Category: Student Life

Equity Council SharePoint Site

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Story by Salvador Zambrano

Staff Reporter

The Equity Council, a group comprised of CNM staff and employees, has designed a SharePoint Site that will provide monthly updates to the CNM community, said Travis Thompson, a member of the Equity Council.

Each month the site will provide information on different topics of racism as well as definitions and writing from their members regarding racial problems. Other informational resources will be available through the site like videos and pieces of artistic expression to promote a greater awareness, he said.

“The goal of our site is to create a greater understanding around racial equity, diversity, inclusion, race, ethnicity, white privilege culture, as well as to build a culture of anti-racism within and around our communities,” he said.

The Council is currently seeking approval on different ways to spread their information, said Sonia Crawford, a member of the Equity Council. They intend to spread their information to the entire CNM community.

The site is currently available and can be viewed by the CNM community but has not yet been announced by the Equity Council.

The site was designed to be easy to access important information as to encourage people to come back to the site to gain future information on different topics, said Thompson.

“We want to give credit to the entire Equity Council for their effort in making this site possible”, said both Thompson and Crawford.

The Equity Council site can be found by searching for them through the MyCNM website or by clicking here. The site gives more information on their goals as well as who is a part of the Council.

All information provided on their site is also available in Spanish for any Spanish speaking readers who are interested in learning more about the Equity Council.

Montoya Goes Green and Greener

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Photos by

Mark Graven

Staff Writer

The Memorial Day thunderstorm may have poured approximately two inches of rain on parts of Albuquerque, according to the weatherman.  Along H Building at CNM’s Montoya Campus the influx of moisture is paying off big time in terms of extremely green grass for at least the first week of June.   North of Montoya, across the arroyo, at Oso Grande State Park, it is green, almost as far as the eye can see.

Sounds of a Ball Game Reverberate

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Story and Photos

by Mark Graven

Staff Writing

Front of Isotopes Stadium

Walking through the parking lot of CNM’s Student Service Center on the sunny afternoon of May 25th, sounds of a ball game were reverberating.
Looking over the fence on the South side of CNM’ main campus, one could see fans in the stands at Isotopes Stadium.
An organ player was revving up the crowd with traditional baseball motivators like the “Charge” cheer; “Day-O, Day-O,” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.”
The Albuquerque Isotopes were hosting the Oklahoma City Dodgers. The score of the game ended up 12 to 0, in favor of the Dodgers, but sports were back, in an area where they had been dormant because of the covid pandemic.
So there appeared to be some joy in ABQ, even though the home team had struck out. Fans were in the stands, and cars were filling the parking lots. Baseball was bringing the New Mexico sports Mecca–which also includes University Stadium for UNM Lobo football and “The Pit” basketball arena– back to life.
Folks can checks the Isotopes website for the schedule of games and ticket prices.

The Cost of College Could Change

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Story by

Angela Harrington

Staff Reporter

United States President Joe Biden unveiled on April 28, 2021, the American Families Plan, which according to a Fact Sheet released on the same day by whitehouse.gov is a plan that is going to offer 2 years of community college to all Americans, including DREAMers.

It also proposes to provide an increase in the amount of individual Pell Grant awards by an additional $1,400 per student and allow DREAMers to access Pell Grants as well.

The Plan would also provide two years of free universal pre-K education, make child care more affordable, provide twelve weeks of paid family and medical leave to employees, as well as additional provisions. 

Through legislative processes, Congress will consider the proposal.

The House and Senate have to pass the bill before it can take effect.

If the bill does not receive bipartisan support, then it may onlybe able to pass through a reconciliation vote, which requires only a simple majority vote in the Senate. 

The money to finance this plan will come from taxes according to whitehouse.gov, but the majority of Americans will not feel the impact of those taxes.

The taxes will be taken from people who make $400,000 or more annually. 

 

To read more about the proposed plan check out this link:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/28/fact-sheet-the-american-families-plan/

To learn more about what a reconciliation vote is and how it works, check out this link: 

https://budget.house.gov/publications/fact-sheet/budget-reconciliation-basics

Coyote Incursion at Montoya

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Photos and Story by

Mark Graven

Staff Wildlife Reporter


While the pandemic has brought human activity at CNM’s Joseph M. Montoya Campus to a minimum, it appears that some coyotes are attempting to reclaim the domain for the Animal Kingdom. The coyotes have created a base in the drainage tunnels under G Building, according to CNM postings. Signs have been placed in a variety of places around Montoya campus warning humans of increased coyote sightings in the area. Nestled in the foothills of the Sandia Mountain in Northeast Albuquerque, the campus is fairly open to nature. Photos taken May 20th.

