Bookstore Update

Buyback will end Dec 11th

o Store hours during finals week:

o Mon-Wed: 9am-4pm

o Thurs-Fri: 9am-6:30pm

o Must have student ID to

participate

Rentals are due Dec 11th

o Can mail in the rental through UPS

o Go to www.nmsu-

lascruces.bncollege.com

o Click textbooks, textbook rental,

rental return

o Put in your order # and email

Bookstore holiday hours

o Dec 14-23 will be regular hours

o Closed Dec 24-Jan 1

NMSU-A’s Allied Health program was awarded $8,300 from the R.D. and Joan Dale Hubbard

Foundation. The funds will be used to purchase patient vital signs and cardiac monitoring equipment.

The equipment will allow students to practice real-life scenarios and skills with the same or similar

equipment utilized in most acute care, long-term care, and physician offices.

Campus Connection

From the President's Office

Student Art Show

I attended the student art show on

Thursday, December 3. I had a great time

and was very impressed by the quality of

work. I want to thank all instructors and

students for providing such a beautiful

afternoon. My understanding is that the

works will be displayed for the next several

months. I encourage all of you to go by and

take a look, you will be impressed.

PTK Holiday Party

My wife Eva and I had the privilege of

attending the PTK annual Holiday Party. We

had a wonderful time and want to thank Jim

Gallagher and Kim Lopez-Gallagher for

their kindness in hosting the event in their

home. The food was terrific and it was great

to meet and visit with the students. It is

obvious that we have wonderful students

who achieve academic success in and

beyond the classroom, a very important

aspect of our "Learning Signature."

Health and Wellness Day

We are quickly approaching our first

Health and Wellness day hosted by NMSU-

A. Dr. Baca and her committee are doing

fantastic work in organizing this event. I

don't think it is too soon to start talking

about this date and advertising the

importance of such an activity to the entire

community. It will also be a way to attract

the public to our campus and show off our

exceptional facilities, faculty, staff, and

students. So mark Friday, February 12 on

your calendar and plan to join our campus

and community for the inaugural "Health

and Wellness Day."

December 8, 2015 Volume 5

Retention Plan Update Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

What are you doing to support Retention and/or Completion?

What are your colleagues doing to support Retention and/or Completion?

If you are, or someone you know is, doing something to support these areas, we want to know. Kudos must be offered and encouragement must be provided!

Please send a quick email to Anne Ricksecker with basic details of the good work happening on our campus. anricks@nmsu.edu

Registration for Associate Degree/Certificate Free Until January 29

If a student is registering for their last course toward an Associate Degree or Certificate Plan in spring 2016, now is the time for the student to contact an advisor, confirm they have met degree/certificate requirements, and then file a degree/certificate application.

From now until January 29, Associate Degree and Certificate applications are FREE!

Applications are available through MyNMSU. After January 29, the cost will be $25 for an Associate Degree and $10 for a Certificate. The spring application deadline is March 4.

Lady of the Mountain Run

December 12, 2015

8:00 am Half Marathon/ Corp Cup Relay

8:15 am 10K and 5K 10:00 am Kids Run

Register at First National Bank on 10th St or Active.com

NMSU-A Endowment

NMSU-A Interim President Dr. Ken Van Winkle notified the faculty and staff that

he received a check for $13,750 on Dec. 1 during “Giving Tuesday” that was

matched dollar-for-dollar by the NMSU Foundation to immediately endow a

$27,500 scholarship in the name of our (NMSU-A) retirees. The scholarship is

specifically for NMSU-A students. It is an

amazing gift by an amazing group of people.

If you know any of these retirees, please

thank them for their generosity and let them know how much we appreciate

their support. Special thanks to Larry

and Dee Beck who took the lead in organizing a mini campaign for this

endeavor.

Furthermore, they contributed a significant amount of money in the name

of their parents to complete the endowment.

Contributors

Kathy and Tommy Fuller Donald G. and Maud O. Thorp David H. Townsend Donna Milburn Lonnie J. and Mary F. Jarrett R.D. Offley and M.E. Agolia Kenneth and Eva Van Winkle Frances Dee Beck Larry R. Beck Betty Ann Seiler Sharon and James Fischer Roger and Jonnie Haley (Haley Family Trust) Ron McNeel

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

The National Society of Leadership and Success will sponsor representatives from Be Well

New Mexico who will be on campus in the Glass House from 10am - 2pm to assist students

with signing up for mandatory health insurance before the December 15 deadline.

Friday, December 11

This is an event designed to recognize student organization members for their many

contributions to the campus community in fall 2015. The ceremony is scheduled for 1 pm in

the Student Center/Campus Deli.

25% Off Champion branded items until

December 11th

Online Student Orientation

Students have started taking the online student orientation

class and the feedback we’ve received is they are “very

satisfied” with the course. They also felt the information

was beneficial based on the completed survey.

Thanks to everyone for making this new initiative happen!

The NMSU Alamogordo chapter of The National Society of Leadership and Success, a national student organization that helps people discover and achieve their goals, inducted 13 new members on Dec. 5. We would like to publicly recognize the following students for their efforts.

Abigail Campbell - NELA David Agnew Desirae Rabold - NELA Engdawork Taye Ginger Raby Larry Weatherwax Nathan Fosse Sarah Moore Tara Sheaib Tarah Martinez Tina Duran Treasure Eanes Troy Jones - NELA NELA following a student's name indicates those who have been awarded the National Engaged Leadership Award. Congratulations to all.

Thanks to the NSLS advisors and supporters: Colleen Bond, Judy Garcia and John Barnes.

Online Course Delivery Fee Waived for

Military and Dependents at Holloman AFB

New Mexico State University Alamogordo will

waive the $25.00 per credit hour delivery fee for

online courses taken by military personnel and

their dependents stationed at Holloman AFB.

