UNM-Taos Nursing Program Wishes to Invite You

Public Notice of Upcoming Accreditation Review Visit by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc.

Announcement

UNM-Taos Nursing Program wishes to announce that it will host a site review initial accreditation of its Associate Degree in Nursing Program (ADN-RN).

You are invited to meet the onsite visiting team and share your comments about the program in person at a meeting scheduled on 2/22/12 from 3-4pm at UNM-Taos Klauer Campus, Room # TSPMH107. Please contact Linda Nowalk at 737-3745 for directions.

Written comments are also welcome and should be submitted directly to:

Dr. Sharon Tanner, Chief Executive Officer

National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission Inc.

3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850

Atlanta, GA 30326

or emal: sjtanner@nlnac.org

All written comments should arrive at the National League for Nursing, Inc. by February 14, 2012


UPDATE:

Just wanted to give you an update. Our site visit went great! We met all the benchmark and standards. The team was very impressed and will be recommending accreditation.! It still needs to be reviewed by another committee in Atlanta and the Board of Directors at the National League of Nursing but the site visit was the biggest hurdle! We will know for certain by mid August but I am very optimistic. Thanks again for posting the information on the website about the public meeting.

---

Kathy Falkenhagen
MSN, RN
Chairperson and Director of Nursing
kfalkenh@unm.edu
575-737-3744

From the UNM Taos Website:

UNM-Taos Offers a two-year Nursing Program leading to an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN-RN) after the completion of pre-requisite courses. Upon completion of the program, the student will be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN). The program has final approval by the New Mexico State Board of Nursing and also has received Candidacy status from the National League of Nursing Accreditation Commission for National Accreditation.


Mission Statement
The UNM-Taos ADN-RN Nursing program, located in a rural setting in Northern New Mexico, develops professional nurses to be knowledgeable and competent in the caring for diverse populations.

What is the Nursing Program like? It is very demanding of the students’ time and energy. Students attend classes several days a week and are in clinical sites several days a week and possible weekends. The schedule changes every semester and due to clinical scheduling, students need to be available 7 days per week.

Students participating in the Nursing Program at UNM-Taos receive a state-of-the art, well rounded, hands on education. The program admits 16 students every 2 years. Since the class size is small, there is personal attention from a highly educated and experienced Nursing faculty. Clinical rotations are at Holy Cross Hospital and 19 other clinical sites in the surrounding area.

UNM Taos Library Newsletter Spring 2012

The UNM Taos Library is looking forward to a beautiful new year. In the past year, thanks to our library supporters, we successfully passed GO Bond B which has been used for research databases as well as Mango Languages and Ancestry.com for our students and faculty. We look forward to the "Untold Stories" Literary Tour, El día de los niños/El día de los libros, book signings and other community events.

Love Your Library

Open House
Friday, February 10th
From 2 PM to 6 PM
UNM Taos Library, 115 Civic Plaza Dr.

February is Library Lovers’ Month all across the country. This is a time for everyone to recognize the value of libraries and to work to assure that the Nation's libraries will continue to serve.
Join us at the UNM Taos Library as we honor two celebrated authors. Bonnie Lee Black will receive an award, from Gour- mand International this March in Paris, for her book “How to Cook a Crocodile: A Memoir with Recipes.”
We will also be graced by author, translator, and teacher Mirabai Starr, who will discuss her work and introduce her latest project.
You are invited to gather with us to enjoy refreshments and cele- brate "Love your Library" month, so save the date. 

Help Build Your Library’s Future
Together we can build education in Taos one adobe at a time.
Your gift to the UNM Taos Library is tax-deductible! Send your check, made payable to the UNM Taos Li-
brary. (Please write Building Fund in the memo.)
UNM-Taos Library
1157 County Road 110 Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557
You can find more information online and support the circle of giving at—www.unmtaosgiving.org 

New UNM Taos News & Information App!

The first UNM Taos App is available for iPhone and Android mobile devices. It feature news general information specifically for the UNM Taos Campus.

Some of the feature include:

• Facebook feed for up to the minute news items like school delays and closures due to bad weather.
• Google Calendar which lists our date related events like Student Government meetings, workshops and holidays.
• Google map for directions to Klauer Campus.
• Some of our newest videos updated regularly.
• And of course the UNM Taos Blog articles where you are reading this now.

