NMT 2022-2023 Student Handbook (PDF)
NMT Student Handbook Index
CAMPUS SERVICES
The Joseph A. Fidel Student Services Center (575.835.6513), New Mexico Tech’s student Union is home to student support services.
The first floor has the Post Office, Student Government Association offices, the Bookstore, the Game Room, Fire and Ice Coffee Shop, a TV Lounge and retail seating area, Computer Pod, Quiet Lounge, the Food Court, and Dining Hall.
On the second floor offices are the Registrar's, Admissions, the Cashiers Office, Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Advancement/Alumni, Auxiliary Services, Residential Life, Center for Student Leadership and Engagement, and the Graduate Dean's offices
The third floor is comprised of 3 ballrooms which are available for student/club functions. The seating capacity of each ballroom is approximately 132 with total capacity for all the ballrooms at 400.
The Office for Advancement and Alumni Relations is responsible for fundraising, encouraging, and acknowledging gifts; and developing and maintaining donor relations with Tech’s constituents.
To promote, support, and strengthen communication between the university and its alumni, Alumni Relations organizes reunions and gatherings, produces an alumni newsletter and magazine (Gold Pan), promotes alumni chapters, and sponsors activities. The Office encourages alumni participation and recognizes outstanding alumni achievements.
The Auxiliary Services Office strives to recreate the essential elements of home and community on campus, thus enriching and completing each student’s institute experience. The Auxiliary Services Office has financial and management responsibility for the Bookstore, Children’s Center, Dining Services, Game Room, Golf Course, Macey and Fidel Centers, the Student Activity Center, Summer Conferences, and Tech’s Albuquerque facility.
Auxiliary Services also manages Apartment Housing which includes the Desert Willow Apartments on campus and the Mountain Springs Apartments on the corner of Bullock Boulevard and El Camino Real, just a few blocks from the Library. They are open to graduate students, families, international students, and are also used for undergraduate overflow housing.
The campus bookstore (575.835.5415) is operated by the Texas Book Company. The bookstore sells new and used textbooks, as well as a wide variety of imprinted clothing, gifts, school supplies, electronics, and assorted convenience items from snacks to health and beauty aids.
The bookstore offers a textbook rental program, which allows almost every textbook to be rented. In addition, a textbook reserve program is also offered. This program provides exclusive access to used textbooks. Contact the bookstore for more details.
Current students and alumni can take advantage of services, including career counseling; résumé, cover letter, interviewing, and networking assistance; on-campus interviews for permanent, intern, summer, and cooperative education jobs; Career and Graduate School Fairs in the fall and spring semesters; and job search assistance. Students can find on-campus, internship, summer, cooperative education, and permanent employment positions via Handshake at: https://nmt.joinhandshake.com/.
Career Services offers workshops on various job search and graduate school application topics and hosts events such as Etiquette Dinner and employer informational sessions each semester. The office also maintains a “Career Closet,” allowing students to borrow professional attire for interviews. Information on upcoming events and other services is available at http://www.nmt.edu/studentaffairs/careerservices/.
Although Tech assumes no responsibility for obtaining employment for its students, every effort is made to assist those students who take advantage of Career Services. Career Services in the Center for Student Leadership and Engagement (Fidel Center, Room 262)
The Cashier's Office (window) is located on the second floor of the Fidel Center in the wide hallway between the Admission Office and the Registrar Office. The cashiers accept payments and disburse checks such as student refund checks and payroll checks. The cashiers also assist with validation at the beginning of the semester once the student bill is paid in full.
The office is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. You can reach them at 575-835-5515 or by email at bursar@npe.nmt.edu.
Tech’s Children’s Center offers quality and developmentally appropriate education and care for children of Tech students and employees, as well as community members. The Children’s Center equally places a high priority on responsiveness and close working relationships with each child and family in a relaxed and casual setting for children ages 2 through 5. The Center uses the Creative Curriculum and developmentally appropriate practices of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
The Children’s Center mission is to complement the service and educational objectives of Tech by:
- Providing education, care, and nurturing for the children of students, staff, faculty, and community members;
- Utilizing culturally and developmentally appropriate practices; and serving as a role model of child care excellence for the community.
