Category: Student News

CNM ISSUES ADVISORY ON OUT OF STATE TRAVEL

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Story By

Mark Graven

Staff Writer


CNM, through its Marketing and Communications Office (MCO), has issued an advisory for students contemplating travel outside of New Mexico during the holiday season. 
The advisory reads as follows:
If you travel out-of state, a 14-day self quarantine is required in most cases upon return to NM;  students please note that Thanksgiving travel could jeopardize your ability to finish Fall Term classes.
With the holiday season approaching, it’s important to be aware of the Governor’s  (Michelle Luhan Grisham) current executive order related to travel outside of New Mexico.  People returning to New Mexico from states deemed to be high-risk for COVID-19 are no longer exempt from the 14-day self quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of their arrival in New Mexico.  All individuals arriving from high-risk states, according to this New Mexico Department of Health web page that is updated weekly– https:cv.nmhealth.org/travel-recommendations/ — must self-quarantine for a period of no less than 14 days.  Currently, 45 states and the District of Colimbia are on the high-risk list.  For student taking on-campus classes who travel out of state, the state’s self-quarantine requirement could cause them to miss classes or final exams.  There’s also a 14-day self-quarantine requirement if you travel outside the country.
The MCO reported in its Self Assessment Totals that, as of November 9th, there have been 34 covid cases among CNM students, at all campuses, with no deaths.

Students on Campus Speak Out

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Story, Photos, and Audio by

Olawale Oluwakoya

Staff Reporter

Audio File of Interview

The following information was provided by a group of students within the Paramedics program at CNM and due to the nature of the information they provided they have requested to maintain some form of anonymity. The CNM Chronicle has removed the names of the students.

The students are not allowed to use on-campus appliances

The Covid 19 virus has affected the whole Paramedic program here at CNM.  Students have already had to re-imagine a lot of scenarios. The transition to online only makes it worse, said one CNM paramedic student. 

Our lectures are pretty much independent studies. There is a lot of prescribed YouTube videos providing a lot of information but also creating a lot of question marks, with no physical instructors to provide answers, meaning we have to email our teachers a lot, said another student.

“We are not doing better without the other students around, we like that it is quiet, but we do not like being in college with no one on campus, we miss talking to people,  we like working with other people, 100% we miss the students”, said the group.

The one good thing is that the parking lot is usually empty, although even though the campus is basically empty students still have to pay for parking, at least there is not a fight for parking spots, said another student. 

Directions for EMS students.

General parking should be free. It is only five dollars, but in the student’s opinion it is a tactic by the school to make extra income, said the group.

Students try to follow the covid-19 guidelines but sometimes they forget to wear their masks. It is hard to be perfect, said another student.

The students share a belief that they will not contract covid-19 on campus, if they were to get it anywhere it would be off-campus, said the paramedic students.

One of the most frustrating things they have to deal with is when they are on campus for nine hours but they are not allowed to bring food, and technically not allowed to bring drinks either, said the group.  

ECOS Frustrated by Lack of Communication with Students

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Story by

Mark Graven

Staff Reporter
As the CNM Executive Council of Students (ECOS) delayed its project of submitting a letter to the college administration regarding concerns about remote learning, ECOS members voiced complaints about their inability to communicate with fellow students.
ECOS President Alex Crossland said, at a remotely attended meeting on Friday, October 16th, that he sensed that many students  feel “isolated,” but that is hard to substantiate because of a lack of communication.

Board Vice-president Imane Bahji said she knows she is frustrated by remote learning, and the difficulty in having “give and take” with professors,
“I go through my weekly cry sessions,”  said Bahji, adding,  “I might have to finish my degree, never sitting in another classroom.”
Bahji suggested that ECOS should hold an on-line event where students “can vent”  on remote learning, if they want.  
No students from the student body at large attended Fridays ECOS meeting.  The meeting are advertised on  ECOS CNM web page, which provide the remote connection to the meetings.  