To top it off, the app is uses an internet connection to keep you up to date with the latest information without having to update the app itself. Communicating information to students was the focus of this app as a means to deliver information in as many forms as possible. All from a central source UNM Taos University Communications.

The UNM Taos App make a nice addition to our website But Did You Know About These Little Known Secrets of our Website:

• Academic Calendar Important dates you need to know if you are a UNM Taos Student.
• Campus Map where we have just uploaded a PDF version of Klauer Campus complete with room numbers to help you locate you class once you arrive on campus.
• Areas of Instruction and complete Course Descriptions.
• Download Helpful Handouts in PDF format like Admission Checklists, and How to apply for Financial Aid.
• The Bus Schedule
• And for you video snackers did you know UNM Taos has a YouTube Channel?

UNM-Taos Dean of Instruction

This past summer Mr. James Gilroy announced his planned retirement from UNM-Taos effective the end of the Spring 2012 semester. Mr. Gilroy has done an excellent job over his many years at UNM-Taos as a faculty member, Academy Head and Dean of Instruction. We look forward to working with him over the next six months as he winds down his academic duties, and we wish him and his family all the best life has to offer. He will be greatly missed.

Dr. Randi Archuleta

It is now my pleasure to officially announce the appointment of Dr. Randi Archuleta as the new Dean of Instruction for UNM-Taos. Dean Archuleta has been on faculty here for more than eleven years. She has also been on faculty at the University of Maryland, the Claremont Colleges and elsewhere during her academic career. Many of you may know her from her service as Associate Dean of Instruction, her enthusiastic furthering of distance education and the support she has provided to many faculty in offering online courses. She has also served on numerous committees and is very active throughout the Taos community in educational endeavors.


Dean Archuleta can be reached at randia@unm.edu or 575-737-6226 beginning Tuesday, January 17. She we be located in the Deans office in Pueblo Hall East by next week. Mr. Gilroy can be reached at gilroy@unm.edu. He will relocate to the UNM-Taos offices at 115 Civic Plaza Drive until his retirement in June, 2012.


Again, please join me in thanking Jim Gilroy for his extraordinary service to UNM-Taos and please give your wholehearted support and a warm welcome to our new UNM-Taos Dean of Instruction, Dr. Randi Archuleta.


Kate ONeill,
Executive Director

Grantsmanship Workshop

David Trujillo, Grants and Special Projects Officer for UNM-Taos, will be sharing his thirty-plus years of grant writing experience with the Taos community by offering a special Grantsmanship Workshop designed for the novice and experienced grant writer alike. Handouts will be provided for each session. The workshop is interactive, so if there is a project you are working on, bring it along! Space is limited, so register soon!

Date: Friday, February 17, 2012

Time: Session I 8:30am - 12:00pm Session II 12:30pm - 4:00pm

Location: UNM-Taos Klauer Campus 1157 County Rd 110* Padre Martinez Hall Room #107  *Just past the National Guard Armory on the left hand side

Registration Is Required. Space is limited!
Registration Fee: General Admission: $75.00** **Scholarships are available!

Non-profits: $25 UNM

Staff & Faculty: FREE

Contact: Anita Bringas 575-737-6227 abringas@unm.edu

Refreshments Served during each session


SESSION 1: “The World of Grants” 8:30am-12:00pm

This session is open to the public along with UNM staff, and will cover the basics of grant writing as well as information relevant to more experienced grant-seekers.

Topics will include:

• Thinking like a professional proposal writer
• Identifying the elements of a proposal
• Reviewing and evaluating an actual proposal
• Understanding how funding agencies think and how they make funding decisions
• Researching potential funders on the internet 

SESSION 2: “Grant Submission 101” 12:30-4:00 pm

Developed by and for UNM staff, this session will provide an overview of pre- and post-award requirements specific to UNM, as well as tips on navigating Banner and Cayuse for grant submission and reporting. All current project directors, principal investigators and other staff working on grants are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Before becoming Grants Officer for UNM-Taos, David Trujillo most recently served as the Dean for Grants Development and Special Initiatives at Northern New Mexico College, managing the College’s Grants-Seeking, Partnership and Special Projects activities. Prior to that, Mr. Trujillo was Interim President at Northern New Mexico College (2009-2010); Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs at New Jersey City University; and Director of Community and Special Projects at the University of Southern Colorado. Mr. Trujillo has thirty years of experience working with Hispanic Serving Institutions and has assisted over 25 colleges and universities obtain Title III and Title V funding. He has also worked extensively on K-16 partnership initiatives. His work in grants development and grants management has focused on using sponsored programs to bring about systemic change, primarily at the postsecondary level. During his career, Mr. Trujillo has been responsible for obtaining more than 150 million dollars in grants to institutions of higher learning. trujio9@unm.edu ~ 575-737-6246

