Student Services – The CNM Chronicle

Future site of a new Student Services Center

February 5, 2021 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

Photo and story by

Mark Graven

Staff Reporter

The future site of a new Student Services Center is the parking lot of the Ted Chavez building, located on the corner of Coal Avenue and University Boulevard, Southeast, near the center of the CNM Main Campus. CNM President Tracy Hartzler said, in her recent state of the college speech, that the new service center should be completed in 2023. The current, center, located further south on University Boulevard, has remained mostly closed to the public in the past months, as Covid restrictions were put in place by CNM.

TRIO helps students succeed

October 12, 2015 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Whitney Oliphant, Staff Reporter

TRIO hopes to have a new program that will allow them to set up TRIO services for students at CNM Montoya campus, said achievement coach, Rob Carriaga.

They were awarded the opportunity for the new program a few months ago and hope to have it up and running by November or December of this year said, Carriaga.

The new program will allow an additional 140 students to be a part of TRIO, Carriaga said.

TRIO is a program designed to help first generation or low income students succeed and aid in their transfer to a four year institution, Carriaga said.

Some of the support services that TRIO offers include: one-on-one tutoring, career and academic coaching, a private computer lab and a study area in the TRIO building, Carriaga said.

If students would like to be a part of TRIO they must apply and meet at least one of the following requirements: be a first generation college student, be a part of a low-income eligible family, or have a documented disability, said Magda Martinez-Baca, director of TRIO Student Support Services.

To submit an application students can go online to https://www.cnm.edu/depts/trio/how-to-apply-for-trio and click on the TRIO application link.

The new program will try and mirror the one on Main Campus but at Montoya campus they will offer additional tutoring in biology and chemistry, Martinez-Baca said.

“Once you’re in TRIO, you stay in TRIO” said, Carriaga.

Students don’t have to continually reapply to stay a part of TRIO, Carriaga said.

The TRIO staff is there to help guide students through deadlines and help students make the transition process to a four year institution go more smoothly, said the TRIO staff.

Some other services TRIO offers include walkabouts, time management workshops, and help in finding and applying for scholarships.

Jimi Sanchez, TRIO tutor, holds walkabouts for TRIO students and takes groups of 5 or 6 to UNM to tour the campus.

On the walkabouts Sanchez also ensures that each student knows the specific buildings that they will be attending classes in, he said.

“We ask what our students’ needs are and how we can help them meet that objective,” Sanchez said.

Workshops that are available to all CNM students can be found on the CNM events calendar, Martinez-Baca said.

The TRIO staff is there to help students succeed, Sanchez said.

“We are going to work with that individual and troubleshoot with them,” Martinez-Baca said.

For more information on TRIO call (505)-224-4375.

To submit an application to become a part of TRIO visit https://www.cnm.edu/depts/trio/how-to-apply-for-trio and click on the blue link that says TRIO Application.

Is English your second language? | ESL special

September 28, 2015 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Stephanie Stuckey, Staff Reporter

ESL is an acronym for English as a second language said Carol Culver, MA director of Adult Basic Education and the School of Adult & General Education.

The ESL program is under the umbrella of Adult Basic Education and has been at CNM for many years, Culver said.

“The students that go to the ESL program are generally not native speakers of the English language, and often English may be the third or fourth language that they speak,” she said.

The ESL department is located in the CNM Connect area of the SCC and anyone interested in ESL classes at CNM can sign-up for an orientation that is offered every three weeks Culver said.

Along with the orientation, the student will need to complete a placement test for proper class placement because the classes are leveled, she said.

Upon completion of the orientation process students can register for classes that they qualify for, she said.

“There is no tuition for classes offered by the ESL program since it is a federally and stated government funded program, the books are free and provided by the program as well, but there is however a $10 registration fee,” she said.

The classes are non-credit classes, but the ESL program offers co-enrollment classes where the more advanced students can take non-credit and college credit classes, she said.

These types of classes are for ESL students interested in attending college, but might be worried that their English is not quite good enough to take college credit courses, she said.

