Contact / Begin Date / End Date / Notes
Open Enrollment for Benefits Begins Oct. 10 / Oct 10 / Nov 11 / The timeframe for enrolling in benefits is scheduled for Oct. 10 through Nov.11. To ensure your benefit enrollment process is quick and easy, go to this NMPSIA website and make changes if necessary to your basic information – address, phone, email and beneficiaries. Make sure to have the appropriate paperwork on hand to support any changes that need to be made. Some common documents needed are: marriage certificates, birth certificates and Social Security numbers.
For 2017, the New Mexico Public Schools Insurance Authority (NMPSIA) has implemented some important changes to note.A third medical insurance provider, New Mexico Health Connections, has been added to the current Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Presbyterian options. Also, both Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Presbyterian have enhanced their wellness programs. Wellness program plans now feature diet and nutritional information, exercise guides, and access to health and fitness advisors online. For information on the 2017 programs, contact your provider or visit the NMPSIA website.
Fall Evaluations / Elsie Hall / Nov 06 / Nov 19 / Fall 2016 Course Evaluations are scheduled to run November 6 – November 19.
New ‘CNM Degree Works’ System Helps Students Stay on Track to Graduate with Planning Tools, Degree Audits, Enhanced Course Plans and More / AnnLyn Hall / With the start of the Fall Term, CNM has launched a comprehensive new software system that will help students stay on track to graduate through a variety of valuable features. Some of the features of the software, called “CNM Degree Works,” include:
On-demand Degree Audits, Student Planning Tools, Real-time Reporting,
Forecasting Time to Degree, Exception Processing, and GPA Calculator.
Access CNM Degree Works – Students can access CNM Degree Works through myCNM on the Registration or Graduation tabs.
Degree Works Introduction:
CNM Instructor Who Donated Kidney to Student Wins Medals in Transplant Games / After CNM reading instructor Jennifer Adams donated a kidney to one of her students two years ago, she became determined to get in the best shape of her life. She began exercising, running and kickboxing regularly, then won medals at the Transplant Games. Read more.
Insurance Premiums Changing for September Paychecks / CNM’s health insurance provider, New Mexico Public Schools Insurance Authority (NMPSIA), has announced insurance premium increases that will go into effect on Oct. 1.Since premiums are collected one month in advance, however, the new premiums will affect paychecks beginning with the first pay period in September. NMPSIA has approved an 8.3 percent increase for the High Option Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Presbyterian plans and a 7.15 percent increase for the Low Option Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Presbyterian plans.Click here to view the new rates.
Consider Using ‘Bcc’ Option for Emails to Limit ‘Reply Alls’ / Employees are encouraged to consider email etiquette before hitting “send” on email messages. This particularly pertains to blind carbon copy (Bcc) emails. If you’re sending an email to a large group and it’s appropriate to limit people’s ability to “Reply All,” follow the steps listed below. This will allow users to send emails to a large distribution list, and recipients will be prevented from replying to all.
- Step 1 – Go to Microsoft Outlook and open a new email message by clicking on “New Email.”
- Step 2 – A blank email will appear. Click on the “Options” menu click on “Bcc.”
- Step 3 – Once completed, all new emails will display a new field called Bcc. Place your recipients’ names in the Bcc field (instead of the To or CC fields), and the email will then be delivered to all recipients. Recipients will not be able to see who else received the email and will not be able to reply to all.
Brush Up on Your U.S. Constitution Knowledge in Celebration of Constitution Day / Sept 16 / Constitution Day is Friday, Sept. 16, and CNM encourages all faculty, staff and students to take time this weekto celebrate the United States Constitution, which was signed on Sept. 17, 1787. Everyone is encouraged to refresh their knowledge about our country’s most influential, and one of the world’s most influential, legal documents. Here are a few websites that are resources for facts, fun quizzes to test your U.S. Constitution knowledge, and other valuable information regarding the U.S. Constitution:
Have a great Constitution Day!
Practice Mindfulness and Improve Your Health on Thursdays / Beth Giebus-Chavez
Melissa Franklin
/ You are invited to attend CNM’s Mindfulness Practice Hour on Thursdays during the Fall Term from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Main Campus in the Student Resource Center, Room 204.The Mindfulness Practice Hour is open to students, employees and the community. Beginners are welcome.Each Thursday will begin with light standing stretches to slow down mind chatter, followed by a short inspirational talk and a meditation technique.Feel free to drop in late or leave early as needed. For more information about Mindfulness at CNM,click here.
