Arts Fandango

By Edgar Gonzalez, Staff Reporter

The Fine Arts Department will be hosting a silent auction for art made by students and staff of CNM as well as local artists.

On April 2 from 6p.m. to 8p.m., tickets at the door will be $10 and $5 for students at 1910 Broadway NE Albuquerque New Mexico 87102, said Andy Tibble faculty member in the school of adult and general education.

It is an event to raise money for a scholarship that they have created, the Ernest Garcia Emergent Artist scholarship, he said.

Ernest Garcia, who the scholarship was named after, was a founding member of their union and he also was the secretary of the union for many years, he said.

“It was very sad since he died within a year after his retirement,” he said.

The fundraiser raised the needed funds for the first scholarship that was offered so they decided to centralize the event and the scholarship under the name Ernest Garcia, Tibble said.

This is a silent auction, which means that people who decide to buy a piece that is available for bid will remain anonymous, he said.

“Most of the pieces in the gallery are of very good quality and I have even bought some of the pieces for myself, sometimes I cannot believe I am getting this level of art with only 20- 50 dollars,” he said.

There are many levels of art at different price ranges, some will go for $20 while others might go for hundreds of dollars depending on the quality of the piece and the interest of people on it, he said.

The types of art include but are not limited to drawings, paintings, and sculptures, he said.

They have several rooms depending on the type of art work and there is a room which will be filled with drawings which are very reasonably priced from five to twenty dollars, he said.

For the drawings there is no silent auction, it works as a first come first serve situation, he said.

The more money collected the more the scholarship will be worth, he said.

There is a lot of money collected at the end of the night, in fact the last time the scholarship raised well over five thousand dollars, he said.

All the work will be donated by artists which have been found through connections from the fine arts department, he said.

“The department is always looking for donations, for various kinds of art work from the event although they are very picky,” Tibble said.

They also donate pieces of their own work, he said.

Some students and ex-students donate their art works as well, he said.

There is a process for people who want their pieces to be auctioned off in the gallery, he said.

When they get pieces of art because of the scholarship there must be a tax form filled in for every single thing since it is a donation and it is maintained by the CNM foundation, he said.

There will also be an assortment of food, drinks and live entertainment for the people who show, he said

Hola! Hello!

By Whitney Browneller, Staff Reporter

There is a conversational Spanish group open to all students, staff, and community members every Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. and is held in the SRC 203T, said Laura Dulin ALMA supervisor.

The meetings are held by Dulin to help those who are interested in learning some Spanish and also for those who want to practice speaking the language, she said.

Dulin said that all skill levels are welcome to attend the meetings but that it is usually most beneficial for students who have at least a basic knowledge of Spanish.

Those that are really serious about learning Spanish but have no knowledge at all are also welcome to attend as well, she said.

Dulin wants to remind everyone that these are just meetings to help students practice Spanish, they are not CNM courses or classes.

The meetings start off with an hour of dialogue and the last fifteen minutes are used to watch short videos, she said.

She said she usually starts the meeting off with a list of phrases for the group to practice with but that the group is the one who is in control of the meeting and she is just there as a facilitator to help guide the students and allow them to get the most out of the meetings.

Students should feel free to throw in their own questions or practice certain phrases or words that they are having a hard time with, she said.

Dulin said that it takes a lot of practice, perseverance, and self-motivation to learn a new language.

“It’s really rewarding, fun and amazing to learn a new language,” Dulin said.

If students get the chance to go abroad that is the best way to learn a new language, there is nothing like immersing yourself in the language, she said.

Dulin spent five years in Costa Rica teaching English as a second language and working on her master’s degree.

“I was a horrible Spanish student, I was terrible at learning Spanish,” Dulin said.

It was not until she immersed herself in the language that she really began to pick it up, she said.

It took her three years of living in Costa Rica before she became fluent in the language, she said.

Being fluent in another language looks really good on a resume and it can be very beneficial when it comes to working in the medical field, in a school, and in the business profession, she said.

“No matter what, there are people everywhere that you can carry on a conversation with who don’t speak English as their native tongue,” she said.

It’s crucial to speak it in order to learn it, she said.

Practicing the language and working with each other is one of the best ways to learn the language, she said.

