In that busy period right before Christmas when everything around you is slowing down yet there aren’t enough hours in the day or pages in the appointment calendar to cover all the things you need to accomplish, I met with UNM-Taos Executive Director Dr. Kate O’Neill to get her overall impression of the year rapidly coming to a close. On a day when the campus was closed due to snow and she was waiting for tire chains to be installed on her truck, she had just enough time for a quick cup of coffee and a summary of some of the major events that shaped community college’s progress in 2008. “2008 was another banner year for UNM-Taos. We got construction under way on two new buildings: the Career Tech Center with its three computer classrooms, and Phase One of the Kids’ Campus. “We also completed the Klauer infrastructure, primarily water, sewer and fire suppression. That was huge. “We succeeded in getting the largest amount ever through the state legislature in a 30 day session. We got 3.3 million in the General Obligation Bond, and fortunately, with the support of citizens throughout New Mexico, that bond passed in November. That will help us complete Pueblo Hall, the 18,000 square foot multi purpose classroom building which will make it possible to consolidate the eleven locations currently serving our students. “We are also hoping to get telecom wireless capacity out there, and we’ve got a new computer IT coordinator, Joachin Cantu, who is helping us with a strategic plan for the whole campus. “We succeeded in hiring Spears Architects to review our campus master plan. That was just completed in December, so we are really excited about that. “We have also succeeded in getting several grants. We got a big federal Title V STEM grant, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Title V is a two year grant for Hispanic serving institutions. We will have about $400,000.00 a year to help set up the UNM-Taos Water Institute---a neutral academic water resource clearing house for all sorts of water information. We will have 18 interns and equipment that will allow us to go out and scan maps, photographs and documents so that we can document oral history and preserve materials in the area without actually having to physically possess those materials. “Another grant that we got was the second HUD grant for the Kids’ Campus. We got $600,000.00 which will allow us to begin Phase Two, an expansion of the facility just completed in ’08. We also received $47,000.00 from the Daniels Fund, which will help us with training for the Kids’ Campus. “Another big, big success is that we got state employment funding for our nursing program. We got $337,000.00 per year for two years that will allow us to start a program in collaboration with Holy Cross Hospital leading to an Associate’s Degree in Nursing. It will qualify people to sit for their RN exam, and then they can complete their Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing online if they choose to. That program was just approved by the State Board of Nursing, and because we had the BSN program and we have the faculty in place, the curriculum all set up and the relationship with Holy Cross established, we can begin the program as early as September, ’09. “We are still waiting for the installation of the five acre solar array that will provide 500 kilowatts of power to the Klauer campus, and we will keep people posted in 2009 as that proceeds. “We are happy to say that starting July 1 we hired Mildred Young from Taos Pueblo. She is an Associate’s and BUS graduate from UNM-Taos and Extended University, and we are thrilled to have her as our first Native American advisor. She has become a very wonderful addition to the advising team. We also had in-person advising down at the Klauer campus this fall for the first time, and students, faculty and staff all seem to think that that has been a really positive change. We are trying to make the whole process more user friendly for students, and we think that this on-site advising is really helping. “This fall we became the first UNM branch to be able to electronically send as well as receive courses. We now have five interactive classrooms that Jack Vigil and his company Harmonix helped us set up, and he even contributed about $30,000.00 worth of equipment. Jack is from Penasco, and he knows how important these state of the art facilities are to students in northern New Mexico. “We now have legislation in dual enrollment that allows 9th and 10th graders to sign up for dual enrollment classes, so we’re continuing to offer college credit classes at all six area high schools. “Looking to the future, as most folks know, the state budget has been squeezed a bit because the price of oil and gas has gone down, and we have been asked to cut about five percent from our ING funding---that’s not grant funding, or General Obligation Bond funding; it’s operational funds. We can continue to provide the same level of services to our students and still reduce costs with a combination of some basic restructuring, some people voluntarily going to three quarter time, eliminating a UNM-Taos vehicle---those kinds of changes. For the moment we’re not looking at any personnel cuts, and we are going to try to keep it that way. “We recently had about 21 people from as far away as Los Angeles and Colorado on our campus to receive requests for proposal for the Library Learning Resource Center, the Water Institute, and the Southwest Research Center. We expect to have a couple of dozen firms bidding on these projects as we continue to move forward with the campus. “We are looking at a water catchment system that will allow us to xeriscape and irrigate the campus and possibly even put in a demonstration acequia with solar pumps. “We will have our comprehensive strategic master plan completed during 2009 which will include a marketing plan, campus buildout master plan, fundraising and IT master plans. We are ready to move forward on the strategic level, now that we’ve completed the basic infrastructure of our campus. “This coming year we are looking forward to collaborating with the new director of Holy Cross Hospital and the newly reconstituted Town Council. We congratulate Darren Cordova in becoming the newly appointed mayor. We appreciate the continuing support of the town and county and our state legislators. We look forward to working with everybody on continuing to grow this campus, especially during this pivotal time in our economy.” Dr. O’Neill finished her coffee and hurried off to see if her tire chains were ready. A reminder that the lifelong pursuit of higher education begins at the end of your own driveway. On January 19, when spring semester begins, try not to be snowed in.