ECOS does have a Suggestion Box on their CNM page, set up by ECOS Outreach Officer Colin Stapleton, although this has been rarely used.  ECOS said it did receive one suggestion, in the week prior to last Friday meeting.
Stapleton has emphasized that suggestions can be made anonymously.
ECOS has been discussing ways that it can interact with students, and the many student clubs it funds, in one place, but has yet to settle on a solution. 
ECOS members decided to give themselves to the “end of October” to finish their letter to the administration.

Crossland said it may be difficult to have an impact on remote learning for the current semester, but that the letter could help with the Spring term.

A Sky High Wedding

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Story and Media by

Mark Graven

Staff Reporter

Leslie Bordeau, a CNM student in 2014-2015, embarked on marriage in spectacular fashion, getting married to his sweetheart, Lorisa Silva.
The couple, both from Albuquerque, launched their marriage with a party of 10, taking off from the Cottonwood Mall parking lot.
Silva said that a friend suggested a balloon-based wedding to her about a month ago.
“I just thought that was a good idea,” said Silva.
So here they were, and there they went–up, up, and away, in a party that included a minister, a photographer, and various family and friends.
Their balloon was one of 11 Rainbow Ryder balloons taking off from the Cottonwood Mall.  
Ordinarily, Rainbow Ryders would be participating in the Balloon Fiesta, which was canceled this year, due to Covid. 

But Rainbow Ryders and others were keeping the fires burning for ballooning, through private enterprise this year.  Rainbow’s intent is to keep launching flights daily, weather permitting, its representatives said.
Albuquerque officials have encouraged the private party ballooning, labeling it Balloon Siesta.  
There were perhaps 50 balloons dotting the skies over Albuquerque.  During Balloon Fiesta, more than 500 are typically launched.

ECOS working on Improving Remote Learning

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Story by

Mark Graven

Staff Reporter

CNM’s Executive Council of Students (ECOS) is working on a letter to CNM administration regarding concerns about remote learning– the primary method of instruction at CNM during  Covid times, although some “hands on” classes have returned to campus on a restricted basis.
ECOS Vice President Imane Bahji. said she would draft a letter taking up concerns and suggestions students might have about remote learning.  
ECOS board members said they would take up the draft letter at their next meeting which will be conducted remotely on October 9.  (See CNM ECOS web page for details.)

ECOS President Alex Crossland said the CNM administration might be under a false impression that the “school is doing well,” with remote learning. 

“It just feels like we are on a downward trend”

Said crossland

Bahji repeated a concern that she voiced at two previous ECOS meetings:  that remote classes lack a lecture component where students can interact with professors, ask questions, and clarify concepts.  Bahji says she fears that students feel frustrated when they don’t understand concepts, so that the may withdraw from classes, and ultimately drop out of school.
Bahji said many students are seeking “outside resources”  to acquire the understanding the expected to get from their CNM course. 
Cleopatra Romero, a CNM student, who wants to join the ECOS board,  ( See ECOS website for information on how to join ECOS.) said students could be more assertive in contacting their professor with questions.  

“We should encourage students to get in touch with their professor, if they are having trouble,”

SAid Romero


Kristopher Gaussoin, director of student life and discipline at CNM, the advisor for ECOS board, said students should be careful about using outside resources, such as UNM course materials, in that there may be legal implications– such as copyright laws involved.
Gaussoin said that ECOS has a “very powerful voice” in how the school is run,  and that the administration “cares about your opinion.” 
“You should use your power positively,” urged Gaussoin, noting that how ECOS packages its message could play an important part in getting results.
Meanwhile ECOS continues to seek input from students through its Suggestion Box on it CNM web page.  That input can be made anonymously, according to ECOS outreach officer, Colin Stapleton.
Crossland said that he was hopeful that ECOS could improve remote learning in the future, but also effect some change in the current fall semester.

HUMANOIDS GO TO MARKET

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Story and Photos by

Mark Graven

Staff Reporter.