Transfer Pathways for Most CNM Programs Now at Your Fingertips / Roberto Vasquez / Information on how CNM courses transfer to programs at the state’s four-year universities is at your fingertips. Go to the Transfer from CNM website and then choose either transfer by CNM program or transfer by university. Click on the program of interest, and you’ll be able to see what courses transfer and additional program courses that can be taken at CNM. The site also provides information on how associate degree programs connect to bachelor’s degree programs.Check out the website for all of the new transfer pathways.For more information about the enhanced website or the transfer options, contact Roberto Vasquez, transfer articulation analyst, at .
Distinguished Faculty Award Winners Announced at Convocation / Sydney / FT Faculty
AT / Curtis Garand*
BIT / Chris Morosin
CHSS / Rebecca Aronson
HWPS / Yulia Cole
MSE / Rachel Black
SAGE / Erica Reed
PT Faculty
AT / Joseph Hirschfeld*
CHSS / Erin Radcliffe
MSE / Urszula Biela
SAGE / Carol Anne Byrnes
*CNM Distinguished Faculty
Presidential Fellows
Kevin Dooley
Robin Ramsey / Sydney / Kevin Dooley will focus on SARA (State Authorized Reciprocity Agreement Compliance) for distant learning. He will also work on ways to enhance distance learning opportunities.
Robin Ramsey will focus on curriculum development at the college.
Practice Your Español at Spanish Conversation Group on Wednesdays / Linda Dulin / You’re invited to practice your Spanish at the Spanish Conversation Group each Wednesday during the Fall Term on Main Campus in the Student Resource Center, Room 203-T, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. It’s a casual and comfortable way to get practice speaking Spanish.There is no need to register, and you can show up on any Wednesday that is convenient for you.This is open to Spanish students, as well as employees and other students interested in practicing Spanish. All levels are welcome. Please contact Laura Dulin r 224-4000, ext. 53085, for more information.
Project to Replace Boiler at Montoya Campus K Building Underway / A project to remove the existing boiler and replace it with a new one at the Montoya Campus K Building is underway. The project will take about one-and-a-half weeks to complete. Although it is still warm out, the boiler switch might cause some of the spaces in the building to feel cool. Employees in the building may want to bring an extra layer of clothing.
J-Building / Jenni Davis / Jan 2017 / J-Building will close for construction beginning Spring 2017. When complete, the renovated building will house the Cosmetology and Dental Assisting Programs. Also, ACE tutoring, the Library and the Open Computer Lab will be combined to form a learning commons for students.
MS Construction / Melanie Archibeque / July 2016
Oct 2016 / Spr 2017
Mar
2017 / The last update on the MS HVAC and MS Restroom project was that it would begin in July 2016. However, the sewer line issues have modified the construction phasing and schedule. The sewer line replacement is now scheduled to occur over the Winter Break when the building is unoccupied since it involves the total demolition of the first floor restrooms.
The proposed new schedule is:
Phase 1: Renovation of 3rd and 4th floor restrooms: Start in Early October 2016
Phase 2: Renovation of 1st and 2nd floor restrooms: not to begin until Phase 1 is complete. The target is to begin during Winter Break with completion in March 2017.
The MS HVAC is still scheduled to start July 25, 2016.
Windows 10 Upgrades for Academic Affairs Faulty and Staff Scheduled Through Fall Term / Alex Silage / ITS is currently performing Windows 10 upgrades throughout the college.ITS is set to upgrade Academic Affairs faculty and staff during the Fall Term.A new upgrade solution is on the way and will enable users to perform their own self-service upgrade.Once enabled, you will see a new icon on your task bar entitled “Software Center.” ITS will provide more information about this soon.Click here for more information regarding the “Software Center”.
CHSS Major Mixer for 2016 / Paula Smith-Hawkins / Sept 28 / The 4th annual CHSS Major Mixer will be held on Wednesday, September 28th, 2016 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on CNM’s Main Campus, near the grassy knoll north of the SSC building. This event highlights majors in the School of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences, connects faculty and students, features degree audits and advising
The Community College/‘Real College’ Divide - NYTimes.com / Samantha Sengel /