This pilot program of the distance delivery fee

military waiver is specifically for online courses

offered by NMSU-A and will begin in the spring

2016 semester.

Numerous NMSU-A online courses are CCAF

accredited, so Airmen working toward their CCAF

degrees can get CCAF credit for completing these

online courses.

Dr. Joseph Westover Mountainview Dental

Guest Speaker

National Society of Leadership and Success

Student Art Show and Art Sale The NMSU-A Annual Fall Student Art Show was Dec 3rd. Over 300 people came to view the work of the students in the digital and fine arts programs.

The Professional Occupations and Technologies Division hosted the formal presentation of student artwork in the Art Exhibition Lab. The Art Show featured student work from ceramics, painting, drawing, photography, graphic design and various digital media.

The Art Society, a student art organization, also had their student art sale during the show and offered paintings, drawings, ceramics, digital art and photographic artwork for sale. The proceeds help purchase art supplies for the Academy del Sol High School.

ASC and Testing Center Hours

During Finals Week, the ASC and Testing Center will

be open normal hours, and tutors will be available in the ASC to assist students with preparing for finals or

any last minute assignments for their courses. Those normal hours are as follows:

ASC: Testing Center:

Tues - Thurs: 9am-8pm Tues - Thurs: 9am-7pm Fri: 9am-4pm Fri: 9am-3pm

Sat: 9am-4pm Sat: 9am-3pm

COMPASS exams will not be administered

during Finals Week, due to the heavy volume of campus tests being administered. COMPASS testing

will resume the following week. Holiday hours for the ASC and Testing Center are as follows:

ASC and Testing Center (from 12/14 - 12/23): Monday - Saturday: 9-4

Tutors will not be present in the ASC during this timeframe.

Please let Miguel Viscarra or Maria Saenz (AE/ASC Director) know if you have any comments, questions,

or concerns.

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Get Credit for What You Already Know

If you would like to save money on your education by earning credits for things you’ve already learned, then Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) may interest you.

PLA, sometimes known as Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), represents a translation of learning that occurred outside the classroom into potential college credits.

NMSU recognizes programs like the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), as well as Advanced Placement (AP) courses offered by many high schools. CLEP examinations require a fee and should only be taken after you have properly prepared. However, they can be a good way to get credit for topics you know well.

Some departments also offer “challenge exams” that allow you to try to test out of certain courses. Ask your instructors about challenge exam options if you already have a solid foundation of knowledge in a particular area and are prepared to take a comprehensive examination on the subject. There are associated fees and procedures to take these exams.

If you’re a veteran, your military transcripts from the American Council on Education (ACE) or Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) are another potential means of getting credit toward a degree or certificate. Veterans can also take advantage of another test-out program called DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support Credit). Check with the on-base education office for DANTES test options.

You can learn more about PLA options by checking the links below or by contacting the SUN PATH manager at 575-439-3876 or dkpatton@nmsu.edu. NMSU’s admissions page on CLEP: http://admissions.nmsu.edu/apply/clep/ NMSU’s admissions page on DANTES: http://admissions.nmsu.edu/apply/dantes/ NMSU’s credit for military learning: http://nmsu.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2014-2015/Undergraduate-Catalog/General-Information/Military-and-Veterans-Programs-MVP/Regulations/Credit-for-Military-Service

The Learning Signature Task Force

On November 16th, Tara Gray and Michelle Jackson traveled from the Teaching Academy at NMSU in Las Cruces to favor us with “11 Easy Ways to Engage Your Students.” Those attending the workshop were: Susan Cook, Hazel Wilson, Gary Bond, Freda Goodman, Jenna Deinert, Rob Klinger, Katie Pacelli, Kim Lopez-Gallagher, Jim Gallagher, Claire Forsmann, Robin O’Leary, Carmen Boje, Joyce Hill, Becky Ross, Margaret Suzukida, Karen Armstrong-Sadowski, Greg Hillis and Jennifer Aho.

The workshop was sponsored by the Learning Signature Task Force and the VPAA office.

The Learning Signature for New Mexico State University Alamogordo: NMSU-A provides an inspiring and intellectually challenging learning environment that supports students to become critical and creative thinkers who are socially conscious, lifelong learners. Our graduates are effective communicators who are goal oriented and prepared for academic and career success.

Students, faculty and staff took

the Great American Smokeout

pledge on Thurs, Nov 19--they

pledged to give up smoking for

the day or to maintain their

smoke-free home.

Scholarships for The Blind The National Federation of the Blind of New Mexico offers yearly scholarships to legally blind students attending any college, university, or vocational school. Any legally blind student from New Mexico, regardless of field of study, is eligible. For those interested in applying for a scholarship, the application is due no later than February 28, 2016. If you have any questions concerning the scholarship program, you can contact our own Accessibility Services Coordinator, Ms. Viviane Ackall, at 575-439-3721, or email vackall@nmsu.edu to receive the scholarship application. Or you may call the NFBNM Scholarship Chair, Mrs. Chong, at 505-508-1978, or e-mail at peggychong@earthlink.net.

Mental Health Services

If you believe someone may need the services of a licensed counselor, the contact information for Presbyterian is:

1501 East 10th Street 575 437-7404

1-855-466-7100 (4:00pm–

11:30pm) Peer to Peer “Warm Line” Green/10 and Yellow/20 ZTran lines that come on campus stop at Presbyterian Medical Behavioral Health. There is also the NM Crisis Line which is 24 hours 1-855-662-7474.

Aggie Cupboard Alamogordo

Aggie Cupboard Alamogordo distributed food to

many before the Thanksgiving holiday. The

cupboard will again be open right before the

Winter Break on Tues and Wed, Dec 22 and 23,

from 3pm-5pm.