Bert's Alerts—March 8, 2019
In the Spotlight
If you only had eight items to survive on a desert island, what would you bring? Team Robot-Unicornz won Professor Michelle Mahoney’s Communication 101 class competition this week by choosing just the right mix of tools and supplies. Their shared leadership style and group cohesion was also a plus!
News Highlights
CWI Library Wins an “Oscar”
If you happen to see College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) librarians wearing designer gowns and tuxedos to work, don’t be surprised. CWI Library was recently awarded an Excellence in Academic Libraries Award, which is the academic library equivalent of winning an Academy Award. The award is given by the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) to honor an outstanding community college, college, and university library each year. According to ACRL, the award recognizes “the accomplishments of librarians and other library staff as they come together as members of a team to support the mission of their institution.”
Moments like this cause us to reflect on how far we’ve come, and those of us who have been at CWI for a while know how much fun that can be. So I thought I’d give you a quick recap of what CWI Library looked like when I began as director in 2011:
- Our library resided in a single classroom in the NCAB building, where our few bookshelves were notably devoid of actual books (we had about 2,000 total at that point).
- Those searching for books in our catalog typically received a blank page that noted only that there were no results for that search (suuuper encouraging).
- Aspiring researchers visiting our website found a single page that redirected them to our accreditation partner, the College of Southern Idaho, for the majority of their needs (advancing the message: Welcome to CWI Library! Now go away).
- For the few databases we offered, we had a handout listing the passwords you needed to log into them. (You had to call or stop by to get access).
- Oh, and the Library staff consisted of two people. I was one.
While the two of us poured our energy into serving students, things at CWI Library were pretty dire back then. The most common thing we heard from students as they walked into our space was, “Oh. My high school library was bigger than this.” Faculty sent their students straight to Boise State to work on class assignments, and our established local library colleagues looked askance at the valley’s latest startup, wondering how long they would be the ones who had to support our students. A fair question.
Then, there was the first accreditation site visit by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), which took place in week six of my new job as director. Although I did my enthusiastic best to convey my vision and plans for our library, there was no getting around the fact that none of my grand ideas were actually in play yet. When the accreditation team listed the library among the five areas they recommended for improvement at the college – and after I spent about 24 hours believing myself to be an absolute failure whose promising career had just crumbled to dust – the challenge was on. The mandate I received from the vice president to whom I reported at the time was essentially: Kim, make us a library.
We grew everything year by year: our staff, our systems, our spaces, our collections, our knowledge, and our reputation on campus. We invented our jobs and our processes day by day because there was no precedent to fall back on and no expert to consult. We were all new to our roles and were all in these roles for the first time. We built an organizational culture that prioritized flexibility, experimentation, and innovation, because for us there was no other way to get things done.
Many staff and faculty at CWI have similar stories. Working at our college in the early days was equal parts challenging, exhausting, and inspiring beyond words. For the library staff, these years have been an incredible experiment in inventing a community college library according entirely to our ideals and the needs we heard from our students and faculty.
It worked. First we saw our accreditors entirely reverse their opinion of the library, offering us a commendation at the next site visit in 2017. Now, as we display our new plaque in the exhibit case outside the Nampa Campus Library, we accrue evidence that even with our small staff and minimalist spaces, CWI Library has grown into a top-caliber academic library, serving the campus with services, resources, and staff that rival any of our more established peers.
It worked because we worked hard. It worked because we listened to our community of students and faculty and built the things they asked for. From my perspective as Director, it worked for another reason, too: because when you hire a team of talented, passionate, driven professionals, give them ownership of their jobs, invite them to participate in the creation of a common vision, and manage by supporting and trusting them, you end up with an award-winning organization.
GEM Awards for Excellence
On behalf of the General Education Subcommittee, Jana McCurdy and Susan Aydelotte presented General Education Matriculation (GEM) Awards for Excellence to College of Western Idaho (CWI) faculty who teach General Education courses. Awards were presented during Faculty Professional Development Day at the Zions Bank Building on March 1, 2019.
Criteria for this inaugural award include:
- Exemplary teaching
- Creativity in course design or implementation
- Excellence in translating disciplinary methods of inquiry to non-majors
- Delivery of instruction that improves access and affordability (e.g., OER, dual credit, incorporation of PLA methods, reduction of special course fees, and/or co-requisite integration
- Service to our General Education program at CWI and the state
2019 GEM Awards for Excellence:
Liza Long
GEM 1: Written Communication
“Creating the space where I can support students’ authentic learning and growth is one of the most important things I can do as an educator,” Long said.
Johnny Rowing
GEM 2: Oral Communication.
Johnny is extremely competent as a speech coach, having led the CWI Speech and Debate team to five of our six national championships. This depth of knowledge in research and public speaking adds great benefit to oral Communication students.
Emiko Quintana
GEM 3: Mathematical Way of Knowing
One of Emiko’s students said, “During lectures, she would be very clear and precise about the material we were covering that day. She was able to explain each math problem in multiple ways.”