The Center for Student Leadership and Engagement is located in the Fidel Student Center, Room 262. The Center oversees Tech’s Career Services, Cooperative Education Program, Office of International Programs, International & Exchange Programs, and Multicultural Programs, as well as provides leadership and support for The Student Government Association (SGA) and Student Organizations.
Tech’s Communication and Marketing Office is responsible for Tech communications to the public via a multitude of media platforms, as well as the promotion and protection of Tech’s brand worldwide.
Included within Career Services is the Cooperative Education Program. Cooperative education (“co-op”) allows students to obtain hands-on work experience in their fields while in school.
A co-op student is typically off campus for three to eight months, working full time in a position related to their major. The student is enrolled in a one-credit to three-credit course and has the rights and responsibilities of any other student. International students must use Curricular Practical Training (CPT) rules outlined by USCIS and SEVP. Information for CPT can be at the Career Services Web page https://www.nmt.edu/studentaffairs/intlprograms/intlstudents/career.php. Information and application materials are available in Career Services in the Center for Student Leadership and Engagement (Fidel Center, Room 262) and at www.nmt.edu/career-services.
The mission of the Counseling Center is to support the emotional, intellectual and social development of students at New Mexico Tech. The Counseling Center assists individuals in resolving existing problems, preventing potential problems, and developing new skills that will enrich their lives. The Counseling Center also provides psychoeducation opportunities during the Fall and Spring semesters.
Counseling services are part of the student fees and are free to all currently enrolled undergrad and graduate students. Our services include individual and couples counseling, crisis intervention, safety assessments and consultations. We work with a variety of issues including, but not limited to: anxiety, depression, decision-making skills, motivation issues, home sickness, grief, communication skills, and effectively managing stress to name a few. Services are strictly confidential.
The Counseling Center is located in the Joseph A. Fidel Center, first floor. Our entrance is through the exterior northwest side of the Fidel building. You can contact the Counseling Center at 575-835-6619 or via email at counseling@nmt.edu. For more information or to submit an intake, please visit our webpage at www.nmt.edu/cds/.
The Office of the Dean of Students (West Hall 123, 575-835-5548, or deanofstudents@nmt.edu) is one of the primary student support and advocacy offices on campus. The Office of the Dean of Students is committed to helping all students at NMT reach their fullest potential. The office provides a variety of student support services along with opportunities for leadership experience, diverse student work environments, engaging programming and specialized resources.
The Office of the Dean of Students includes four specialized areas:
- Center for Student Leadership and Engagement
- Performing Arts Series
- Housing and Residential Life
- Student Accountability
The Center for Graduate Studies (Fidel Center 275) shares this same role for graduate students. The Dean of Students Office is also a key resource for students needing information or forms for Absentee Notification, Student Funding Requests, and Withdrawal Without Prejudice. Student Conduct operate out of the Dean of Students Office.
The Office of the Dean of Students (Brown Hall 216-upper level, 575-835-5880, or deanofstudents@nmt.edu) is one of the primary student support and advocacy offices on campus, especially for undergraduate students. The Center for Graduate Studies (Fidel Center 275) shares this same role for graduate students.
The Dean of Students Office is also a key resource for students needing information or forms for Absentee Notification, Student Funding Requests, and Withdrawal Without Prejudice. Student Conduct and Title IX operate out of the Dean of Students Office.
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This resource center is located in Fidel Student Center 111. The entire campus community and our allies can utilize this space for meeting and sharing information. Contact Office of Student Affairs (Fidel Student Center, Room 261) to schedule the room or receive related information.
Students are allowed to work on campus through part-time student employment and through federal and state work-study. In general, the students must be classified as regular, degree-seeking students.
- To work through part-time student employment, the student must be enrolled full time.
- To work through the federal or state work-study program, the student must have qualified for an award from one of these funds when awarded financial aid.
The Career Services staff can assist the student with finding a position through Handshake. Before beginning work, a student must complete a Student Work Authorization form and I-9. The student can pick up the work authorization form in the Financial Aid Office. More details regarding student employment can be found in the Student Employment Handbook.
Long regarded as one of the premier layouts in the Southwest, Tech’s superb 18-hole golf course offers all of the amenities of a full-service golf club. There are extensive practice facilities, a full-length driving range, golf classes offered each semester, as well as individual golf lessons and group clinics available by appointment.
