything from college savings strategies to stories about the challenges and opportunities in child and parent relations during the college years.

This week, CPA President James Boyle reviews a book chapter on common myths about grades in college.

Students who work on campus are better engaged and more likely to graduate.

If your student is interested in holding a campus job, encourage a stop at the first annual UNM Student Job Fair Friday, Aug. 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Duck Pond.

More than 40 campus departments will be represented with information about entry level and other positions.

Student job information is also online. Many students begin to document experience and activities, public service and community contributions as early as high school. Encourage them to develop this information into a short resume and to keep a list of references handy. Most campus employers are required to check at least two work and/or personal references.

The fair is sponsored by the Graduation Task Force Student Engagement Initiative and UNM’s Career Services.

During his first 80+ days on the job, President David Schmidly worked with his leadership team to develop a vision document for the University titled, “UNM in the 21^st Century – A New President’s Vision.”

At their Aug. 14 meeting, the UNM Board of Regents unanimously approved a dozen goals and major milestones for the President to accomplish. The aim of this document is to guide the president and his executive leadership team as they work on an ambitious agenda for the university and the State of New Mexico. It will also serve as the basis of the President’s annual evaluation.

The president’s goals include forming the first UNM parent association. Schmidly’s vision statement, goals and other key documents are posted on the president’s Web site.

Also available online is the President’s Report, presented to the Board of Regents at its regular meeting. This report highlights accomplishments of the university.

President Schmidly urges university stakeholders to review each of these documents and offer suggestions via e‐mail. You can e‐mail President Schmidly at: unmpres@​unm.​edu with comments on these documents or for any other issue.

New Head Baseball Coach Ray Birmingham plans to establish a heritage of Lobo baseball. To launch it, he is hosting a free scrimmage game between current and former Lobo baseball players on Saturday, Sept. 29 at 1 p.m. tentatively scheduled at Isotopes Stadium. Prior to the game, the alums and the Lobos will take some batting practice, as will UNM President David Schmidly, Athletic Director Paul Krebs and Asst. AD Tim Cass. 

Organized by former players Ernie Blackstone, (’78), Rick Ronquillo (’83) and Walt Arnold (’80), the connections between former and current players are already being made.

“I invite everyone to come and be a part of this. We are about building a family first. We want families to attend. The game is just for fun and we will have a little tailgating afterward with sandwiches and chips. After that, we all need to cross the street and go watch the Lobo football team beat BYU,” he said. 

An academic advisor in UNM’s University College should become a new student’s best friend, says Vanessa Harris, advisement director. Advisors help students in registering for the correct courses, assist in exploring interests that could become a major and provide referrals to additional student services.

If a student is required to take Introductory Studies (IS) course(s) they should register for those during their first and second semesters, Harris says.

“We strongly recommend that your student be registered for at least 15 hours,” she adds. “Students must earn a 2.5 GPA to receive the NM lottery scholarship at the end of the fall semester.”

Other general tips to help make your student more successful at UNM, include:

+ Check out the academic calendar at the Registrar’s Office for key dates and deadlines.
+ Take advantage of free tutoring and skill‐building workshops through CAPS (located on the 3^rd floor of Zimmerman Library).
+ Get to know professors early in the semester. Go to faculty office hours with questions and concerns, as early and often as possible.
+ Learn the locations of computer pods. Computers may crash at the worst possible moment so always back up your work on a jump drive.
+ Get a copy of the UNM shuttle bus schedule. Take a trial run to see how long it takes to get to a specific destination.
+ Get to know your roommates. Establish ground rules and open lines of communication.