194 Graduate from UNMG

GALLUP –One hundred and ninety-four students participated in the May 16 graduation exercises of the University of New Mexico-gallup. These students were awarded certificates and diplomas for successfully completing course work for high school, GED, associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The ceremony was held at Red Rock Park.

The platform guests included New Mexico Secretary of Higher Education Jose Garcia, Pueblo of Zuni Gov. Arlen Quetawki Sr., and Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly. President of the Beta Tau Psi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Tracy Yellowhair spoke on behalf of UNMG students.

Photo credit: John Van’t Land

2012 Nursing Pinning Ceremony

From left, Samantha Garcia, Sara Gasparich, Stefanie Grandjean, Melanie Smith, Virginia Gustafson, and Jerita Harker.

Monica Cooeyate and dad Farlan Cooeyate.

Raelynn Benally and family members.

Nursing students were awarded their Nursing pins in the University of New Mexico-Gallup’s annual Nursing Class Pinning Ceremony on May 15.

The students, who upon successfully completing their course work, will be qualified to be RN’s, were: Abraham Azua, Brian Benally, Raelynn Benally, Hector Cisneros Jr., Monica Cooeyate, Samantha Garcia, Sara Gasparich, Stefanie M. Grandjean, Virginia D. Gustafson, Jerita Harker, Tricia Harris, Sylvia R. Henderson, Terri A. Joe, Josue Lopez, Kaylee Menini, Jessica Ochoa, Michelle Platero, Brittany Sandoval, Melanie R. Smith, Calandra Space, Glenefer Mae Tabar, Kelli Teran and Sarah L. Yazzie.

A former UNMG Nursing instructor and a graduate of UNMG’s Nursing program, Kathy Head, spoke to the students, who participated in UNMG Commencement ceremony the following day. Student speaker was Brian Benally.

UNMG Gets a Nod from UNM for $3M IT Upgrade

The University of New Mexico has given the go-ahead to the Gallup branch to proceed with a $3 million upgrade to its Information Technology infrastructure, starting this summer.

The upgrade will raise UNMG’s IT capabilities to UNM’s standards, and will include replacing and removing cables, grounding all equipment and providing fire stops. The need for this upgrade has been termed “critical,” according to Sylvia Andrew, executive director of the Gallup branch, in a report to the UNMG Local Board on April 18. Andrew added that “the current system is woefully inadequate to support instruction, administration and student support services.”

Capital infrastructure expense is estimated at $1,811,400, with recurring refresh and service support at $1,339,000. The funds for the upgrade will come from UNMG’s reserve account.

The Gallup campus has a total of eight buildings, with Gurley Hall needing the most extensive refurbishing of its cabling and renovations to the server room in Old Gurley and the PBX room in new Gurley. In addition, the Zollinger Library will require a new IT room, as the existing one is in the basement and has previously been flooded.

Among the extensive upgrades that will take place are recabling, cleaning up the closets that the current equipment is stored so they will be ready for the new systems, pulling copper and fiber, installing new switches and installing a new voice system. The current outdated switchboard system that serves the Gallup branch and the South Campus at Zuni will be replaced, and the new system will include both those campuses, as well as the North Campus ABE center. The UNMG campuses will be tied in to the UNM voice system; there will be greater voice mail capacity as well as no long distance charges for instate calling. There will also be five-digit dialing between the two Gallup and Albuquerque campuses.

Gil Gonzales, UNM’s chief information officer, said the upgrades are due to start in June, while the faculty are away for the summer. The project is due to be concluded in June of 2013.

Linda Thornton

Senior Public Affairs Representative

Registration Under Way

Registration for the summer and fall semesters is under way at the University of New Mexico-Gallup.

The first day of the summer semester is June 4. The first day of fall classes is August 20.

UNMG Zuni Book Extravaganza Held

More than 1000 book lovers attended the Zuni Campus book give-away.

The Book Extravaganza at the UNM-Gallup South Campus at Zuni was held April 24 and drew a large crowd of book lovers.

“Over 1000 books were given away to eager readers of all ages,” said Erica McFadden, UNM-Gallup faculty member and organizer of the event.

Among the donors of the books were “Everett” and the Navajo Nation Library, Liz Herron, Monica Wyaco, Sue Cote and the Chief Manuelito Middle School staff, Al Henderson, Irene Den Bleyker, Zuni Middle School, Angela Hall and Jerry Stalter with Aerocare, Pamela Burgess, Southwest Indian Foundation, Carol Sarath and McKinley County Schools, Ken Van Brott and Extended University, and the Early Childhood Multicultural Education program. Also helping was the Half Price Bookstore in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Bill and Cindy McFadden in Loveland, Ohio.

McFadden said there will another book extravaganza in the fall.