As a full-time student, rental clubs are available free of charge and they are also eligible to join the New Mexico Tech Golf Club (575-835-5335). The New Mexico Tech Golf Course is host to several tournaments throughout the year including the Annual President's Golf Tournament, local tournaments and professional events.
Encouraging team sports, physical fitness, and balanced lifestyles is part of the Recreation & Well-being Center’s educational mission. Athletic programs promote healthy bodies and help instill healthy lifelong fitness habits. Athleticism also teaches communication skills, teamwork, ethical conduct, and leadership—all critical professional qualities.
Students, employees, and the Socorro community can use Tech’s athletic facilities. The Recreation Center is comprised of two large multipurpose gyms, a newly renovated weight and fitness room, a new bouldering wall, one racquetball court, and one squash court. Additional recreational areas include a large, multiuse athletic field, sand volleyball pit and a new multipurpose turf court.
Students are encouraged to take part in intramurals, which include soccer (indoor and outdoor), basketball and volleyball (sand and indoor). Classes, through the Community Education Department, include bootcamp, yoga, pilates, weight training, rock climbing, and more.
Tech’s sports club program provides opportunities for participating at a higher level of competition. Sports clubs serve as avenues for working with people toward mutual goals, while developing leadership skills. These clubs are formed, developed, directed, and controlled by members and are registered with, and operate through, the auspices of the Department of Recreation & Well-being. Sports clubs include badminton biking (road and mountain), caving, climbing, Esports, golf, martial arts, paintball, men’s and women’s rugby, shooting, men’s and women’s soccer, co-ed volleyball, and swimming. (These clubs will vary from year to year and are dependent on student interest). For more information about joining a club or starting one, e-mail Amanda Saenz, Assistant Director and Sports Club Coordinator, amanda.saenz@nmt.edu.
Students with valid Tech identification may check out items including basketballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, and racquetball, squash, and tennis equipment. The Gym also has sleeping bags, backpacks, canoes, and paddles for loan. The Gym sells protective eyewear and athletic supplies. A valid student identification card is required for entry to the Gym. Full-time students may receive passes for their spouse and dependent children (ages 11 to 21). These are renewable each semester.
If you are seriously ill or injured, call 911 immediately.
The Student Health Center offers general, primary, medical care for enrolled on-campus students. Coverage includes gynecological services (pelvic exams, pap smears, contraceptive information, and pregnancy testing); diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up examinations for sexually transmitted diseases; and refrigerated storage of allergy medications. A licensed Family Nurse Practitioner can prescribe medication, administer allergy injections, and suture simple wounds.
The Center is open 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday – Friday (with a few exceptions) during academic sessions and reduced hours during the summer term. If there is an emergency after hours, students should call 911 or go to the Socorro General Hospital Emergency Room.
Medical conditions beyond the scope and capabilities of the Center will be referred to outside providers. Charges by outside providers are the sole responsibility of the student, as are charges incurred for laboratory procedures and medication. Optical, dental, and hospital services are not covered.
While the Center is available for assistance to students with chronic illness or disabilities, it cannot provide personal attendants, individually prescribed devices, readers for personal use or study, or other devices or services of a personal nature. The Office for Student Access Services is available to discuss these services and the student’s responsibility for some of those services.
By the Affordable Care Act, all students are responsible for maintaining health coverage throughout their studies at Tech. International students must notify the International office of any changes to that coverage.
International students studying in J1 non-immigrant status must have specific levels of insurance coverage for themselves and all dependents in the U.S. F1 students must have insurance for themselves, insurance for F2 dependents is not mandatory, but is highly recommended
Housing & Residential Life is centrally located on the 2nd floor of Joseph A. Fidel Student Services Center (Fidel). During normal University business days, Housing & Residential Life is open between 8am and 5pm, Monday‐Friday. You can contact us at 575.835.5900 or by email at residential_life@nmt.edu. After hours, a housing professional staff member can be reached for urgent matters by contacting the Campus Police Dispatcher at 575.835.5434.