It takes a lot of effort and practice to learn a new language, she said.

For students who are interested in conversation Spanish groups but cannot make the Wednesday meetings Dulin suggests looking up a Meetup group online, as she says there are a few to choose from.

Currently there are about four people attending the meetings but she said that she would like to see that number raise to eight or ten people.

Dulin started the conversational Spanish group about a year ago because she said that there was not a lot of groups focusing on that.

She said that there is also an ESL conversation group for students to practice English with one another.

 

For more information visit:

https://en.duolingo.com/

https://www.mangolanguages.com/

Numbers, Numbers, Numbers| CNM participates in AMATYC competition

 

By Edgar Gonzalez, Staff Reporter

American Math Association of two year colleges (AMATYC) which is a nationwide organization that sponsors a math competition twice a year, said full time math instructor Judy Lalani.

New Mexico Math Association for two year colleges (NMMATYC) sponsors the regional circuit of it and they have in the past had a price for the top scores in the state, she said.

Professors from across the country come together in order to write the problems for the test and send them to NMMATYC, she said.

CNM tries to host this event twice a year once in the spring and again in the fall around the same time on Fridays since most students are not in class, she said

Usually the dates for this event in the fall are in the last week of October or the first week of November, while the dates for the spring are the last week of February or the first week of March, she said.

CNM is scheduled to administer the spring test on March 4, 2016 in MS 315 at 12:00 noon, she said.

All of the two year schools in the state are able to participate in the exam, she said.

CNM has done this every semester for the last 14 years, she said.

There are topics in the exam that CNM does not offer, she said.

CNM has reserved four rooms for all students who decide they want to participate in the exam, she said.

There is a sign in sheet along with a form that says that you do not have a degree and your instructors’ information since some instructors offer extra credit for taking the exam, she said.

The test is a 20 question multiple choice exam, she said.

Students get one hour to take the exam which is multiple choice, said Lalani.

For the test, students are welcome to use a non-computer algebra system calculator and scratch paper, she said.

Given that this test is for two year colleges, the questions on the test go up to but do not include calculus, she said.

The test includes Geometry, Number Theory, and Advanced Algebra, she said.

Calculus students might have an advantage since they have more experience in calculus problem solving and doing those types of problems, she said.

Any person who is registered in CNM courses is welcome to try the exam no matter what the skill level of math the student might be in, she said.

This exam has a cash prize so during the test there will be instructors that monitor the students, she said.

To be eligible for the prize students cannot have a degree of any kind, she said.

The students get a prize of $25 for third place a $50 for second place and $100 for first place, she said.

The school receives a certificate showing that their school had the first place winner, she said.

The top three students of the school will then face off against the top three students from the other community colleges in New Mexico that are participating, she said.

 

Behavioral Health Speaker Series

By Whitney Browneller, Staff Reporter

CNM is offering Behavioral Health Speaker Series to students, community members and staff, said Student Events and Program Manager Libby Fatta.

The CNM/UNM behavioral speaker series started in fall of 2014 and it was a partnership with the UNM department of psychiatry, Fatta said.

The goal with the speaker series is to bring various mental health and behavioral health lectures to CNM and to the community and invite people to come to a free mental health lecture, Fatta said.

A lot of these lectures have different resources people can use and they are all given by doctors with the UNM department of psychiatry, Fatta said.

The doctors are the ones who lead the lectures and we determine what the topics are going to be, she said.

“All the lectures are free and available to everyone,” she said.

The lectures are held during lunch time to encourage staff and students to come listen to a free lecture while on their lunch break, she said.

Most of the doctors will include slides that feature local resources for anyone that may need help with the type of issues that are being discussed or if students know of someone that may need help, Fatta said.

The doctors giving the lectures are specialists in the area that they are giving the lecture on and can usually provide specific resources to those who need additional information, she said.

Fatta said that the Behavioral Health Speaker Series will continue and there will likely be lectures in the summer and fall terms.

CNM chose to do it every third Thursday of the month during lunch to encourage more people to come to the lectures since it is a consistent time, she said.

The next lecture will take place on Thursday March 24 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Main Campus in MS room 102 and will be on Alcohol and Domestic Violence and the research behind it.

The speaker of this lecture will be Dr. Brandi Fink with the UNM Department of Psychology.