  • Coyote sighting sign over campus bench.
  • G Building
  • Coyotes in drainage tunnel sign
  • Coyote sighting sign on campus
  • Bookstore coyote warning

A Celebration with Sol

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Story and Photos by

Angela Harrington

Staff Reporter

CNM’s first ever post virtual graduation ceremony celebration was a success!
Graduating students and their friends and families lined up in their vehicles to make their way through the Smith-Brasher parking lot on Saturday May 1st, and patiently waited to be cheered and revered for the successes they have accomplished.
Sol the Suncat was there to make sure it was a lively time!
The route was lined with faculty and staff, clapping and waving, as each graduate rolled up and got out of their vehicle to be presented with a beautiful diploma cover and other school memorabilia.
As the traditional Pomp and Circumstance March played over the loud speaker, Dean of Students Chris Cavazos busily coordinated the announcement of each graduate’s name as they arrived.
CNM President Tracy Hartzler greeted the graduates and happily posed for quick photos with them as they made their way around the stage area, where CNM Board Members and additional faculty were waiting to congratulate them.
There was no shortage of enthusiasm or elation at the socially distanced and masked celebration.

See slide show below

  • Sol and graduates celebrating
  • CNM staff celebrating
  • Staff members ready to cheer on the graduates
  • Sol the Suncat
  • CNM Mascot Sol celebrating with graduates
  • CNM President Tracy Hartzler
  • Celebration stage area
  • CNM Board Members and faculty congratulating the graduates
  • Celebratory Cheer Squad

Graduate and Celebrate!

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Story by Angela Harrington

Staff Reporter

Photo by the CNM Chronicle

To accompany this year’s virtual graduation ceremony, CNM will host a graduation celebration, according to Dean of Students, Chris Cavazos.

The celebration is scheduled to take place on May 1st from 2-4 pm, and students are welcome at any time during this window, said Cavazos.

Cavazos explained that the event would be a parade style route through the Smith Brasher parking lot on CNM’s Main Campus.

CNM faculty and staff will be lining the route to cheer and celebrate the graduates, said Cavazos.

CNM is encouraging only one vehicle per graduate, and family and friends will be asked to remain inside of the vehicles due to COVID-19 restrictions, Cavazos said.

“There will be a stage area where graduates will be allowed out of their vehicles for a photo opportunity,” stated Cavazos.

Members of the Executive Team and CNM Board Members have also been invited to be present on the stage, Cavazos explained.

In addition to CNM diploma covers, Cavazos said, “We will be giving away some CNM swag for our graduates.”

The staff will attempt to move the parade along fairly quickly, but with enough time to allow for students to have their moment, said Cavazos.

Bookstore Branching Out

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Story by Salvador Zambrano

Staff reporter

Area Director at the CNM Bookstore Ann Heaton said the bookstore is currently working with their buying team on adding new merchandise to the store, like UNM, NMSU, and New Mexico United. She also added, the CNM Bookstore which is located in the newly finished CNM Marketplace building would like people to know that they want to be a part of the community and not just seen as CNM’s Bookstore.

 The new bookstore will still offer the same services that they have always offered as well as new food services offered at the marketplace, she said.

A Grab-N-Go option will be available to the community and as more people return to the campus area more options will become available, she said.

Heaton added, “we are also planning on opening a Starbucks as proudly serving for the fall and then opening it as a fully licensed Starbucks in spring 2022.”

There were mixed emotions regarding the new move, but her team has adjusted well and are excited to be in the new building, she said.

“It has been exciting being in this new location with so much natural lighting occurring all around us. We love the feel of not just looking like a ‘college bookstore’ but having more of an appearance of a regular retailer.” She said.

Covid-19 preparations have been made to ensure the safety of students and employees as they begin to return to campus within the next month, said Heaton.

SSC: Days are numbered

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Story and Photo by

Mark Graven

Staff Writer

The front of the SSC Building

The days of CNM’s current Student Service Center are apparently numbered, according to college officials.
Tracey Hartzler, CNM’S president, announced in January that CNM would be building a new Student Service Center on an area now occupied by a parking lot in front of the Ted Chavez building, at the southeast corner of Coal Avenue Southeast and University Boulevard.  The new Service Center will come on line in 2023, according to Hartzler.
CNM officials are saying that the plan is not to remodel, or convert the current service center to other use, but to completely demolish the building.
Such was the fate of “N” building last year.  N has been replaced by a plaza, and parking spaces.
CNM officials say that a new applied technologies building could go on the space currently occupied by SSC, as the current applied technology building–Ted Chavez–is slated for eventual demolition, as well.