Day: May 22, 2012
A question of ethics
By: Carrie Ratkevich, Staff Reporter
‘Anonymous’ instructor evalutations contain student information
The anonymous class evaluation surveys that students are asked to complete at the end of each term are not actually anonymous, said former Communications Humanities and Social Sciences Instructor Julia So.
Emails sent through myCNM at the end of each term offer the evaluations and claim that students will have complete anonymity, said So. Though the results are not available until after grades are released, instructors can see who has and has not taken the evaluation survey. So said she felt that anonymous is supposed to mean that instructors cannot see any names.
“It’s quick and easy and completely anonymous. Your instructors will see only the tabulated results—they will never see your name attached to your responses, and no results will be released to any instructors until all grades are recorded and posted,” read the emails sent to students.
So reported this issue to administration in August 2011, according to emails from So to administration. Lundgren replied that it was an option with the software that did not need to be used, said Lundgren in an email
Instructors can see a list of students who have and have not taken the evaluation survey, said Associate Dean of SAGE Louanne Lundgren. It would be nearly impossible to connect names with the response, she said.
“It was decided at the meeting, based on the faculty input, we would not use this option and faculty will not receive access to any of the information until after grades are completed,” said Lundgren in an email response.
This is in conflict with ethical research, regardless of when results are released, because of the promise of anonymity, which means that the names of participants should remain unknown to both CNM and the instructors, So said.
“CNM may not claim itself as a research institution; however, being a teaching institution does not exempt us from following the ethics of research,” said So via email.
As of Spring 2012, the list of who has and has not completed the survey is still available to faculty, said So.
Michael Crane, President of the Faculty Senate also disagrees with the release of the participant names and is meeting with the academy deans to fix the issue, he said in an email to the faculty senate.
“As a statistician, I am opposed to the practice, and the arguments so far offered in support of this practice are weak at best and counter-productive at worst,” said Crane.
In the past the Dean’s Council has objected to keeping the names of the participant hidden, said So in an email.
“If the college intends to reveal the names of students who take the survey, yet tells the students otherwise, it is an outright lie and such behavior violates the ethic of conducting research,” she said.
It is possible to turn out useful data from the evaluation surveys and be ethically sound, said So.
“I worked at the Office of Institutional Research for several years and know for a fact that a simple program can churn out useful data without compromising any ethics,” So said via email.
The spring term was So’s last term teaching at CNM, she said.
“I am not convinced that the administration would not disallow faculty access to students’ names. If that is the case, then I will rest my case and leave CNM with a heavy heart,” said So.
Students selected as finalists in prestigious competition
By: Joel Gilleland, Staff Reporter
Two Geographic Information Technology students have qualified to compete in the final round of the Esri International User Conference in San Diego, CA, said Amy Ballard, full-time instructor and applied technologies department chair.
Laurance Armour and Jennifer Lewis Fowler are two of only six finalists in the nation-wide competition that study geospatial skills and technology, said Ballard.
“These two students did it. They took the tests and got in there. I really give them a huge amount of credit for going that extra mile because they are doing this during their final semester here at CNM. It’s a really big deal,” said Ballard.
Armour recently graduated with an associate degree in Geographic Information Technology, but said he plans to take more courses at CNM in order to get into UNM’s computer science program.
‘Leonardo’ scrutinized
By: Carrie Ratkevich, Staff Reporter
Magazine criticized for lack of student inclusion
In the 2012 edition of “Leonardo”, CNM’s literary magazine, editors abused power for their own personal gain, said Allocation Board member James Roach.
Of the five editors, three had five or more of their own works published in the magazine. Out of hundreds of student submissions, only 25 total authors and artists were included, according to the magazine’s table of contents.
“Leonardo”, which was released in April, started with 243 submissions this year, which is about the average number received each year, said “Leonardo” Adviser and full time CHSS instructor Patrick Houlihan.
“I am ashamed of how these students have selfishly taken advantage of this student organization to make themselves feel more important; it’s just distasteful,” said Roach.
The magazine used to be a project for a class which has been since cut from the curriculum, said Houlihan. All of the editors and layout designers are volunteers, he said.
The pieces that made it into the magazine were chosen by a majority vote, said General Studies graduate and “Leonardo” Editor Cat Hubka. Hubka had 10 pieces in the magazine, more than any other contributor.
Editorial: There are worse things than going to the bookstore… right?
If the powers that be at CNM really want to show that they care about students, they would do something substantial about the traumatic experience students face each term in purchasing textbooks.
Textbooks, which are touted as critical to the learning experience, cost roughly the same as a kidney transplant, but without comparable benefits or resale value.
Woe betide the student who needs a “CNM edition” of any book – the cost of an overpriced non-resalable copy of the Math0940 textbook is enough to make anyone cry.
Editorial Cartoon Issue 31
Albuquerque gets ACE’d
By: Jyllian Roach, Managing Editor
Second annual convention brings big names to Albuquerque
The second annual Albuquerque Comic Expo will have big stars and unique events, said the expo’s co-founder Greg Derrick.
The event, scheduled for June 8-10, is living up to that belief by bringing comic book legend Stan Lee, and indie film icons Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes to the Duke City, said Derrick.
“We wanted to bring something cool to Albuquerque; that not only we wanted to attend, but that our friends would want to attend,” said Derrick.
Many big names in the comic and sci-fi worlds, such as Peter Mayhew (“Star Wars”) and Adam Baldwin (“Firefly”, “Chuck”), are making their first visit to Albuquerque for the convention, said former Network Administration major and expo co-owner Craig Butler.
“It’s going to be a really cool thing,” said Butler.
Serial killers in love
By: Jyllian Roach, Managing Roach
Local film includes former students
Locally filmed indie horror movie “I HEART U” features the talents of many CNM graduates and students, said director and actor Billy Garberina.
The film, which debuts at the Guild on June 8 in conjunction with the second annual Albuquerque Comic Expo, includes former Network Administration major Craig Butler, and former History major Melissa Roberge as associate producers, Liberal Arts major Jaymi McNulty and Film Technician certificate recipient Starr Welty as actors, and frequent guest lecturer Julian Wolf as specialty casting director and set designer, said Garberina.
The movie was shot at 42 locations in the Albuquerque area, with an almost entirely New Mexican cast and crew, said Garberina.
Even though he now lives in New York, he will always shoot his films in New Mexico, said Garberina.
College eating without the Ramen
By: Stefany Olivas, Business Manager
Local farmers markets offer afordable health foods
There are multiple farmers markets throughout New Mexico that accept government food assistance, such as food stamps, said Catherine Gordon, market manager of Nob Hill Growers Market.
The value of helping all people obtain affordable, minimally processed food is priceless, said Gordon.
“It’s about getting real food to all people. This is one avenue for doing that,” said Gordon.
Market managers and local farmers are working to create a farmers market for every neighborhood in the state to provide the opportunity for families to have affordable healthy foods, she said.
“There is no question of the cultural impact on the community, and the health of it,” said Gordon.
Temporary remedy
By: Carrie Ratkevich, Staff Reporter
Art department transitions to new home
Despite the challenges of moving to a new space, art department instructors are working to make the best of the situation, said full-time art instructor Lynn Johnson.
The art department has temporarily moved to the N building, said Johnson. The department was given three connected classrooms and an office area, she said. There is no place for a student gallery at this time. The space will have to be renovated in the future, so a new space will have to be found at that time, said Johnson.
“It’s really hard. The portables were hideous, but they had been functioning so well for 15 years,” said Johnson.
The art department was forced to move from their portables after some fire safety concerns were identified last term, said Johnson. The art department had been in the portables for 15 years.