Rebecca Flock
GEM 4: Scientific Way of Knowing
Rebecca participates in citizen science where students learn about and actively participate in local projects that affect their communities and personal lives.
Joel Gladd
GEM 5: Humanistic and Artistic Way of Knowing
Joel has gone beyond using Open Educational Resources to giving students a project where their work becomes part of the textbook for the next group of students who will use the updated anthology.
Nikki Gorrell
GEM 6: Social and Behavioral Way of Knowing
Nikki develops activities where students role play to help them understand key concepts.
Congratulations to each of these recipients who have been recognized for their excellence!
Refugee Support Discussion
On Thursday, Feb. 28, Student Advising and Success and Student Engagement teamed up to host an open discussion with College of Western Idaho (CWI) students who entered the country as refugees. A refugee is a person that has fled their home country to another because of persecution due to race, religion, political opinion, ethnicity, or nationality. Boise is one of two resettlement cities in Idaho in which newly arrived refugees are resettled. Since the 1980s, Idaho has resettled thousands of families and people which have fled ethnic cleansing, territorial conflicts, political unrest, and religious prosecution. Within the last decade, the majority of peoples resettled to Idaho have been from Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Burma, Bhutan, Somalia, and Afghanistan. Current data for the number of CWI students identifying as a refugee are unknown.
Attendees of the meeting ranged from first-semester students to alumni who discussed their successes, barriers, and frustrations experienced as a student. Many of the topics discussed were found to be common among the refugee students. Participants had a positive experience working through their struggles together with the help of CWI resources and faculty.
Common topics included:
- Refugee students face language barriers in the classroom.
- About half of the refugee students care for other dependent family members other than children (i.e., parents, siblings).
- Refugees come to the United States with a college education already. Despite this, many of their credits do not transfer, and they are starting over.
- Most have a desire to befriend domestic students to help them with notes, study, talk with, etc., but they often are too scared to make the first move to start a friendship.
- Terms that may be familiar to domestic students are not easily understood by refugee students (i.e., FAFSA).
- Many students struggle to balance work, school, and the caring of their children and/or other family members.
Students interested in joining the conversation are welcome at the next International and Refugee Student meeting at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 14, at the Ada County Campus Pintail Center in room 1204.
2019 Innovation in Action Awards
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2019 Innovation in Action Awards! We had twenty-two great examples of the work faculty are doing in and out of the classroom that create effective, meaningful, and impactful learning experiences for our students. With 79 votes, Arts and Humanities took away the school trophy with individual category winners going to the following:
Scholarship of Research: Kim Scheffer, for her work researching college persistence of Hispanic community college students.
Scholarship of Application: Ryan Witt, for partnering with the CWI Communications and Marketing team to provide students an opportunity to apply rhetorical appeals to community projects.
Scholarship of Integrative Learning: Nikki Gorrell, for her work to help our Anthropology students create a learning experience for middle school students around the larger themes of Ecological Stewardship, Global Citizenship, Anthropology and Native American Heritage.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Meagan Newberry, for her work to successfully incorporate peer feedback in her classroom through the use of online platforms and effective instructional methodology.
Faculty were provided an opportunity to share their work and experiences with their colleagues during the Professional Development Day on March 1, 2019, through lightning presentations, a poster session, and interactive panel presentations.
Barnes Receives Scholarship for PTK Conference
Dr. Yolonda Barnes, Advisor for College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society, Beta Sigma Pi, has been selected from a pool of more than 200 applicants to receive an Advisor Convention Scholarship to the 2019 PTK International Catalyst Conference this April in Orlando, Florida. Also included in her award was a scholarship for Elizabeth Carter, President of Beta Sigma Pi. John Nahlen, Vice President of Fellowship for Beta Sigma Pi, will also attend the conference representing the College.
As part of the conference, Barnes will be discussing the importance of soft skills in career success during her workshop, “Soft Skills. The Total Package!”. Barnes will present the same workshop at CWI on Thursday, March 21, along with a mini-workshop on conflict styles and the workplace by Co-Advisor, Dr. Liza Long, at 10:30 a.m. at the Nampa Campus Academic Building in room 107F. The workshop is open to all Beta Sigma Pi honor students.
For more information about CWI's Beta Sigma Pi Honor Society, contact Dr. Yolonda Barnes, yolondabarnes@cwi.edu, or Dr. Liza Long, lizalong@cwi.edu.
Nominate a 2019 Emerging Scholar
The Emerging Scholar Committee is excited about the opportunity to select another group of Emerging Scholars! Faculty are encouraged to nominate students based on perseverance, innovative thinking, and professionalism both in and outside the classroom—not primarily on academic status. Students nominated must plan to enroll in six or more credits for the 2019-2020 academic year in both fall and spring semesters and have a minimum GPA of 2.0.
Thirteen students, two from each school of instruction, will receive a $600 scholarship to be applied towards their tuition for the 2019-2020 academic year. Students receive awards from nominating faculty at the Connections Project in April. Nominations will be accepted through April 5, 2019.
