Step up with Stem Up

By Whitney Oliphant , Staff Reporter

Students who are taking Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) classes and need help can join STEM UP in some of their Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions.

The SI sessions are open to all CNM students, students do not have to be attending STEM courses in order to attend the SI sessions, said Melody Walker, STEM UP Tutor Coordinator.

“The goal of the SI sessions is to not just help you with the one class but to help you with all future classes,” said Shaka Preston, Supplemental Instructional Tutor.

SI sessions are setup to be supplementary to specific CNM courses, according to STEM.

What this means is that each SI session correlates with a specific instructor’s class, Walker said.

Students do not have to be a part of that specific instructor’s class to join in on the sessions, however, students should know that the sessions are specific to each instructor and their class subject, Walker said.

So if students who do not have that instructor want to join in on the SI session they should note that their class may be in a different area of instruction, he said.

STEM UP also offers individual tutoring, Walker said.

The individual tutoring is only offered to those that have a declared STEM major, she said.

Students who have a declared STEM major can also receive mentor services and special advisement from STEM UP, Walker said.

Student Education Leaders through STEM UP are the individuals that offer the mentor services to students.

What the Student Education Leaders do is they try to find scholarships and events that pertain to the student’s major and help the students get involved, Walker said.

STEM UP’s main goal is to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation in STEM fields. Specifically the STEM grant is for Hispanic serving institutes, as well as low income and first generation, Walker said.

The main goal is to increase the amount of STEM individuals out there and to help them succeed, she said.

“STEM UP has offered mock chemistry finals in the past and they are hoping to offer more mock finals in a variety of STEM courses in the future,” she said.

STEM UP also offers walkabouts at UNM for students.

STEM schedules a time and will tour CNM students around the UNM campus to help students feel more comfortable about the transfer.

During the walkabout the guide will take the students to all of the major Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math buildings, Walker said.

Hit the Ground Running is another event that STEM UP offers students.

The event is held right before the semester starts and will also be held this January and right before the summer semester, she said.

The event is there to make sure students are prepared for their upcoming class and to help students get a good grasp on certain topics, she said.

The mock finals, Hit the Ground Running, and the walkabouts at UNM are for all CNM students. Students do not have to be in a declared STEM major to take part in these events, she said.

STEM UP also has a free application (APP) available to students.

The APP can help students in determining what classes will count toward a STEM associate degree at CNM and what CNM classes will count toward a STEM bachelor degree at UNM.

To download the APP students can search for “STEM UP” in the Google Play or iTunes store.

For more information or questions about STEM UP and the variety of services that they provide call (505) 224-3241 or visit the STEM UP center at Main Campus in the SSC building room 102.

Students who are interested in the SI sessions can go online to the CNM webpage at (https://www.cnm.edu/depts/stemup/stem-tutoring) or they can contact STEM at (505) 224-3242 to find out when, where, and at what time the sessions are being held.

To set up an appointment for individual tutoring students must first make an appointment with their advisor.

Students can visit the STEM UP office on Main Campus in the SSC building room 102 and speak with Monique to schedule all of the necessary appointments, Walker said.

Students can also call (505) 224-3241 or send an email to stem_up@cnm.edu for further questions or information.

Tutor Times | Tutoring services available to students

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.

Changes are coming in Fall 2015 | CNM classes set to transition to a new finals week schedule

By Whitney Oliphant, Copy Editor/Staff Reporter

Beginning Fall of 2015 all CNM schools will switch to have 15- week spring and 15- week summer terms, according to Vice President of Academic Affaires Sydney Gunthorpe.

The change will eliminate the 16th week in the School of Communication, Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) and the School of Math, Science, and Engineering (MSE), he said.

The 16th week in these two schools was used to administer finals in the past, he said.

The other four schools of CNM; School of Adult and General Education, School of Applied Technologies, School of Business and Information Technology, and the School of Health, Wellness and Public Safety have always been 15 weeks and never had a so called finals week, he said.

With the new change all three terms which include; Fall, Spring and Summer, will have finals administered on the last day of class Gunthorpe said.

This will eliminate the need for the 16th week and create a shorter term, he said.

The decision to make the change was made by a scheduling committee several years ago after they spent months studying the situation and they determined that it would be best to have consistency throughout the whole year, he said.

