Bert's Alerts - February 10, 2017
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) was on display for the state’s elected leaders, Monday (Feb. 6), as the College participated in the first ever CWI Day at the Capitol. The event allowed CWI to showcase its program offerings, with faculty and students on-hand to share about the College’s impact as Idaho’s largest public higher education institution. The highlight of the day was a proclamation by Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, declaring Feb. 6, 2017 College of Western Idaho Day.
News Highlights
CWI Partners with Excelsior College
College of Western Idaho (CWI) has announced a partnership with Excelsior College. Under the articulation agreement, CWI graduates can maximize their credits toward a bachelor’s degree program at the private, nonprofit, online college based in Albany, New York. Additionally, Excelsior will offer a significant tuition reduction for CWI employees and their immediate family members.
“This articulation agreement with Excelsior College offers an abundance of highly relevant learning and career opportunities for CWI graduates and employees,” said David Shellberg, CWI’s Executive Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. “We share many core values with Excelsior College, specifically access, affordability, flexibility, and transferability. They truly understand and embrace CWI’s mission and vision.”
“Excelsior was founded for an essential public purpose – to help adults earn degrees,” said Dr. James Baldwin, President of Excelsior College. “This agreement will provide CWI graduates with a seamless transfer experience into our degree programs and positions them closer to their educational goals.”
Excelsior College is an accredited, nonprofit online college founded in 1971 and home to five schools: Business and Technology, Health Sciences, Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Public Service. The College provides degree completion, continuing education, and career readiness solutions. It specializes in serving the needs of working adults via expansive student-centric resources, coaching and advising services, and flexible options to degree completion, including online courses, credit-by-exam program, transfer credit, and the acceptance of corporate and military training programs evaluated as college-level equivalent.
CWI currently offers six associate degrees fully online, along with hundreds of courses available online. The College is seeking to further expand transfer opportunities to online bachelor’s degree programs at four-year institutions.
Faculty Deadline Moved to Feb. 17 for Connections Project
College of Western Idaho (CWI) faculty are invited to help showcase student accomplishment by submitting previous student work or current project ideas for CWI’s second annual Connections Project event. The deadline for faculty to submit work on behalf of students has been extended to Feb. 17. All students who submit work are eligible for awards, including a $200 grand prize.
Details on requirements and how to submit work can be found at cwi.edu/connections-project. Email connections@cwi.edu with questions.
Idaho Shakespeare Festival Returns to CWI
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is pleased to welcome Idaho Shakespeare Festival to campus, Feb. 16, for a free performance and workshop as part of CWI’s Visiting Artist Series. Actors with the Festival will visit the College to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream with an acting workshop to follow. Both events, which are open to the public, will take place at CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building. The performance is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the workshop starting at 8 p.m.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is one of the most popular plays in the world. The comedy is suitable for all ages.
This performance is made possible thanks to a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Please contact Brenda Fisher at brendafisher@cwi.edu for questions and more information.
CWI Transfer Fair Set for Feb. 28
College of Western Idaho (CWI) invites you to the Spring 2017 Transfer Fair. College and university representatives will be on campus to discuss their programs, majors, and transfer requirements. This one day event will serve two different campus locations:
Tuesday, Feb. 28
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Ada County Campus Pintail Center, Student Commons
1360 S. Eagle Flight Way, Boise, ID 83709
12:30-2:30 p.m.
Nampa Campus Academic Building, First Floor Lobby
5500 E. Opportunity Drive, Nampa, ID 83697
Please contact Brittney Hernandez (brittneyhernandez@cwi.edu) or Erica Compton (ericacompton@cwi.edu) with questions.
Fixed Asset Inventory Schedule Published
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) fixed asset inventory schedule has been finalized for 2017. To see when your department is scheduled, refer to the Business Office’s calendar located on myCWI. Each department will be contacted approximately a month in advance, with instructions and current asset reports. Business Office staff and student workers will be available to assist upon request. Contact Shari Davis at 208.562.3181 or sharidavis@cwi.edu with any asset-related questions.
Faculty Pick Purvis Aldrich for February Award
Christian Purvis Aldrich is College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Faculty of Distinction for February.
Purvis Aldrich grew up in the Treasure Valley and attended the University of Idaho, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in English. She then attended University of Colorado (CU) Boulder. After finishing her master’s in English Literature at CU, Purvis Aldrich began teaching in the Bay Area at De Anza College where she earned tenure. She has been teaching for over twenty years and continues to be inspired by her students every day.
She was nominated by three separate faculty members who appreciated her leadership in the English department. They cited her development of the Global Perspectives curriculum, her kindness to both students and faculty, her mentoring of new instructors, and her ability to gracefully and productively lead tough conversations where there is much opportunity for dissent. Purvis Aldrich says one of her favorite projects at CWI is developing the English placement website. She also gets excited about humanities. This summer she visited London and the highlight was a treasure hunt in The British Museum to find all the artifacts discussed in her HUMA 101 textbook.
Outside of her work at CWI, Christian enjoys time with her family, dancing tango, studying yoga, and gardening. Having spent four years as the head coach of Santa Clara University’s women’s rowing program, she is looking forward to celebrating their tradition of Black Velvet; the first row of the year after the ice melts.
Please join in congratulating Christian on this well-deserved recognition.
Thank You from Staff Senate
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff Senate Recognition Committee would like to thank CWI’s Facilities Management staff for all their hard work this winter. While the College’s employees have enjoyed a number of snow days, members of the facilities team still come to work to take care of shoveling, sanding, and plowing. Thank you for helping keep CWI operating. The College could not function without you.