New Mexico Tech housing consists of six residence halls: three traditional style, two suite style, and one pod style. All residence halls are within walking distance to all classrooms, labs, the computer center, the Macey Children’s Center, research facilities, NMT Dining, and the bookstore. If you are a regular, full‐time student, you are eligible to live on campus. Four halls – Driscoll, Presidents, West, and South Halls – sit on Tech’s tree‐lined Campus Drive, adjacent to Recreation and Well-being Center, the Joseph A. Fidel Student Center, the athletic field, the Student Activity Center, the Swim Center, and the turf courts. Torres, Baca, and Altamirano Halls sit on the south side of campus. For more detailed information on our housing options, please visit our webpage: http://residentiallife.nmt.edu/
If you live on campus, you are expected to abide by all Housing & Residential Life policies and procedures, which can be found here: Community Standards .
International and Exchange Programs within the Center for Student Leadership & Engagement offers support services designed to aid international students in maintaining legal F-1/J-1 student status while they are living and working in the United States. In addition, the Office provides fall and spring orientation programs to help ease the students’ transition to living in the U.S., and frequently coordinates other activities, seminars and workshops, as well as an annual international exhibit. The Office is also responsible for the processing of all international undergraduate admission applications.
In addition, International and Exchange Programs staff coordinate opportunities for Tech students to study overseas, maintaining information about study abroad and international exchange opportunities available in countries throughout the world. Tech is also a member of the New Mexico Global Education Consortium, thus opening the door for Tech students to study abroad through the programs of other member universities.
Lost and found items discovered on campus should be turned in to Campus Police and Campus Police Key Control are located in the Student Activities Center.
Macey Center, opened in 1982, is Tech’s performing arts, special events, and conference venue. The Center contains meeting rooms, a 600-seat theater, and two spacious lobbies. Macey Center has served as a venue for student events including departmental conferences, dances, movie nights, and comedy nights as well as for weddings and anniversaries.
In Macey Center’s Art Gallery, artists are featured every four to six weeks, and display works include photographs, paintings, quilts, sculptures, and jewelry. The Gallery is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday and on weekends as events are hosted.
Every Monday morning the Division of Student Life will send out an email communication to the StudentCommunity@nmt.edu distribution list. This weekly email blast will pull campus events from Tech’s Master Event Calendar and other student related activities from the Tech community and share them with students in one email so to reduce the number of emails sent to students. The Miner Weekly Blast will also contain other nuggets of information of interest for Techie students.
The Multicultural program promotes diversity and cultural awareness at NM Tech. Multicultural programs offer a wide variety of resources to students, including scholarships, internships, grants, career connections, educational events and resource center.
The Office works closely with multicultural-oriented student organizations such as AISES, SHPE, and AME, providing advocacy for these organizations and assistance with conferences and outreach activities.
Should an international student have a complaint or grievance against the Office for International Programs or any other administrative staff or faculty, the following procedures are available to the student:
- Complaints involving Faculty and Academic Issues: Please use This Procedure.
- Complaints involving International Programs staff: Please contact the Dean of Students.
- Complaints involving NMT staff and administration: Please contact the Department Supervisor or the Associate Vice President for the Division.
The Performing Arts Series (PAS) presents a variety of quality multicultural performances in many genres of music, theater, dance, and family-variety entertainment (e.g. acrobats, magicians, mentalists and comedy). PAS also presents the Presidential Chamber Music Series featuring in-state and national ensembles. Shows are usually free to NMT students and affordable for family and friends. All concerts are in-person at Macey Center but will continue to be live-streamed as well, at PAS’s YouTube and Facebook pages.
In addition to shows in the theater, PAS presents FunFests--outdoor “happenings” featuring local bands, food trucks, sporting events and themed activities, usually on Campus Drive or North of Macey Center--Canvas & Cocktails Painting Parties; Pre-show Social Hours and Dinners, with unique food and drinks; and programs for schools and community, such as SocorroFest, Community Arts Party, 4th of July Celebration, Youth Concerts, Missoula Children’s Theater and National Dance Institute Residency. Many of these activities offer volunteer opportunities for NMT students and clubs.
Socorro may be a small town, but the PAS line-up of performances and events is of equal caliber to many nationwide venues, bringing the world of arts and entertainment to Central NM, though with cheaper tickets, a more intimate venue and easy free parking. PAS is an excellent diversion for students, a perfect setting for socializing with professors, staff and townies, and a great way to spend quality time with visiting relatives, or, send them the PAS website link for the online option. More information is available at the PAS website.