CNM’s non-credit/credit class program offers a supplemental ESL non-credit class to accompany the college credit class to help support the student, she said.

IBEST which stands for Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training is another program offered by the ESL program; the integrated basic education is the ESL part and the skills training part allows students to receive training in a specified skill, Culver said.

There are two participating programs currently, she said.

One in Early Childhood/Multicultural Education partnered with the CHSS department at CNM and the other is Nursing Assistant partnered with the School of Health, Wellness, & Public Safety at CNM, she said.

“These programs seem to be extremely popular with the students and have long wait lists,” she said.

Culver said they are hoping to expand these programs as well as offer programs in other areas in the future.

“Students who are not quite at this level can participate in a program called Life Skills English which is geared toward new immigrants that need more help with the basics of the English language,” she said.

Topics of this program cover things like how to function in the community such as shopping, renting an apartment, signing a lease, etc., she said.

“It gives the students opportunities to practice dialogue in these particular settings in the English language,” she said.

Other resources available to ESL students are specified tutors partnered with ACE, English conversational groups, ESL book club, and U.S. citizenship exam preparation, she said.

The ESL program also has a class available for non-native English speaking CNM custodial staff to help them improve their English for their job as well as to support them in becoming U.S. citizens, Culver said.

“The whole program of Adult Basic Education over 4,000 students walk through their door and about 60% of them are ESL students,” she said.

In Albuquerque the highest group of immigrants are Spanish speakers, but there is also a significant population of Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean, and Arabic speakers as well, Culver said.

“I have spent twenty-five years teaching immigrants – thousands of students who said please help me, I want to improve my English,” Culver said.

She said when there is a large group of immigrants there is a great need and desire to learn English.

Online academic advisment

September 28, 2015 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Whitney Oliphant, Staff Reporter

Students who are unable to meet with an academic advisor in person can now do so online, through email, or they can request a phone call according to the CNM webpage.

There are still some things that have to be taken care of in person though according to CNM.

The online chat that is set up for students is available Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and the last online request is accepted at 4:40 p.m. according to CNM.

To start an online session a student should go to the CNM main website and under the tab Student Resources click on the Academic Advisement tab and then click on Online Chat.

There are a few online advisement tips that CNM recommends: students should pull up their program in the catalog, and log into my CNM before connecting to online chat according to CNM webpage.

Students should note that if there is a long delay in response time like 2 or more minutes than the advisor may need to close the session due to other students who are waiting according to CNM.

Students can also speak with an academic advisor through email and emails will be responded to before the end of the next business day according to CNM.

Students can also request a phone call from an academic advisor by calling (505) 224-4321 and leaving a message for an academic advisor. An advisor should respond to the message before the end of the next business day according to the CNM.

Some things that the advisors can help with include: Career exploration and help when choosing a major, educational plans, graduation requirements, transfer information, advisement holds, course planning, and degree evaluations according to the CNM.

For more information or questions regarding academic advisement please call (505) 224-4355.

Tutor Times | Tutoring services available to students

August 31, 2015 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Whitney Oliphant, Copy Editor & Staff Reporter

There are a variety of free tutoring services available at the CNM campuses to all CNM students, according to cnm.edu.

Tutoring help is provided in various subjects that include but are not limited to: Physics, English, Math, Biology, Chemistry, ESL, GED, and Computer, according to the Assistance Centers for Education.

Students that are interested in tutoring help can visit any of the locations below during the times that are listed.

If students have more questions about the tutoring services that are offered or if students need more information on how to get tutoring help they can call Assistance Centers for Education (ACE) at (505) 224-4306.

Students can also set up appointments online by visiting this link

(https://www.cnm.edu/depts/tutoring/tlc/tutor-appointment).

Note that not every service is available at each campus, according to the ACE website.

According to CNM, the tutoring services that are available at the CNM campuses are as follows:

Main Campus Learning Center

Students who are interested in receiving tutoring help on Main Campus can visit the SRC building room 203. The hours for tutoring help at this location are as follows, according to the cnm.edu and CNM tutor Walker Williamson.

Monday – Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.

Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Subjects that students can get help with at Main Campus are: Math, Chemistry, Applied Math, ESL, Statistics, Physics, English, Biology and GED, according to Assistance Centers for Education.

Students need to sign in at the front desk for tutoring services and will receive a card with the subject that they need help in.

Students can also go online to schedule an appointment with the tutors.

For more information about tutoring on Main Campus please call (505) 224-4306.

Montoya Campus Learning Center

Tutoring services at the Montoya Campus are in building J, rooms 103 and 107. The hours for tutoring at Montoya campus are as follows, according to cnm.edu.

Monday – Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.

Subjects that students can get help with at the Montoya campus are: Accounting, Applied Math, Biology, Chemistry, Computer, Math, English, Physics, ESL, Statistics and GED.

For more information or questions about tutoring services on Montoya Campus please call (505) 224-5990.

Rio Rancho Learning Center

Students who are interested in tutoring services at the Rio Rancho Campus can visit building RR, room 115 during the hours below, according to cnm.edu.

Monday – Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Subjects that students can get help with at the Rio Rancho campus include: Chemistry, Biology, Math, Physics, English, Computer, GED, and Statistics.

For questions or more information regarding tutoring services at the Rio Rancho Campus can call (505) 224-4952.

South Valley Campus Learning Center

Tutoring services at the South Valley Campus are located in building SV, room 106. Students can receive tutoring help during these hours, according to cnm.edu.

Monday – Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Subjects that students can receive help with include: Adult Education, Biology, Chemistry, Computer, English, ESL, GED, and Math.

For more information or questions regarding the tutoring services at the South Valley Campus students can call (505) 224-5067.

Westside Campus Learning Center

Tutoring services at the Westside campus are held in building MJG, room 115. The hours for tutoring are as follows, according to cnm.edu.

Monday – Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.

Subjects that students can get help with at the Westside Campus include: Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Computer, English, ESL, GED, Math, Physics, and Statistics.

For more information regarding tutoring at the Westside campus call (505) 224-5311.

Advanced Technology Center

Tutoring services at the Advanced Technology Center are located in the Learning Commons in building ATC, room 126 during the following hours, according to cnm.edu.

Monday – Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:20 p.m.

Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.

Subjects that students can receive help with include: Applied Math, Architectural Drafting, English, and Math.

Students who are needing more one on one tutoring in IT 0850 or IT 1010 can set up special sessions with ACE computer tutors.

They are by appointment only and each student is allowed three of these sessions a semester. For more information on how to set up an individual computer session call (505) 224-3840 or (505) 224-4314.

Again these special sessions will be by appointment only, according to Assistance Centers for Education.

Tutors will not help with take-home exams or quizzes nor will tutors proofread or review papers or assignments the instructor has determined is the student’s responsibility, according to cnm.edu.

The CNM tutors are there to give positive feedback, listen closely to the problem, and help identify and correct recurring errors.

The tutors will ask questions that will help in the problem solving process and they will provide guidance in understanding and solving the problem, according to cnm.edu.

For more information or questions on any of the tutoring services that are available at CNM, call ACE at (505) 224-4306.

CNM student health and wellness center

August 31, 2015 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Stephanie Stuckey, Staff Reporter

Located on Main Campus in the Student Services Center, second floor, room 206 is the CNM Student Health and Wellness Center.

Patti Haaland, a registered nurse at the Student Health Center, encourages CNM students to take advantage of the resources that are available to them through the Student Health and Wellness Center.

Some of the medical services available to students are: acute and chronic illness care, TB testing, physical exams, immunizations, family planning services, clinical counseling, and referrals.

According to Haaland, appointments are necessary unless it is an emergency.

First aid and basic primary care services are also offered, according to Student Health and Wellness Center informational pamphlet.

Office visits to see a doctor or nurse practitioner are $15.00 (subject to change/yearly review), vaccinations and lab fees are provided at the clinic’s discounted costs, per Student Health and Wellness Center pamphlet.

There are a few services that are free such as clinical counseling, blood pressure screening, over-the-counter medications and emergency first aid.