Having a consistent beginning and end date for all courses makes it easier for students to balance their work, school and home life, Gunthorpe said.

“We’ve heard concerns from students who had to adjust their work and personal lives to meet the finals week schedule. We are hoping this change improves their ability to balance all the challenges to their lives,” he said.

If students have any questions regarding the changes being made they can call CNM at 505-224-3000.

Parking Purgatory | Parking changes set for Fall 2015 at CNM

By Whitney Oliphant, Copy Editor/Staff Reporter

There will be a few changes to parking for CNM students come the fall semester, said Nicolas Aragon, CNM parking services manager.

The first major change to occur is that the well-known free SSC/MS parking lot that is located west of the SSC and MS buildings will become paid parking, he said The lower section of SSC/MS and the upper SSC section will be a combined paid lot and students will need to buy an SSC permit in order to park there, he said.

Students can purchase paid parking permits at the Cashier’s Office he said.

“If you wish to park in this paid lot you will need to buy a SSC permit and citations will be issued starting the first day of class in all paid lots,” Aragon said.

There will be no grace period for citations at the paid parking lots, he said.

The general parking lots for the coming fall semester will be the SB1, SB2, SB3, and BMX, he said.

To pick up general parking permits for the coming fall semester students need to go to the Student Activities office not the security office, he said.

The SB parking lots are all located west of University Blvd between the SB and RPM buildings, according to CNM.

The BMX parking lot that is located east of the Isotopes baseball park and is accessible from Avenida Cesar Chavez, Aragon said.

In the instance that there is not enough parking, the overflow lot for general parking will be the UNM stadium west lot which is located to the west side of the UNM football stadium, he said.

There is a grace period during open registration and the first two weeks of the term that citations will not be issued in the general parking lots only, he said.

Students who are wondering about the SB construction affecting parking for the fall term should know that construction on the SB building will not be starting until December of 2015.

The construction should not affect parking for the fall term, he said.

“I am working on a solution that will ensure CNM students will have a place to park that is safe and secure during this construction starting in December 2015,” he said.

Students should be aware that when they pick up their general parking permits they are to be placed in a different location than before, said CNM parking services.

The permits will now be placed on the inside of the car, they said.

There is a typo on the back of the general permits that say to place the permit on the upper left driver side corner of the vehicles interior windshield, he said.

The location that the 2015/2016 CNM general parking permit is to be placed is on the lower left driver side corner of the vehicle’s interior windshield, he said.

“This is a different kind of permit than we are used to, you no longer have to put unwanted stickers on the rear of your vehicle,” Aragon said.

This new cling general parking permit will expire August 14th, 2016 and is kept inside the vehicle, he said.

“As long as the permit is visible in either the upper left driver side corner or the lower left driver side corner of the interior windshield it will be accepted,” Aragon said.

Paid parking permits will be available online for students starting August 10th, 2015, he said.

The paid parking permits can be ordered online through myCNM and can then be picked up at the Cashier’s Office, he said.

To purchase a paid parking permit in person students should go to the Cashier’s Office, he said.

“The paid lots are never oversold and individuals on the waitlist will be contacted only if lot capacity allows for additional permits to be sold,” Aragon said.

Visitors to CNM are expected to park in the parking meter spaces, or in any general parking lot during open registration, he said.

After open registration is over and classes have started visitors will need to obtain an E-permit or day pass in order to park in general parking spaces without citations.

To obtain an E-permit visitors can go online to cnm.edu and under parking services there is an option for visitors to select E-permit.

If visitors would like to obtain a day pass in person they can visit the Student Activities Office, SSC Welcome Desk, or the security office in the PS building, Aragon said.

“Parking Services cares about your education and safety, and with new management we are working very hard to ensure our visitors and new students have a good experience when coming to campus,” he said.

For more information regarding parking, students and visitors can call parking services at 505-224-4637.

For more information on purchasing paid permits, students can call the Cashier’s Office at 505-224-3471.

When? Where?

parking map

Did you know? CNM has Kickstarter workshops

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

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.

Mindfulness at CNM

By Whitney Oliphant, Staff Reporter

Mindfulness is beginning to make a presence at CNM, said Dr. Melissa Franklin, full time instructor of the Biology department at CNM.