The last lecture of the spring 2016 speaker series will be held on Thursday April 21 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. on Main Campus in MS room 102 and Dr. Kristina Sowar will be covering the topic of Eating Disorders.

“These speaker series are a great way for students to learn more about topics related to their classes or their future careers,” Fatta said.

If students need any information about the lectures, please email Libby Fatta at efatta@cnm.edu.

On Tap! | CNM to offer brewing courses

 

By Edgar Gonzalez, Staff Reporter

The breweries of New Mexico have expressed an interest in having a pool of well trained people that they can hire from since the brewing industry seems to be in a boom right now, said full time CNM Brewing instructor Nick Jones.

And CNM has answered that call with the courses it will be offering in brewing for students in the school of Business and Information Technology, he said.

The focus is on more of the practical aspect like how the equipment works and how to safely operate these machines in breweries which are basically large manufacturing plants, he said.

The training as it is set out right now will take place in local breweries here in Albuquerque and perhaps other places in New Mexico given that CNM does not have its own brewing facility, he said.

CNM is not sure which breweries will take part in the program given that it is a very long process and CNM still is trying to figure out what will be the demand of the students; how long they will have to shut down their brewery, type of insurance students need, and other details, Jones said.

The long term plan is for CNM to construct their own brewing facility where students can get training in commercial brewing, he said.

“CNM will be installing exactly the same equipment that you would find in a commercial brewery so that we can teach and train our students on the appropriate equipment in order to send them out into the workforce”, he said.

These will be very difficult classes which are meant to train people to enter the brewing work force which is not as glamorous as it might seem from the outside because it is a lot of hard work and requires a lot of knowledge, he said.

The first classes will be offered in the fall and they will be posted in the fall catalogue, he said.

CNM will be offering five classes which are four credit hours each, he said.

One of them will be Beer Production and Styles, which will be the introductory class, he said.

There will be Brewing Equipment and Maintenance, he said

“Drought Systems like drought beers which is a very important subject in my opinion since it gets overlooked a lot,” he said.

Then they are going to offer two beer production classes, he said.

One which focuses on the sort of hot side of brewing where everything is cooked and the other side which focuses more on the fermentation and packaging like putting it in kegs or cans, he said.

For the first beer production and style there are three prerequisites IRW 0980, Math 0970, and a brewing equipment and maintenance equivalent which can be taken as a co requisite, he said.

The drought systems class has the brewing equipment and maintenance class as a pre or co requisite class, he said.

For the associates in brewing and beverage management there are some other courses that must be taken such as Biology, Chemistry, Hospitality, Tourism and English.

Students will be able to put these classes on their financial aid, he said.

Since these classes are co requisites they are offering a brewing certificate of achievement that could theoretically be completed in a single term, Jones said.

“This is a very technical field and I would like to emphasize that although we will be tasting beer, this will not be a fun party class,” he said.

Students will need textbooks, right now instructors are receiving samples of textbooks for brewing and there will be a committee to decide on the textbook that will be used, he said.

Brewing is a food science even though you can get deep into the chemistry and the biology aspect of it, he said.

“This is a very serious, challenging and dangerous program so it is extremely important that students take these classes seriously,” he said.

There are hot corrosive chemicals that people must handle all the time and machinery which is very dangerous, so this is no joke and students must realize that it is a very serious thing, he said.

They will be looking into internships possibilities and the breweries have shown interest but they would have to formalize all of these things, he said.

The goal is to have students graduate from this program and be highly desirable to be hired at breweries, Jones said.

CNM was asked to fill some industry needs so it was our advisory committee who in response created this program, said Victoria Martinez, academic affairs director for Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management in CNM’s School of Business & Information Technology.

For the lab classes which are under development at the moment; there are some special requirements which include standing for the duration of the class and the ability to lift a minimum of 30 pounds, she said.

“It is very exciting for our students and I believe it is an excellent opportunity and the breweries are looking forward to our first graduating classes whether it be for the certificate or the degree program,” Martinez said.

For the classes that are starting now in the fall those classes are truly in response to preparing students to work in breweries and brew pubs, but they are preparing them for industry, she said.

