Top-notch employee benefits are a primary reason for seeking employment at UNM. Earning a degree with assistance from the Human Resources Department-sponsored Staff as Students program is among them.
The university is committed to providing this benefit to employees, said Associate Vice President and Director of Human Resources Susan Carkeek.
According to a recent survey by the UNM Staff Council, a majority of the 405 respondents would like to attend regularly scheduled or compressed classes (8 week courses) or learn online.
Most respondents preferred afternoon or weekend courses. Barriers to furthering their education, staff said, included lack of time, heavy workload, family obligations, childcare and parking for employees who work off campus.
Staff noted that often it is a struggle to secure managerial support. The majority of staff surveyed would like the university to require managers to support staff by allowing paid or flextime/unpaid time to attend classes during the workday.
In response to the survey, Carkeek will issue a memo encouraging managers to consider flextime options for staff who have made the commitment to become students.
“Our goal is to support managers in their effort to facilitate staff members who are pursuing higher education,” she said.
In addition, Carkeek encourages UNM employees interested in taking classes to consider the option of intersession courses, which are offered in a condensed format between semesters.
Nearly a dozen, three-credit undergraduate courses are offered this intersession, according to Wynn Goering, associate provost for Academic Affairs.
Most classes begin Monday, Dec. 19, and topics range from writing to music, psychology, marketing and financial accounting.
Employees must be admitted to the university before registering. A non-degree application is often the best route for new or returning students, said Helen Trujillo, Staff as Students advisor.
Staff in need of assistance should contact Trujillo at 277-1780, or the UNM College of Arts and Sciences Advisement Center at 277-4621 (Ortega Hall, Room 251).
Intersession courses are considered part of the fall semester for financial aid and scholarship purposes. Qualifying UNM employees can use tuition remission to cover the cost of up to eight credit hours. More information on this policy and the tuition remission form can be found in the University Policies and Procedures Manual, #3700. The form must be signed by a supervisor and returned to the Bursar’s Office. Books and additional fees are the employee’s responsibility.
Intersession Courses
AM ST 185 Race/Class/Ethnicity
ENGL 219 Technical Writing
SIGN 201 Intro to Sign
PSYCH 231 Human Sexuality
PSYCH 332 Abnormal Psychology
WS 353 Women and Creativity
CHMS 393 Nuevo Mexico Holiday Traditions
MUSIC 417 Native American Music
THEA 399 SP/Masks Makeup
MGT 202 Financial Accounting
MGT 202 Marketing Management
For more information, including class date, time and location, visit the Office of the Registrar Web site, http://www.unm.edu/~unmreg/.
Contact: Laurie Mellas (505) 277-5915