Tag: Editorial

By The Chronicle Editorial Board

The Chronicle is a place where students can learn about journalism at a school that does not have a jour­nalism program, so it is truly amaz­ing that we have won fourth place in the Best of Show Competition at the National Associated Collegiate Press Convention in San Diego this last week on Sunday, March 2, 2014.

It is such a great experience for stu­dents to be able to go on trips and enter into competitions to see how CNM students measure up to other schools on a national level, and it is great that the school allows students to be able to learn from workshops taught from advisers throughout the country.

The Chronicle thanks the school, Student Allocation Board, and people who make advertisements in our paper, because if it was not for them, we would not have the opportunity to go to these eye-opening conventions that help us see how other schools operate their papers, and how we can learn how to improve the student run newspaper with each semester.

The Chronicle gets much criticism, sometimes it’s constructive and some­times it is not, so we feel that these competitions validate what it is that we are striving to accomplish, which is to consistently produce a quality newspa­per for our student and faculty readers.

We just hope that the school can recognize our achievements and give us improved support in our endeavors to better the paper, as well as to help us achieve the

By The Chronicle Editorial Board

It is great to hear that Security Director William Duran in the article “Security department deals with thefts and starts community based initiative,” is taking steps to ensure that all campuses are up to date with a new access control system that will incorporate intrusion control.

That means that if there ever were a shooter situation students and faculty could have their classroom doors lock automatically to prevent injuries or loss of life.

With shooter incidents becoming fre­quent in schools throughout the nation, it is relieving to hear that measures will be taken to make sure students and staff are safe on campus.

Not many schools are taking the ini­tiative at the community college level to get this type of access control system, so CNM is fortunate in the care and safety that the school plans to start.

Every second counts when it comes to shooters on campus, and an overall campus lock system could have the poten­tial to save countless lives.

According to the dailybeast.com since 2012 when 20 first-graders were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary, that school shootings have taken place in America every two weeks on average, with the majority of shooter situations being at high schools throughout the nation.

According to schoolsafetynews.com the Run/Hide/Fight reaction to school shooter scenarios suggests that running is not always better than hiding, and that the Department of Homeland security suggests evacuating if there is a possible escape route without contact with the shooter, but if not that students should try to hide until help can come school-wide.

Procedures such as this need to also be addressed and taught to students here so that everyone on campus knows what to do in a shooter situation, so hopefully when this new system is finished at all the campuses, maybe the school can do lock-down drills just as fire drills are done, and educate everyone at the same time on what students can to do to ensure their own safety.

The Chronicle appreciates that the security force on campus is changing things on campus for the better, and that are instilling a better customer service type philosophy that brings student safety to the forefront at CNM.

Editorial
By The Chronical Editorial Board
There have been a number of devastating shootings, and our government needs to take these situations seriously and start building reform for mental health in America. On Friday Oct. 1, at LAX airport, shooter Paul Ciancia pulled a .223-caliber assault rifle from a bag and shot TSA officer Gerardo Hernandez and then went from person to person asking people if they were TSA agents, according to cnn.com.
Another incident recently occurred right here in Albuquerque. Christopher Chase died in shootout and car chase with police that ended at Fourth Street and Montano Road on Saturday, Oct. 26, according to KOAT.com.
It is almost infuriating that the media is so concentrated on the suspects and their motives, down to what tattoos a suspect may have had. It is redundant the way media covers these issues, instead of speaking with the victims, and finding out how these incidents really affect the people who are injured or forced to be witnesses to such crimes.
No one should have to be subject to such atrocities; it is because our government does not care either way, and pretends not to have the capability to change how these individuals are treated mentally. Gun laws will always be an issue, but mental health is something that has not been addressed in this country since the 70’s, and this editorial board thinks it’s high time the government took responsibility for the people it governs by giving better and more accessible facilities to people that truly need help, before incidents such as these occur again, which they will, and hopefully the government will see that change is truly needed in mental healthcare fields before it is too late.

Editorial, By The Chronicle Editorial Board

A group of us here at the Chronicle just got back from the Associated Collegiate Press Convention in beautiful New Orleans, and we would like to thank everyone who helped make this trip possible.

The Chronicle is run by a small group of students still learning how to write, design, and produce weekly newspa­pers, and it really is beneficial when CNM allows us to go to conventions like these so we can bring back what we have learned and make our paper better.

We hope to inform, enter­tain, and educate our readers even better now that we have learned so much at the bi-annual convention.

Even though the cost of these conventions comes from our own budget, the people here at the Chronicle would still like to acknowledge everyone who helps us to get to these conventions, who help us to achieve more and make the paper better with each issue, as well as allowing us to learn beyond our campuses.

CNM is truly a special school, because of the people who work here who believe in the students, and give students opportunities they would not otherwise have if they did not attend this great school.

So again, thank you to everyone who helps us achieve our goals of making a better paper for all of us to enjoy.

Editorial, By the Chronicle Editorial Board
It is so good to see that award winning pets and writers are coming to CNM to speak and inspire students to strive for what these writers have achieved.
Endeavoring to become a writer can be tough, especially with the abundance of writing careers that are sometimes impossible to get, which is not usually stable long-term employment, so it is crucial to have these successful writers come to the school to speak, to show students that they can succeed, and that they can in fact become the writer they hope to be in the future.
The Chronicle salutes the Writer’s Clubs on campus, that not only help up and coming writers to hone their skills, but also to bring students the opportunity to see real published writers that have succeeded in the world, and who inspire students to reach for their dreams of someday being nationally published writers.
Student groups such as the Writer’s Club are the fabric of what makes our school special, because they can make a difference and inspire students to become everything they want to be after college.

By CNM Chronicle Edi­torial Board

For students attending commu­nity college, sometimes student-life can feel more college and less community. The Communication, Humanities, and Social Science department is trying to change that by bringing the students and faculty together for a day of socializing, as mentioned in the article “Mix it up!” on page 2.

At CNM, there is a definite focus on the trades programs, while other areas of study are seemingly ignored. It can feel, at times, that the college just wants to get us out of here and into a four year col­lege. This event helps to put the CHSS areas of study back into the forefront of the college life, and put more emphasis on these types of degrees. Instructors want us to know that they are important and they do matter.

Often times we pick our majors because we are fascinated and truly engaged in all aspects of our study, but this is not always enough to get us through a dependable career. So, we try to avoid the dreaded ques­tion explored at the Thanksgiving dinner table: ‘What are you going to do with a degree like that?’

For a CHSS major, thinking about life after college can be dis­couraging; all around, others are focusing on degrees that seem to come with obvious career options and even the promise of a comfort­able paycheck.

The instructors donating their time and energy for this CHSS event are hoping to provide answers, or at least, to provide direction to the many questions students may have. Students will be given the oppor­tunity to get to know one another as well as members of the depart­ment, and be able to explore career options and expectations, which is crucial for success.

Not getting involved and making connections in college can be cause for regret. This CHSS event cre­ates a platform for encouragement and networking. Making friends who have similar interest makes the college experience that much more meaningful.

Choosing a degree can be nerve-wracking. It also takes some trial and error before you find a field to pursue, so attending this event can take away some of the stress. Hopefully, it will make a much easier time of getting a degree and planning a future.

Bravo to the faculty who has attended to the needs of the stu­dents and has decided that an event like this is not only important, but necessary. All students that attend CNM need to feel like their area of study matters, because if we do not feel it now, we probably will not feel very optimistic about our futures.