Working Food | CNM and SFI offer duel credit culinary courses

By Whitney Browneller, Staff Reporter

The Street Food Institute (SFI) has partnered with CNM and RFK charter school to offer duel credit classes to high school students who are interested in the entrepreneurial food service industry, said lead instructor and chef of the SFI, Julian Griego.

Students and community members will get the opportunity to learn about the food service industry and what it takes to start a successful small business, he said.

“It’s been a pretty exciting semester to be able to offer the duel credit class here,” he said.

The program offers different types of business training but the primary focus is on mobile food service which is the food truck industry, Griego said.

Market vending is another type of business training that is offered through the program, the class goal is to help students sell their food products at local farmer’s markets or the rail yard markets, Griego said.

Catering and wholesale business trainings are also part of the business training that can be offered to students who are interested in either catering at various events or to those who want to have their food products packaged for wholesale distribution, he said.

SFI is an entrepreneur-focused culinary program dedicated to inspiring the success of small, local businesses in New Mexico. SFI supports the development of small business by growing the state’s local food economy and developing strong future business leaders. SFI trains its emerging business leaders to employ sustainable business practices that support local farmers, entrepreneurs, and families.

SFI partnered with CNM almost three years ago to offer bilingual classes to students and community members who were interested in the food service and entrepreneurial industry, he said.

The first year of the partnership the program only had one food truck and the classes were only available at CNM, he said.

The SFI then partnered with Southwest Educational Partners for Training to develop a program that would allow community members to have access to the program.

“We wanted to be able to reach low income communities as well as bilingual and immigrant populations,” Griego said.

All the classes offered through the SFI are taught in both English and Spanish.

The classes with the program are offered at the South Valley Economic Development Center (SVEC) which is located at 318 Isleta Blvd SW, in Albuquerque and even thought this is the central location for the duel credit program the classes that are offered are opened to all students, he said.

“The idea is that if there is a student who wants to start a food service business like a food truck then they can come and take these four classes at the SVEC and will have most of the knowledge they need to start their own business,” he said.

In addition to that, students can then transfer to CNM main campus to finish their culinary arts degree if that is what they want to do, he said.

Students will be taught everything from how to properly hold a knife and proper sanitization to business planning and recipe tests, he said.

The SVEC is part of CNM and their mission is to provide resources for economic development for small businesses’ growth to help build the local economy, he said.

“There is a kitchen at the SVEC that we call the mixing bowl and it is a community kitchen that also acts like a food service business hub so the community can come in and become a member of this kitchen to start the process of starting their businesses,” Griego said.

The program is four courses, which is one semester, and the classes are generally offered in the evening times so that students who work or attend other classes in the morning and afternoon can make it, he said.

Students follow the exact same process for enrolling in these classes as they would with any other CNM class, he said.

“You gain the theory, knowledge, and the real life experience of this extremely popular industry,” he said.

Students have the opportunity to work on the SFI Food Truck and get real life experience in what it means to run, work, and operate a food truck, he said.

At the end of the program there is an internship that is offered to students that will help them to build their resume by actually receiving work experience

“The classes cover every topic from a business plan to an operational plan to get your health permit, financing, funding the business, the food product and how it works out in the market, and we talk about marketing, cost analysis and finances,” he said.

The mobile food operations course is focused primarily on food trucks, so in that students develop the operational plan for their permit, he said.

“In the course they will develop their own food items and do recipe tests every few weeks where they bring in their ideas for their food concept and we test their items and taste them to critique them and talk about the cost analysis behind the recipes,” Griego said.

SFI Students taking the course, Monica Gutierrez and Adrian Baca, said they originally took the courses for something to do together as a couple but they are now thinking of opening a small family business that will probably feature a New Mexican fusion cuisine.

Another SFI student, Elfigo Castillo said that he has been working on his food truck concept for a while and when he was recently laid off work, his wife informed him of the courses at CNM and he decided to enroll.

“This is like a blessing that fell in my lap,” Castillo said.

Castillo said that along with being enrolled in the classes there is free help from the small business bureau on getting a plan and funding for a business.

“This program has really been a confidence booster,” he said.

For students who are less interested in starting a food truck, CNM also offers a retail baking operations course and a catering course, Griego said.

“These business topics apply to all types of business,” Griego said.