INBRE: Paid Summer Research Opportunities
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is excited to offer paid summer research opportunities for students through the Idaho INBRE Research Program. Students will earn $1,500 for three weeks of full-time work from July 8 to 26, 2019. Eight positions are available for CWI students and no prior research experience is needed.
The INBRE Scholars program will give students the chance to immerse themselves in scientific research for three weeks. They will delve deeply into the research project and carefully investigate a research question. Students will learn to analyze and interpret the results, and the project will culminate with the design of a scientific poster which will be presented at the INBRE Research Conference in Moscow, Idaho.
Through this process, scholars will develop and utilize quantitative reasoning skills and integrate scholastic learning with many aspects of the project. This program will give students the opportunity to participate in original scientific discovery while furthering their education and having fun!
Application deadline is April 5, 2019. Click here to apply and learn more about the program. If you have additional questions, contact Dr. Suzanne Oppenheimer at suzanneoppenheimer@cwi.edu.
This program is supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health and is contingent upon continued INBRE funding to CWI.
Staff of the Month—February 2019
Laura Bagley has been recognized as College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff of the Month for February 2019. Bagley started her time at CWI as a student in the fall of 2013. In 2014, she was hired as a Library Assistant. She truly enjoyed the interaction with the diverse student population. As a student at CWI, she was a Presidential Ambassador, President of the Business Professionals of America club, and a member of Phi Theta Kappa.
Bagley graduated in December 2015 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Administrative Specialist and came back to work for CWI as a Tutor. In March of 2016, she was hired as an Administrative Assistant I for Workforce Development (WD). A year later, she became Administrative Assistant III for the WD Business and Manufacturing departments. She truly loves her job and has had great support from her directors and co-workers. She loves being part of something that is helping so many people change their lives.
Bagley is a certified scuba diver, recently visited Mexico for the first time, and loves spending time with her family. She lives in Boise with her husband, two daughters, and two dogs.
Please join us in congratulating Laura on her accomplishment!
Visiting Artist Series Welcomes Idaho Shakespeare Festival
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Visiting Artist Series is proud to welcome the Idaho Shakespeare Festival (ISF) Shakespearience program to the Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB) Monday, March 11, from 7 – 8 p.m., to perform As You Like It, Shakespeare’s most romantic comedy. Having to flee the home of her uncle, Rosalind disguises herself as a man and brings along her cousin, Celia, and the clown, Touchstone. Taking refuge in the Forest of Arden, they find adventure and romance. Mistaken identity and disguise lead to revelations of honesty, truth, and the nature of love.
CWI’s Visiting Artist Series is made possible through a grant from Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by National Endowment for the Arts. Visiting Artist Series events, featuring visual and performing artists, are free and open to the public. The performance is suitable for all ages and will be sign interpreted (ASL). An acting workshop, hosted by ISF, will follow the performance from 8 – 9 p.m. in NCAB 206.
Contact Brenda Fisher at 208.562.3351 or brendafisher@cwi.edu to learn more.
Flyer: Visiting Artist Series Welcomes Idaho Shakespeare Festival
Movie Night: On the Basis of Sex
In honor of Women’s History Month in March, College of Western Idaho’s Student Engagement team is hosting a movie night Thursday, March 14. Join us at the Nampa Campus Micron Education Center for a showing of the movie, “On the Basis of Sex”, a story about future Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, as she launches her career fighting for gender equality. Showtime is at 4 p.m. in room 1701. A discussion of the movie will follow beginning at 6 p.m.
Contact Amber Eubanks in Student Engagement at 208.562.2416 or ambereubanks@cwi.edu for more information.
Settlers of Catan Tournament—March 16
Join the Business and Entrepreneurship Club for fun, light refreshments, and prizes at their next Settlers of Catan Tournament Saturday, March 16.
The tournament, held at the Nampa Campus Academic Building from 1 – 6 p.m., will feature three rounds of play for all participants. Prizes for the tournament, sponsored by Phoenix Fire Games, will be awarded to the first and second-place winners. Admission is $10 for pre-registration and $12 at the door, paid by cash or check on-site.
Witco Hosts Retirement Event for Mary Niland
A celebration is being held in honor of founding and current College of Idaho Trustee, Mary Niland, as she retires from Witco. The event, held Friday March 22, 2019, at the Nampa Civic Center from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m., is additionally a fundraiser for the Witco Foundation.
Tickets are available for $40. To RSVP, please contact Maureen at 208.989.8623 or Witco at 208.454.3051 by March 15, 2019.
Cybersecurity Awareness: Tax Scams
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has launched its annual awareness campaign on the 12 most prevalent tax scams, known as the “Dirty Dozen.”
IRS Launches ‘Dirty Dozen’ Campaign on Tax Scams
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) encourages taxpayers, businesses, and tax professionals to review the following:
IRS Dirty Dozen Alert: Warning about pervasive phishing schemes
IRS Dirty Dozen News Releases
Security Tip: Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Attacks
Contact Mike Wilson at mikewilson@cwi.edu or 208.562.3193 with questions or for more information, and stay tuned for more tips and information on cybersecurity awareness in future issues of Bert’s Alerts.