Human-like figures have been spotted in CNM’s newest building, The Market Place–even though, it is not yet open to the public.
Brycon Constuction said the figures are actually plastic mannequins, that will don appropriate CNM apparrell when the market place and it’s new book store do open.  
Racks for books have already been installed, and shoppers will be able to take a break at a Starbucks that is also expected to be housed in the building, Brycon workers said.
Although the building seems almost ready for use, CNM has not yet announced an opening date, although the builders have said the building would be done this fall.

File Your Complaints Under ECOS

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Story by

Mark Graven

Staff Reporter
After its last two board meetings were dominated by discussion of complaints about remote learning at CNM, the Executive Council of Student (ECOS) is seeking more input on the subject from the student body.
Board members say they are encouraging CNM students to give anonymous feedback through the suggestion box it has set up on its CNM web page. 
By searching for “Executive  Council of Students ECOS, Suggestion Box,” students can find a place to voice concerns and suggest improvements, according to ECOS board members.
ECOS Vice-president Imane Bahji brought up her cocerns about remote learning at the ECOS meeting of September 18.   She said that her math and science courses lacked a lecture component, so that it was difficult to interact with professors, ask questions, and clarify difficult concepts.  She said that if students don’t understand what is going on in a course, they might be inclined to drop out of class, and even quit school.
“It is frustrating to students, when they expect lectures, and don’t get them,” said ECOS President Alex Crossland, after discusssion resumed on remote learning at ECOS’s September 25 meeting.
Crossland said that remote learning is beginning to look more like a “self-study” project.
Board members noted that that they, as a board, could not make any decisions regarding remote learning, but they could act as advocates for student concerns to the administration.
Colin Stapleton, ECOS outreach officer., said the ECOS suggestion box allows for anonymity, so student could feel free to express themselves.
Board members said they would be looking at other institutions to see what steps they are doing to make remote learning more palatable and productive.

The End of N Building

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Photograph by

Mark Graven

Staff Reporter

On Sept 23rd, nothing remained of N Building but a pile of rubble, which should be removed within a month, according to representatives of Bradbury Stamm Construction, contractors for the demolition.   The area will become part of the North Parking Lot, according to CNM officials. It took about three weeks for two excavators to take down the building.

Take A Virtual Balloon Ride with The ABQ Balloon Museum

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Story and photos by

Olawale Oluwakoya

Staff Reporter 

CNM students should participate in the Balloon museum virtual field trip because 

Anderson Abruzzo international Balloon Museum

it is fun, educative, informative and a great opportunity to acquire a wealth of knowledge without leaving their couch, said Balloon Museum’s Field Trip and Volunteer Coordinator Katie Farmin. 

The Virtual Field Trips will take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 9:30 am, the lesson is approximately 40 minutes and will be a mix of PowerPoint, video, and some movement, she said. 

The field trip will cover the history of early ballooning, the anatomy of a balloon, the science behind balloon flight, and a short history of the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, she said.

Photo Puzzle Exhibit at the Balloon Museum

“The available dates for the virtual field trips will be provided in the registration form (here). You will have a first and second choice, however, they are not guaranteed. If your choices are not available, you will be contacted to coordinate other possible choices,” she said. 

“Once you register, a confirmation email will be sent out with the date of the field trip. You have the choice of the museum sending a Zoom link, Google Meet link, or we can pop into your class if you have a recurring link with whatever platform you are using for your digital classroom,” she said.

Exhibition at the balloon Museum dedicated to Brave Airfare

After the field trip, another email will be sent out with additional material for students to reflect on what they learned, she said. 

If students have any more questions they can send an email kfarmin@cabq.gov or call (505) 768-6027, said Katie Farmin. 

The End is Near

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Story, photo, and video by

 Mark Graven

Staff Reporter

The end is near for N Building.  Two excavators chomped and chewed away at the west side of N building on Monday, September 14th.  The building looked to be about two/thirds devoured, and the excavators were not pausing to brush their teeth.  Pablo Botello, of the Bradbury Stamm construction company, superintendent in charge of the demolition, said he expected the building to be completely leveled by the end of September.  He said he expected it would take another month to clear and clean the site of rubble.  Meanwhile the east end of N Building seemed to be patiently waiting for the final curtain.