If students or community members are interested in the food service industry but have no experience they can take entry level courses that will teach the basics to cooking, Griego said.

Currently students are offered a certificate from the SFI after they finish the four course program but they are working with CNM to hopefully offer a certificate from the CNM culinary department in the future.

 

For more information about the classes offered please set up an appointment with an academic advisor by calling (505) 224-4355.

 

MORE INFORMATION:

Link to SFI webpage: http://www.streetfoodinstitute.org/

Link to the facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/streetfoodinstitute/

 

Editorial: The time is NOW to be a Cheap Skate

 

According to a Georgetown University study on Education and the Workforce, it was found that more than 70 percent of college students have worked while attending school over the past 25 years.

It is obvious that students need to work to cover living expenses.

The second you are financially responsible for yourself, everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) is outrageously expensive.

That pair of jeans for $39.99 is suddenly absurd. Gas prices are your new go-to conversation starter (they are at an all-time low right now, thank god).

The point is college students fresh from high school are newborns when it comes to handling personal finances.

The one thing that you will be guaranteed to do for the majority of your life is handle your personal finances and that is one thing we are not required to learn before we venture off into the world.

Besides, a budget excel worksheet and coupons are for old geezers…right?

Wrong!

That is exactly what college students need. Society may push for you to have the latest iPhone or that new Prada handbag but most students cannot afford it!

The average college student is expected to graduate with an estimated debt of $18,969 in New Mexico according to the Institute for College Access and Success.

Numbers don’t lie. Keeping up with the Joneses will not get you a 4.0 GPA or help fill in the extracurricular activities box on that scholarship application.

Keep up with your finances and create a cheap skate mindset.

How can a student do this?

Google it. Seriously, there are so many blogs and articles about how to save money and how to create a budget.

The mindset is the seed to plant before you start your research on how to be the ultimate cheap skate.

Now, some words of advice:

Do not purchase your book before your first class. Some professors do not even use the textbook.

Last semester my biology professor gave us an alternative textbook, a free pdf download.

Do not purchase the book from the CNM bookstore.

Sorry CNM, but this is just a no-no in my book. Unless it is an access code.

Look at bulletin boards for used books for sale, online, and book rental sites.

Always compare prices from different resources.

It will take time, but remember that time will save you money.

Do not buy new clothes for college.

You stopped growing and if you are not in need of new clothes do not buy any.

Sell your used books.

Please take advantage of free tutoring that CNM has to offer.

If you need a scantron the Connect Services desk will give you one.

Cheap skating is the new hype, all the stable kids are doing it.

-Lalydia Belone, Psychology major

Transcripts, Get Your Transcripts Here

By Whitney Browneller, Copy Editor

CNM will be offering online transcript services to its students beginning May 2016, said Marketing and Communications Director Brad Moore.

Right now, if students want to get their transcripts they have to complete and sign a transcript request form, then submit it to CNM Student Records by either emailing, mailing, in person, or faxing the form over, Moore said.

The Transcript Request Form can be found at the following website, https://www.cnm.edu/depts/enrollment/documents/transcript_request_form.pdf, where students can print the form, Moore said.

Students must provide a copy of an official photo ID which would include either a current driver’s license, college issued ID, high school ID, or a government issued military ID, he said.

There is not an option to get a rush transcript but come May 2016, along with requesting a transcript, students will also be able to rush their order for an additional fee, he said.

The cost of an official transcript is $5.50 per copy, he said.

If students want a transcript faxed to another school, the cost is $10.00, Moore said.

“A transcript is not considered official when faxed.” he said.

Students will be able to pay online for their transcripts with the new transcript service but for now students either need to pay with a check, money order, credit card, or if students wish to pay with cash that must be done in person, Moore said.

Students may also pay for transcripts over the phone using a credit card by calling (505) 224-3471 anytime Monday through Friday between the hours of 8am to 5pm, he said.

According to the CNM webpage, transcripts are usually processed within two business days from the time that the request and payment were made.

For more information or questions regarding transcript services students may contact the records office at (505) 224-3202.

In order for a student’s official transcript to be released there must not be any holds on the student’s record.

Students who have holds on their record can contact the cashier’s office to discuss the account at (505) 224-3471.

