The 69th Senate of the Associated Students of New Mexico State University convened on Oct. 2 to address reimbursements and hear a presentation from the ASNMSU Supreme Court about its services to NMSU students, and new initiative to make the judicial process more accessible to students.
In a unanimous vote, the senate passed sub-bill #133, approving a $14,047 reimbursement to the NMSU’s Intercollegiate Floral Team for their participation in a national competition. The team traveled to Palm Springs to compete at the Student American Institute of Floral Designers (SAIFD) conference.
The SAIFD Reflection Symposium, held July 12-15, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, welcomed 767 attendees from 23 countries and 43 U.S. states. The event included presentations, workshops, and lectures from leaders within the floral industry representing a wide variety of countries. This year’s symposium also celebrated SAIFD’s 60th anniversary.
A representative from the floral team, Journey Lopez, emphasized the significance of the event, mentioning the prestige of SAIFD.
“It is the most prestigious institute for floral design in the world. People travel all around the world to attend this, and to be certified by this organization,” Lopez said.
To approve this reimbursement, which exceeded the typical $10,000 limit (per the bylaws), the senate moved to suspend bylaw 7-4-3-H-1. This bylaw caps reimbursements and appropriations at $10,000 per organization unless funds are transferred from the ASNMSU Cardinal Account, which requires a three-fourths vote and a minimum balance of $30,000.
The supreme court made an appearance, in which Chief Justice Danielle Duran and other members of the ASNMSU supreme court presented to the senate about the court’s functions and announced a new program to help students navigate the judicial system.
Duran explained that the court handles various matters that impact the general student body. The court processes lawsuits between parties and hears weekly parking citation appeals for students who receive a ticket on campus.
The Supreme Court also operates the “It’s on Us” program, a national initiative focused on addressing sexual assault and domestic violence on college campuses, providing resources and support for student safety. Vice president Kolby Graham Taylor elaborated on the importance of the Supreme Court’s duties, particularly in demystifying the judicial process for students.
“People are kinda scared to hear the word ‘court,’ but if you just break it down for them and let them know that they can appeal tickets if they feel like they didn’t deserve it, then it’s gonna help both sides out because our court’s busy, and they are also getting their tickets appealed,” Graham Taylor said.
Additional services include a legal event series offering workshops and activities for students interested in pursuing law careers, an attorney referral program that connects students who need legal representation with attorneys across New Mexico, and a renters handbook available on the ASNMSU website to help students understand their rights and responsibilities as tenants.
The supreme court said they are also launching a special investigation request system that will assign a Deputy Attorney General to assist students who are unfamiliar with filing motions and navigating the processes and procedures of the courts. Duran noted that the traditional trial process was often too inaccessible and time-consuming for the general student body.
“We have some student feedback that the trial process for an average year is inaccessible. It takes a lot of time. We also have to have a lot of wherewithal to go through the court process and learn how to file motions, how to write motions like that,” Duran said. “So, taking that into account, we do have a new program for students that are unfamiliar with ASNMSU and the courts in particular may just not bring up their concerns through the court.”
The senate also discussed upcoming election dates for ASNMSU senator positions. Campaign week is scheduled for Oct. 13-17, with election week following from Oct. 20-24. Polling locations will be outside of both Corbett Center Student Union and Hardman and Jacobs.