Mindfulness meetings are held at the CNM main campus every Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Barr Room which is located in SRC 204, she said.

The meetings are free of charge and are open to students, faculty, staff, and the community.

Mindfulness is a way to help notice what is going on in an individual’s mind and body, she said.

“A lot of what we do in the mindfulness meetings are practices on bringing ourselves into our body and being in this moment, not in our heads thinking about the past or the future,” she said.

The brain has default programs that want it to fire up the body which allow it to go into a state of readiness which some people call fight or flight.

If the body is always in that state of readiness it strengthens those fight or flight pathways that can take away from basic repair, body maintenance, and immune function and that is unhealthy for the body, she said.

Another problem with strengthening those pathways for readiness is that it makes the brain biased to be vigilant of potential threats.

It can then become adaptive to that aroused state and start amplifying anything that might be conceived as a potential threat.

The brain begins running through these little scenarios with that threat and that can keep the body in an unhealthy state, she said.

“So we need to be checking in to see where we are so that we can decide if we want to keep going down a certain path or to switch to a new path,” she said.

When someone feels like they are having an off day they can sometimes stop and check in with themselves, then go a little deeper into what the brain chatter is saying to try and figure out where it is coming from, she said.

There are a few more things people can do to check in with the body and help it to relax; like simple stretches, deep breathing, and being aware of their surroundings, she said.

Mindfulness can be a way to conserve energy and can also be a way to give the body’s energy system a break so it can rejuvenate, she said.

New transfer options for CNM students

By Whitney Oliphant, Staff Reporter

CNM will be partnering with Western New Mexico University to offer online bachelor degree programs for its students that are seeking to continue their education at a four year institution, said Roberto Vasquez of Academic Affairs at CNM.

Beginning fall of 2015 CNM students will be able to transfer some of their associate’s degrees from CNM to Western New Mexico University to continue their education and obtain their bachelor’s degree in certain fields, he said.

“They are building this bridge that is just going to streamline the ability to transfer,” said Vasquez.

In all there will be at least ten programs offered through distance education with WNMU and CNM will be announcing all the names of the programs at a later date this summer, Vasquez said.

Some of the online programs that will be offered through WNMU will include Interdisciplinary Studies, Criminal Justice and Social Work, he said.

The approved associate programs will transfer directly over into one of the adjoining online bachelor’s programs at WNMU, said Vasquez.

Some students worry that certain classes may not transfer over to another four year institution and when a class does not transfer that student is faced with taking a similar course over, which can take away from the amount of time it takes a student to graduate, he said.

The partnership with WNMU will help ease those concerns, he said.

Western New Mexico University is also locking their tuition rates for their students, Vasquez said.

What this means is that CNM students who transfer to WNMU can keep the same tuition rates that WNMU offers from the beginning of their program to the end of their program, he said.

This is something that students should be aware of if they are planning on transferring to one of WNMU’s online programs, he said.

There are a few exceptions and guidelines in regards to the locked tuition rates but CNM will have more information available for its students on this as they finalize everything with WNMU, he said.

CNM is also in the process of building a transfer website from the ground up, he said.

What this means is that once the website is up, students will be able to access more information on CNM’s partnership with WNMU and many other universities, Vasquez said.

Students will be able to view the universities that CNM is currently partnering with and what associate programs at CNM will transfer to those universities, he said.

To make the stress of transferring to a new institution easier for students, CNM hopes to have someone from Western New Mexico University available at the CNM campus, he said.

CNM is hoping to have the advisor from WNMU at the CNM campus at least twice a month in order to answer any questions that may arise regarding WNMU, he said.

They will also be available to answer any questions students may have about transferring into one of their programs, Vasquez said.

“CNM is moving in a neat direction as far as transfer,” Vasquez said.

The new transfer website will be accessible through CNM’s web page as soon as they finalize everything and are able to launch the newly developed website, he said.

In the meantime if there are any questions about transferring to WNMU regarding the tuition rates, appointments can be scheduled with academic advisors, Vasquez said.

To schedule an appointment with one of CNM’s academic advisors on Main Campus call 505-224-4355.

The hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. according to the CNM website.