According to CNM Student Health and Wellness Center pamphlet, the mission of the Student Health Center is to provide quality primary care services to CNM students.

A philosophy of wellness (health promotion/disease prevention) is stressed and is also stated in the pamphlet.

Haaland said the Student Health and Wellness Center is also available for other resources beside medical services.

They also have counseling services available and exercise equipment in the wellness center, Haaland said.

Merry Guild, MA, LPCC is the clinical therapist for counseling services also located in the Student Health Center, Haaland said.

According to informational pamphlet on CNM counseling services, some of the common reasons why students might seek counseling are: stress, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, domestic violence, anger management, relationship problems, and mental health concerns.

Counseling services are free to any currently enrolled CNM student.

In the Wellness Center the exercise equipment available for current CNM students, staff and faculty free of charge are: two treadmills, two stair climbers, a stationary recumbent bike, a set of free weights, a large machine with four stations for lifting weights and conditioning exercise, according to Student Health and Wellness Center pamphlet.

There are also cubbies to store personal items while working out; the items must be removed from cubbies when finished exercising.

Showers are also available for student’s convenience, per pamphlet.

Haaland said a CNM ID and class schedule are required to use the Wellness Center as well as having to sign a waiver.

Other resources available to students through the CNM Student Health and Wellness Center include information on Meet the Midwives, Early Head Start Programs for pregnant moms, Housing services through Catholic Charities, referrals to various counseling services in the Albuquerque area, Domestic violence resources/assistance, dental services, Medicaid and other health insurances for students, and SNAP benefits.

The hours of operation for the CNM Student Health and Wellness Center are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Did you know? CNM has Kickstarter workshops

August 20, 2015 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Whitney Oliphant, Staff Reporter

Students who are looking for a way to help manage their time, deal with test anxiety, or who need advice for taking better notes can check out the CNM free online Kick Start workshops, according to cnm.edu.

The workshops are an online resources that was created by a few of the CNM achievement coaches and by members of the CNM media production services, said Shelby Villegas, program coordinator at CNM Connect.

To access the Kick Start workshops students can visit http://www.cnm.edu/kickstart, she said.

“It gives a chance for the student to be proactive and it makes it easier to do that because it’s more accessible,” Villegas said.

There are five different workshops that are available to students that include time management, test anxiety, learning styles, note-taking, and study skills/test-taking skills according to cnm.edu.

The time management workshop offers a survey for students to fill out that will help to calculate where students are spending their time during the week.

There is also a study hour formula that will show students how much time should be spent on studying based on the amount of credit hours the student takes according to the time management workshop.

Test anxiety is a worry or fear caused by having to take tests and can cause both physical and mental symptoms, according to cnm.edu.

Students are able to take a test anxiety questionnaire through the test anxiety kick start workshop that will help students determine if test anxiety is something that they could be experiencing.

The test anxiety workshop also has a list of strategies that students can use to help them with the anxiety before taking a test, according to cnm.edu.

Learning styles is another Kick Start workshop that is available.

The Learning styles workshop can help students to better understand how they learn best.

There is another questionnaire available in the workshop that students can fill out to assess what learning style works best for them.

The workshop also provides students tips on each learning style so they can take the information they have been given and apply it to their educational process, according to cnm.edu.

Students who are looking for tips on taking better notes can check out the CNM note-taking workshop.

The workshop follows the learning styles workshop and can help students determine the best way to take notes for their previously calculated learning style.

Kick Start workshops were formally called Academic Excellence and were originally set up as in-person sessions that were available to students but with the variety of students schedules it was difficult to set up a time where everyone could attend, Villegas said.

That is when the achievement coaches decided to set these workshops up online, she said.

The achievement coaches noticed that students were coming in looking for help and improvement in a lot of the same areas as other students but they all had different schedules that made attending an in person workshop difficult, she said.

So they decided to make the Kick Start workshops online so that students could have easier access to the information that would have been provided in the in person workshop, she said.

The workshops are set up so that students can work through them at their own pace and each one is set up so that a student can chose how fast or slow they would like to absorb the information that is provided, she said.