Since the inception of UNM’s- BSN satellite program in Taos that began in January 2007, community health care providers and future students were excited about the program and disheartened when the announcement came that the funding was no longer in place to continue. The last class will graduate in the summer of 2009. Thanks to the vision and hard work of Jim Gilroy, Dean of Instruction, UNM-Taos was awarded a New Mexico HED grant to initiate an Associate Degree in Nursing program at UNM-Taos. This program is projected for the fall of 2009, pending approval of the New Mexico Board of Nursing. Holy Cross Hospital (HCH) will collaborate with UNM-Taos on the program implementation and provide state of the art training in their 48 bed facility. The program will be 2 years in length after completion of the pre-requisites. All course work and clinical training will be available in Taos. UNM-Taos will utilize a nursing educational facility located at the UNM-Taos Med Center location (across the street from HCH) which contains a classroom, lab and office space for the program. This new and exciting program will admit 16 students with applications taken in the late spring of 2009. Successful graduates will be awarded an Associate of Science in Nursing degree and be eligible to take the RN exam for licensure. Each year HCH provides $200,000 in scholarships for high school students entering the nursing profession as a career. Mountain Home Health Care and Hospice provides $5,000 per year for any student interested in working at Mountain Home Health Care upon graduation. The Intent of the proposed UNM-Taos ADN-RN program is to prepare, educate and support successful nursing professionals in a multicultural rural setting in Northern New Mexico. Due to the severe nursing shortage in the area, new graduates will have opportunities to fill vacancies at HCH, community clinics, physician offices, home health care facilities and the Taos Living Center. The mission of the UNM-Taos ADN-RN program is to develop health care professionals to be clinically competent and culturally sensitive in delivering care to clients in a rural setting. The vision for the new UNM-Taos ADN-RN program is that it will be recognized for excellence in educating responsible, competent, highly qualified, knowledgeable, skills oriented and caring Registered Nurses in Northern New Mexico. Expected ADN-RN program educational outcomes of the UNM-Taos ADN-RN program would include: Utilize critical thinking and the nursing process in decision making to provide safe, quality and comprehensive nursing care for rural clients and their families. Communicates therapeutically with multiple rural clients and their families in the provision of their care. Integrates the teaching-learning process in the delivery of care to multiple rural clients and their families to meet their needs for health maintenance, promotion and /or restoration. Now, UNM-Taos and HCH are prepared and can provide an innovative, sustainable, high quality ADN-RN Program which will serve the needs of the community. This could be one of the most important programs offered in Northern New Mexico. For further information on admission requirements, pre-requisites or questions call: Kathy Falkenhagen MSN, RN Director of Nursing ADN-RN Program UNM-Taos 575-741-1367
UNM has created a new, multi-genre course in Creative Writing that allows writers of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction to develop projects together in one workshop. For the new year, UNM-Taos will be offering Taoseñas and Taoseños the first-ever section of this class to be taught in the north. Beginning January 20, writers will meet two afternoons a week (Tuesdays & Fridays, 2:30 'til 4:30) for an eight-week, intensive writing workshop. Participants will receive structured writing guidance while reading Janet Burroway's textbook "Imaginative Writing: the Elements of Craft" as well a rich selection of original work from regional authors and poets. And class will be held right in downtown Civic Plaza, so you won't need to drive out to Klauer campus in Ranchos. Please feel free to call the instructor directly (737.6257) for more info about English 224: Creative Writing (Course Registration Number: 35905).