Spring 2012 Scholarship Opportunities

Daniel’s Opportunity Scholarship

4 - $500.00 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations


Preference will be given to those students who have been:
GED recipients,
Candidates from alternative and/or reform schools, juvenile diversion programs and/or justice centers, and state correction facilities; and
Adult students seeking to pursue an education later in life or those returning for a “second chance” at postsecondary education.
In addition to demonstrated financial need, primary criteria for scholarship consideration are a candidate’s academic promise (generally defined), maturity, character, leadership, perseverance, and commitment to community service.

To apply, please submit:

An official application, including a written essay, up to 500 words, on your personal and professional aspirations, and the supports and challenges you face in accomplishing your goals and dreams and in attaining a college education.



Chistine Apodaca Memorial Scholarhip
2 - $500 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:

· Scholarship is intended for Single Mothers majoring in Art

· Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations



UNM-TAA

2 - $500 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:

· Must be a member of the UNM-TAA

· Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations

** To apply to be a member of UNM-TAA visit: http://unmtaa.com/



Circle of Giving

2 - $500 Scholarships will be awarded for the Spring 2012 Semester

Eligibility Criteria:

· Applicants must be a New Mexico Resident
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree or certificate program at UNM-Taos
Applicants who have earned an Associate or Bachelor degree are NOT eligible (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
Applicants must be enrolled full-time
Applicant must have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA (unless otherwise dictated by scholarship)
A 500 word essay on necessity of scholarship funds or on professional and personal aspirations


Applications available at the Student Enrollment Department Deadline: January 20, 2012

New Student Orientation is January 5th

Start the Year Off Right!
New Student Orientation is January 5th from noon to 4 p.m.,
Padre Martinez Hall on the UNM-Taos Klauer Campus

Take full advantage of a great opportunity: plan to attend the Spring, 2012 New Student Orientation on January 5. It’s the best way to learn your way around campus and get the inside information on financial aid, academic advising, how to enroll and much, much more. Advisors Damon Montclare and Bella Rodriguez will be there along with representatives from the Student Success office, CASA Tutoring, the Department of Instruction, the Business Office, Library and Student Government.

According to Kathy Spess, head of the free CASA tutoring services, NSO is a must for all incoming students and even for veteran scholars who need a little more information on how their community college is run. “New Student Orientation is the first step in building a strong foundation for your academic career,” Spess said. “It’s all free, and I urge everyone to take advantage of it.”

It’s a time to meet staff, faculty and fellow students in small group rotations that zero in on important areas of interest such as Lobo Web-CASA, academic advising, the Library and Bachelor and Graduate programs. Then we’ll take you on a tour of campus buildings so campus life won’t be quite so confusing on that all-important first day of class, January 17.

Please Join Us for New Student Orientation January 5th. That’s when your academic career really begins! For more information just call 737-3695 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Agenda:

12:00-12:30  Sign In

12:30-12:50 Welcome to New Students by Executive Director, Dr. Kate O’Neill

1:00-1:45     Staff Introductions:

                       CASA Tutoring

                       Dean of Instruction- James Gilroy

                       Associate Dean of Instruction- Dr. Randi Archuleta

           Student Success- Amie Chavez-Aguilar

                       Student Enrollment- Patricia Gonzales

                       Admissions and Transcript Evaluation- Vickie Alvarez

                       Financial Aid/ VA/Work study/Student Enrollment- Nikki Moyer

                       Business Office- Thomas Duran

                       Student Advisors- Bella Rodriguez & Damon Montclare

                       UNM Library – Kathleen Knoth & Enrico Trujillo

           Bachelor & Graduate Programs- Mary Lutz & Allison Peters Kosiba

                       Physical Plant- Rudy Baca

                       UNM-Taos Kids Campus- Tracy Jaramillo

                       Early Childhood Resource Center- Brandy Corry

                       Family Resource Center- Kathy Coombs

                       UNM-Taos Student Government

                      