Students are able to start the workshop and if something comes up they can pause it and come back to it at a different time, she said.

“It’s a great starting point and wonderful opportunity for the students”, Villegas said.

CNM students who are looking for more one on one time or those who would like to have more information can contact the CNM achievement coaches and set up appointments to speak with them in person, she said.

The achievement coaches are there to try and help students while assisting them on their educational journeys, she said.

The Kick Start workshops can be accessed off of any internet connected device but the workshops perform better with the use of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, Villegas said.

To take any of the Kick Start workshops students can go to http://www.cnm.edu/kickstart and if students have any questions or would like more information they can call 505-244-3186.

Computer labs across campus | When, where, and how students can access computer labs on CNM campuses

August 20, 2015 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Whitney Oliphant, Staff Reporter

Main Campus

There are many computer labs available for students, staff, and faculty to use across all the CNM campuses, according to cnm.edu.

At CNM Main Campus there are four computer labs readily available for use.

The first computer lab on CNM main campus is located in the Student Resource Center, better known as the SRC, in room 203.

It is an open computer lab with printing capabilities and the hours for that lab are as follows, according to the CNM computer lab staff:

Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. to 8:20 p.m.

Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.

and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.

There is also an open overflow computer lab located in room 201 of the SRC building and this lab’s hours are as follows:

Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:50 p.m.

Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The phone number for the overflow computer lab in the SRC is 505-224-4316.

The Business Resource Center (BRC) on Main Campus also has a computer lab available.

The lab is located in SB room 212. The hours for this lab are as follows:

Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For any additional information regarding the SB 212 computer lab call 505-224-3840.

Located at the STEM center on Main Campus is where the fourth and final computer lab is located.

To access this computer lab go to the TC building room 112.

There are no weekend hours for this lab.

However, the lab is open Monday thru Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For any questions about the STEM center computer lab please call 505-224-3719.

Don’t forget about the express computers that are located in the Jeannette Stromberg Library. The express computers are for small tasks such as printing out an assignment or looking up a library book.

Time on the express computers should be limited to fifteen minutes according to library staff.

Advanced Technology Center

The Advanced Technology Center has a computer lab available to staff and students.

The lab is located in room 126 and offers specialty software such as AutoCAD, Inventor, ArcGIS, GIMP, and Adobe CS6 among many others.

For more information about the lab or about the available software call 505-224-5152.

Montoya Campus

CNM’s Montoya Campus has a computer lab located in building K room 104.

This open computer lab offers many specialty software such as the Adobe Line and Tax and Accounting Software, according to cnm.edu.

This lab also features drop in tutoring services for IT 1010 and IT 1040 students, said Maribel Martinez with the ACE computer lab.

She said that the lab also offers 5 colored copies per day per student but they have to be homework related.

The lab also features a PaperCut kiosk.

The kiosk allows students to pay for their PaperCut accounts or to add money onto their PaperCut account, said Martinez.

There are about one hundred computers for students to use at this lab, she said.

For additional information regarding the K room 104 lab call 505-224-5880.

Rio Rancho Campus

The computer lab at the Rio Rancho Campus is located in room 116, according to cnm.edu.

The lab offers specialty software such as Peachtree, Medical Office Simulation Software, and METI Learning Space, among others.

The hours for this lab are Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

For additional information regarding the Rio Rancho computer lab call 505-224-4592.

South Valley Campus

The South Valley Campus offers an open computer lab that is located in room 27, according to cnm.edu.

The lab offers specialty software such as Vet Tech, TOPO, Microsoft Publisher, and Adobe Photoshop.

The hours for the lab are as follows:

Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information on the South Valley computer lab call 505-224-5036.

Westside Campus

CNM’s Westside Campus offers two computer labs for students and staff.

The first computer lab is located in the MJG building room 115, according to cnm.edu.

This lab offers specialty software such as Jaws, Quickbooks, HP Share-to-Web, and Adobe Professional, among others.

The hours for the MJG room 115 lab are as follows:

Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For questions about the lab or software that is available call 505-224-5319.

Another lab that is available at the Westside campus is located in WS-1(200), according to staff employees.

