Campus Sexual Assault Examined, Documentary Filmmaker Justin Hunt, NM Economy & Job Opportunities

This week on NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, Gwyneth Doland looks at the issue of campus sexual assault. The number of rapes reported at four-year colleges increased by 49 percent from 2008 to 2012, according to an investigative series by National Public Radio, and a report by the Center for Public Integrity found that students responsible for such assaults often face little or no punishment. Doland speaks with members of a new Sexual Violence Taskforce that was formed at UNM last year, about steps the university is taking to ensure students remain safe and perpetrators are punished.

NMiF Producer Megan Kamerick sits down with documentary filmmaker Justin Hunt, who worked as a news anchor and reporter in New Mexico, and made the films “American Meth” and “Absent.” They discuss his new project, which examines the rising level of pornography addiction around the world.

The Line opinion panel delves into a series by Albuquerque Business First about why the state is losing so many professionals. New Mexico is the only state in the Southwest where more people have left than have moved in. What does this say about the strength of the state’s economy and the various projects business and political leaders are working on to grow business and entrepreneurship in New Mexico?

The group also discusses the plan to seek a rate hike by Public Service Co. of New Mexico, or PNM. The utility will seek an unspecified increase from the Public Regulation Commission to recover costs for its investments in infrastructure, and to make up for a drop in power consumption.

GUESTS:
Tomás Aguirre, Dean of Students, University of New Mexico
Angela Catena, Women’s Resource Center, University of New Mexico
Justin Hunt, Documentary Filmmaker
Summer Little, Women’s Resource Center, University of New Mexico

LINE PANELISTS:
Sophie Martin, Attorney
Rob Nikolewski, New Mexico Watchdog

LINE GUEST PANELISTS:
Javier Benavidez, Southwest Organizing Project
Rachel Sams, Albuquerque Business First

CORRESPONDENT:
Gwyneth Doland

Host:
Gene Grant

The Producer of NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS is Megan Kamerick. Associate Producer is Kathy Wimmer. Funding for this program was provided in part by the McCune Foundation.

Episode 809 for air September 5, 2014