Students may still obtain a copy of their unofficial transcript with a hold on their account but the copy is not considered official.

Current students who wish to obtain an unofficial transcript can do so on their own by visiting their myCNM account, according to CNM records office.

“A student transcript is documentation of a student’s permanent record which includes all courses completed, grades received and degrees and certificates conferred,” Moore said.

 

HOW TO:

Complete and sign the Transcript Request Form and submit it using one of the following methods:

  1. Email

Send form as an attachment to:
Records@cnm.edu

  1. Mail

Completed and Signed Form to:
CNM Student Records, Main Campus
525 Buena Vista SE
Albuquerque New Mexico 87106-4096

  1. Fax

Fax completed Form to (505) 224-3237.

NOTE: Please remember to include your signature on the Transcript Request Form and a copy of an official photo ID is required.

The link to the Transcript Request Form: https://www.cnm.edu/depts/enrollment/documents/transcript_request_form.pdf

*According to CNM.edu

Students Inspiring Change: A Look Back on Student Activism

By Edgar Gonzalez, Staff Reporter

CNM is hosting “Students Inspiring Change: A Look Back on Student Activism” on Feb. 25 2016 from 3-5pm in SRC 204 (Barr Boardroom).

It will be sponsored by the Executive Council of Students who are funding the refreshments and the publicity, said Ari Rosner-Salazar, Center for Student Success Team Leader.

“There have been a lot of things happening this past year like the situation in the University of Missouri and the Black Lives Matter movement and we are trying to explore a connection between them and the 1960s civil rights movement,” Rosner-Salazar said.

This event is open to CNM students, faculty and staff, and community members, he said.

We are estimating a large group and we believe that will help us to do a similar application next year, Rosner-Salazar said.

When people first get in the event there will be a check-in section, he said.

Check-in is important to show the Executive Council of Students how many CNM students participated and that the money was well spent, he said.

“We will introduce the event, the moderator and the panel,” he said.

There will be a moderated conversation that shows part of a clip followed by a reaction and discussion about it, he said.

The moderator is Mable Orndorff-Plunkett, a community member who graciously volunteered and has a lot of experience moderating, he said.

There will also be an African dance performance by UNM faculty member Rujeko Dumbutshena, who teaches African dance, for about ten minutes after the conversation, he said.

“At some point we will probably ask people who participated in the 1960’s civil rights movement to stand and be recognized,” he said.

Some of these conversations can be a little difficult and at the very least emotional, Rosner-Salazar said.

“We are also going to make sure that we keep this a safe conversation, so people will not be yelling at each other or doing any other similar actions,” he said.

If anyone needs to talk or process things more, they will have the contact information for CNM’s licensed counselor Mary Guild as well, he said.

If there are any students out there interested in starting a black history month club or a black student union or a black issues discussion forum the staff who are in the black history month committee will be more than happy to help folks do paper work and get that started, he said.

“We would really like students to take part in this event and take the lead in selecting the topics for future events,” he said.

 

Black History Month Events:

The Black Pacific: Music, Race, and Indigeneity in Australia and Papua New Guinea

Feb 18, 2016

2:30 p.m.

UNM Keller Hall

“The UNM Musicology Colloquium presents a public guest lecture by Dr. Gabriel Solis, professor of Music, African American studies, and Anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champagn.”

Cost: FREE

Ages: ALL-AGES!

Contact: Dr. Ana-Alonso-Minutti ; Email: aralonso@unm.edu

 

Beginning African Dance With Rujeko + Live Drumming

Feb 21, 2016 and Feb 28, 2016

4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Feb 19, 2016 and Feb 26, 2016

5:30 p.m.

Studio Way

“An aerobic dance class to introduce participants to African dance technique while developing knowledge and appreciation of its movement and music.”

Cost: $10

Ages: 18+

Contact: Ashley ; Email: studiosway@gmail.com ; Phone: 5057105096

 

Black Lives Matter

Feb 27, 2016

12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Dennis Chavez Community Center

“Any and all are invited to this powerful event. It is a celebration of life, love. Food and entertainment will be available.”

Cost: FREE, donations suggested

Ages: ALL-AGES!

Contact: Krishawn Sullivin ; Email: sullivinkrishawn@yahoo.com ; Phone: 5059031688