The software that is available in this lab includes Correctect, ODIA and MOSS, according to cnm.edu.

The hours for the lab are as follows:

Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For any additional information on the WS-1(200) computer lab call 505-224-5311.

Any further information can be obtained by calling CNM at 505-224-3000 or by visiting cnm.edu.

Old bookstore transformed into student services center

January 28, 2014 cnmchronicleLeave a comment

By Jonathan Baca, Copy Editor | Photos by Jonathan Baca

1.4 1.3 1.2

The old book store on Main Campus has been transformed into a lush, comfortable and more accessible area for students to access a wide range of services, said Executive Director of CNM Connect, Ann Lyn Hall said.

The new space was revealed on Monday, January 21, and combines the offices of CNM Connect, Student Activities, SAGE’s Adult Basic Education and the CNM Call Center into one open and inviting location, with the goal of making it easier for students to access all the services they need, Hall said.

“I think people are really excited about the new space. It really gives us an opportunity to collaborate and expand, and provide additional services for students,” Hall said.

Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, Eugene Padilla said the transformation has been in the works ever since the new book store was being built, and it is part of the larger initiative to expand the role and mission of CNM Connect.

“When the new book store was built, this really gave us the opportunity to renovate this area and make it CNM Connect. It is a great opportunity to bring together a lot of the support services,” Padilla said.

When students first enter, they walk into a large area where the CNM Connect offices are, with access to Achievement Coaches, a comfortable area filled with couches and chairs, and eventually, a computer lab with 29 computers, printers and a copy and fax machine, he said.

Achievement Coach Chioma Heim said achievement coaches can help students with a variety of issues, including life skills and financial literacy, scholarships, and access to resources in and out of the classroom.

“I think it is going to allow more students to come in here and be able to just have a place where they can feel comfortable, where they feel like this is their space. They can use the computers, or just talk to someone who actually cares about their success all around, not just with education, but with life success as well,” Heim said.

Padilla said students can also be screened for benefits like SNAP food stamps, housing benefits, and child care help.

Director of Adult Basic Education, Carol Culver said SAGE’s new Adult Basic Education office is around the corner, where GED and English second language students can get help with registration, Achievement Coaches, and help when they want to make the transition to college level courses.

Culver said the new space is a big upgrade from their old office in Ken Chappy Hall, not only because of the bigger space and closer proximity to the other service offices, but because it makes it easier on their students.

“The main thing that’s important about this move for us is that our students who are ESL and GED students are now entering the campus in the same building that all the other students are. They don’t have to be told to go to this other place, and then they get lost. We’re thrilled about that,” Culver said.

The new Student Activities office is in the back of the new space, where students can go to get their IDs and bus passes, and the new Call Center also has a new, high-tech office in the space, Padilla said

Another major benefit for staff and students is the greater ease that all the offices will have collaborating with each other, now that they are all under the same roof, Hall said.

“I always think that when people are closer to one another, it’s easier for them to collaborate, but even more than that, I think it’s easier for students, and that’s what it’s about. How do we make things flow in a way that makes sense for students?” Hall said.

Culver said that the collaborating has already begun, and now what used to be hard to coordinate, through phone calls and emails from across the campus, can be done simply by walking down the hall.

Students should also be able to save time because they can get everything done in the same place, and can use the new computer lab instead of having to walk all the way to the SRC, Hall said.

The other major goal of the space is to be an area where students feel welcome to just hang out, sit down and relax, Padilla said.

“One of the things we know about student success is that students look for gathering spaces, places where they can kind of sit back, relax, read a book or even do homework, and this provides them with that,” Padilla said.

Couches will be complete with outlets for laptops, and there will even be a collaborative learning area where students can get together to do work on group projects, Hall said.

By creating an inviting space where students feel comfortable, Padilla said he hopes more students will be encouraged to take advantage of CNM Connect, and all the services that have been gathered under the same roof.

“Part of the CNM Connect initiative is to provide integrative support services, and provide a welcoming and nurturing environment in which students feel comfortable when they come to school,” Padilla said.