1:45-2:10     Time Management Workshop – Daniel Gomez & Amy Sievers

2:10-2:30     Campus Tour

2:30-4:00     Group Rotations:

                       Academic Advisors- Bella Rodriguez & Damon Montclare

                       Lobo Web and Q & A- CASA – Daniel Gomez

                       Bachelor & Graduate Programs- Mary Lutz & Allison Peters Kosiba

                       Library/ Net ID - Ana Pacheco

The Past Is Prologue

By Bill Knief
As published in the Taos News December 27, 2011
Another year has come and gone, and once again it’s time to reflect on how far we have come at UNM-Taos, and where we stand today. I grew up at a time when being able to accurately decode Roman numerals was thought to be an essential component of the grade school curriculum. Now it’s only necessary if you own a really expensive European wrist watch (or replica) and even then you only have to go to XII. Education, to be effective, must constantly evolve.

In 2011 we brought on board a grants officer and a development director charged with attracting the funding we need to fully realize our mission of providing affordable, quality education to all who seek it in northern New Mexico. At the same time, the role of community colleges has been called into question.

“I think the times are changing,” Executive Director Dr. Kate O’Neill reflected. “With state budgets being cut throughout the country, people are looking for streamlined programs in education, and New Mexico is no exception. So they have begun the process of revising the funding formula for higher education. As a result we have had extensive budget cuts over the past three years, but the latest numbers indicate that the budget for New Mexico is stabilizing, and we are encouraged that we will not have to suffer additional cuts and layoffs. However, there are a lot of details still to be worked out having to do with dual enrollment, workforce development, and transfer students.”

In response to a more robust economy, it will be interesting to see if funding for education improves, or continues to decline to fit the ideology of the moment.

“Community colleges have a very robust, multi-part mission that needs to be better understood in Santa Fe,” O’Neill said. “Along with certificate and degree seekers we serve non-degree seeking students, lifelong learners and small business owners who may just want to take an Excel class for accounting purposes, or a Web design class to assist them in their business. This is significant because the Taos area has twice the national average of small businesses. Should those entrepreneurs count any less than other students?

“Under the new funding formula, we would not get the same level of credit for those students as those who get a certificate or degree, and that seems to be narrowing the mission of community colleges.

“We have accomplished a lot in the last year despite budget cuts and even some reduction of force here at UNM-Taos, O’Neill went on. “We received a four star rating for the UNM-Taos Kids’ Campus which we are very proud of. The Literacy Center was recognized as the best ABE-GED program in New Mexico, and as one of the state’s two newest branch campuses, UNM-Taos enrollment continues to grow. Our faculty member David Chavez received a prestigious award from the Department of Energy for his work at LANL, our Nursing Program is thriving and we continue to build partnerships throughout the region.”

O’Neill cited other successes in 2011. UNM-Taos received 3.9 million in individual and collaborative Title V grants that will help fund student retention and graduation initiatives, particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) disciplines. Los Alamos National Laboratory doubled last year’s grant to $50,000 in recognition of our excellent staff and implementation at the community college level. The UNM-Taos bookstore went to an online service, and the bookstore space has been converted into a library outreach center for students in developmental studies, along with distance education training for faculty. UNM-Taos received monies for the Accelerate program supporting STEM curriculum to strengthen the computational skills so necessary to the workforce of tomorrow. Our federal delegation, Representative Ben Ray Lujan in particular, assisted in acquiring funds to equip classrooms with distance education technology and training for instructors.

“I think one size does not fit all when it comes to distance education, however,” O’Neill maintained. “We need to continue to look at best practices and to offer a variety of course options: some face-to-face, some totally online, and some hybrid courses that are a mix of classroom and online instruction. When you are talking about first-generation college students in particular, they really need advising, mentoring and tutoring services to help them navigate the system. Grant monies we have received will help us do that. As in previous years, the CASA Tutoring program provides assistance in English and math at no charge to students.”

This past year was filled with daunting challenges alongside hard-won successes. We look forward to 2012 with optimism; at this writing, three weeks before the start of the spring semester, well over 900 students have already enrolled in more than 8,100 credit hours of instruction. Now that’s really something for the Taos community to brag about.