The days are getting shorter and the fall semester at UNM-Taos is once again coming to a close. The winter holidays are already upon us, the new schedule of classes is on the streets and posted at http://taos.unm.edu. It’s time to start thinking about what courses you want to take for spring semester. But don’t wait till 2009---the registration office staff at 115 Civic Plaza Drive is ready to help you enroll right now. Advisors are easy to get in to see. Not a single class has filled. Isn’t this the perfect time to make some decisions about your future? Friday, December 5 the UNM-Taos International Exchange Programs will be hosting a Multicultural Day at the Klauer campus. According to project coordinator Pearl Huang the purpose of the open house is to create an event where students who have studied abroad can share their experiences, tell their stories and show images of their travels. If you have ever thought about participating in the international program, this is a great opportunity to ask questions and see what the program has done for others. It’s all free, and it is open to students, faculty and the general public alike. Starting at 2 p.m. and running through 6:30, some featured events of the open house will include a pot luck table with international foods and a showing of a program on the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies, along with power point and slide show presentations by students which illustrate the great learning experience that international travel provides. Dr. Bogenschild, Director of International Programs at main campus, will be on hand to talk about the new Rome Center in Italy which is now offering a full semester of learning in Rome for UNM students. Student Government has once again provided its support in the form of a cheerful bonfire outdoors complete with hot cider that will take the chill off a wintry day. If you haven’t been out to the campus south of town recently it will be a good opportunity to take a look around. UNM-Taos students can take full advantage of the opportunity to live and study in a foreign country by signing up for course credit for trips to Peru, China, Mexico, Spain, Bali and Italy. This can be a tremendous learning experience, as UNM-Taos student Samuel Favero can attest---he was recently named the top foreign student at Northwest University at Xi’An, China. “Xi’An University Northwest has one of the highest reputations in China,” Huang explained. “Like our Princeton, Cornell or Stanford, and their standards are very high. It is a great honor for our student to be recognized in this manner. Sam is pursuing a degree in International Studies, and he was concerned about his language capability at first, but when a student is willing and focused, he can achieve great things.” To learn more about Samuel H. B. Favero and the International Programs, go to http://taos.unm.edu and click on international programs. MONTES, VINCENT AND NIEMEYER The sign outside the new office at 201 Cruz Alta Road, just across from Kit Carson Electric Cooperative, announces, “UNM-Taos Academy of Sciences and Environmental Studies”. It’s not only the new home of the Sciences Academy; it doubles as home base for Title V---the federal program for Hispanic serving institutions. Juan Montes, along with Dean of Instruction Jim Gilroy, put together the grant proposal that brought the Title V money to Taos. He is now shepherding the whole Title V project along with Dr. Larry Vincent and Rich Niemeyer. According to Vincent, it’s a three part program. “We call it the UNM-Taos Student Diversity Project, and it is made up of three parts. First, we have established a water information clearing house called the UNM-Taos Water Information Institute. Second---and this is what Juan Montes has been coordinating---is a recruitment program for 9th grade students through high school. We work at getting them prepared for college, getting them enrolled and keeping them in college. Then, hopefully, we move them on to four year universities. The third part, which runs hand in hand with the other two, is the intern program, and Rich Niemeyer handles that. He is getting kids involved in field work with the help of federal and state agencies.” “Actually there are two parallel internship programs,” Niemeyer explained. “In the Park Service program, we recruit students to work for the summer in national parks. They’re paid salaries from 10-14 dollars per hour, depending on experience. Typically, we find they stay as long as they can, because once they get there they really love it. “The other part of the program is new, and part of the Title V grant. These interns are focused on local agencies---Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Soil Conservation Service---any natural resource institution interested in working with an intern. The intent is for the students to gain STEM experience; that’s science, technology, engineering and math.” Although Title V is set up to support Hispanic serving institutions, Niemeyer and Vincent were both adamant about welcoming a diverse clientele. “Only Hispanics can apply? Absolutely not,” Niemeyer said. “The program is targeted toward diversity populations, but that does not preclude anybody from applying and participating in the internships. The emphasis is in trying to recruit students with diversity backgrounds. Any student who hears about this program is encouraged to apply.” “The grant proposal itself says Hispanic and Native American,” Vincent added. “Diversity means everybody. It’s inclusive; we don’t want anybody to be left out. “The Water Institute is the same way. Our purpose is to gather information, organize it and get it out to the public. We’re not involved in any sort of policy making, any sort of water planning. We’re not getting involved in any litigation that goes on. We’re simply providing information to any and all users in our target area: North Central New Mexico. And we operate this office with the help of Juan’s great team of students. They’ll greet you and direct you to who you need to talk to.” Call 758-1581 if you are interested in learning more. Sign-up for these intern programs is happening now.