New Mexico Tech utilizes an Emergency Notification System to reach students in the event of an emergency. This system has the ability to contact people via several methods, including text, voice and email. All students are encouraged to check their contact information regularly to make sure their contact information is accurate.
Emergency notifications are issued for any special situations that concern campus safety, such as severe weather advisories, special instructions due to street closures and emergency instructions that will affect students of what to do and where to proceed to in the event of an emergency situation. This will allow students to stay safe and keep them out of harm’s way as a situation is happening, or to stay clear of an incident scene. Students can log in at https://www.getrave.com/login/nmt to update contact information.
The mission of Student Access Services is to provide equal opportunities and equal access to education, programs, and activities for all students with disabilities at New Mexico Tech. Student Access Services works collaboratively with University Partners to foster a welcoming, diverse and inclusive community.
Please contact us by calling 575-835-6209, or emailing access@nmt.edu. For more information go to the SAS website, https://www.nmt.edu/disabilityservices.php.
The Student Accounts Office is located on the second floor of the Fidel Center in room 231. Student Accounts handles student financial issues such as billing, applying financial aid and scholarships to billed charges, deferred payments, and sponsored students. If you have questions about the charges on your student account, this is the office to ask. Student Accounts is primarily responsible for validation at the beginning of the semester.
Students have access to their personal student account activity online through Banweb and our secure portal TouchNet. Authorized users can be set up by the student in TouchNet. This allows the authorized user to have access to the student's information with their own secure logon.
The office is open Monday-Friday from 8:00 am - noon and 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm. You can reach them at 575-835-5338 or by email at bursar@npe.nmt.edu.
Email is Tech’s official means of communication with its students. The University has an All-Student@nmt.edu which is Tech’s Official Student Email Distribution List which students can’t opt-out/unsubscribe. There are only a few administers (e.g. Registrar) who have access to send to this list for vitally important campus student email communications dealing directly with official university business, academic issues, as well as immediate health and safety or emergencies.
Tech has a Student Email Distribution List (StudentCommunity@nmt.edu) which permits students to opt-out or unsubscribe. This email will be utilized by various administrators and SGA/GSA representatives for campus email communications dealing with programming, campus unit and club events, as well as supplemental programs of interest and opportunities for involvement that add to the student experience but are not directly related to academic issues, immediate health and safety, or emergencies.
Student clubs, departments, resident halls, classes, and other groups can utilize their own distribution list to effectively communicate with their members. All mass emails to students and others should be sent as blind copies (BCCs) to protect members’ identity whenever possible. All users of the @nmt.edu must abide by federal laws and Tech’s acceptable use policies.
Every enrolled undergraduate student is a member of the SGA. The President and Vice President work directly with the Administration and are the official voice of the SGA. The President is responsible for all activities and expenditures and for representing the student body while dealing with entities outside the SGA. The President’s and Vice President’s main duties are to keep the SGA organized and to represent the SGA to the Board of Regents and other administrative bodies.
The SGA senate is the governing authority of the student body, consisting of 1 senator per 100 students, at least 3 of which are newly registered Freshman. Senators are elected on a staggered basis each fall and spring semester to serve for a full year.
SGA funds are used for student clubs and organizations to aid in providing materials and funding for their events and use. SGA committees play an important role in helping to govern student affairs. These appointments are made by the SGA Vice President and approved by the Senate.
Student clubs and organizations play an important role on campus, and all SGA approved clubs are supported in travel and expenditures by the SGA. The Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches are all elected and hired undergraduate students allowing for a deeper understanding of issues facing the student population at any given time. The SGA officers are located in Fidel office suite 174B, across from the bookstore. The SATD and other audio, technical, and performance officers are located in the SAC.
Student Services@Tech and MyNMT are comprehensive and one-stop student support service sites to help Tech students navigate campus resources. These convenient resources include quick links to all Tech’s academic support services and student support services.
The Swim Center (575.835.5221) is available year-round and is free to full-time students. The pool is 25 yards long and has six lap lanes. There are three time periods (morning, noon, and evening) for lap swimming and two lap lanes available during open swim times. For hours of operations, open swim hours, and more information, please go to the NMT Swim Center Website.