Bert's Alerts - February 17, 2017
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) welcomed the public to campus on Thursday (Feb. 16) for an interactive look at CWI’s Career and Technical Education programs. The College hosted its annual Program and Career Expo (PACE) event at the Micron Center for Professional Technical Education. Attendees were able to explore CWI while engaging in hands-on activities and demonstrations from CWI’s career-technical programs. Thank you to everyone involved for helping make this another great event.
News Highlights
CWI Granted Independent Accreditation
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is pleased to announce it has been granted initial accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). While pursuing independent accreditation, CWI has delivered college credit instruction, certificates, and degrees through a memorandum of understanding with the College of Southern Idaho. CWI’s initial accreditation status is effective Sept. 1, 2016.
“I am overjoyed at the news from our colleagues with the NWCCU,” says CWI President, Dr. Bert Glandon. “This decision is the result of tireless work from so many people. It lays the foundation for tremendous opportunities for the College moving forward.”
The NWCCU made the decision following CWI’s year seven self-evaluation report and site visit this past October. CWI has been recognized by the NWCCU as a candidate for accreditation since February 2012.
Independent accreditation will allow CWI more flexibility to modify curriculum and add new degree programs to best meet the needs of the local community and students. Accreditation is also required for CWI and its enrolled students to continue accessing federal funds to support teaching, research, and student financial aid. Finally, regional accreditation provides a way for post-secondary institutions to ensure quality instruction and service, as well as institutional improvement, by voluntarily submitting to a regulatory process.
CWI will now enter the Commission’s seven-year accreditation cycle, which includes periodic evaluations and site visits.
CWI Closed Feb. 20 for President’s Day
On Monday, Feb. 20, College of Western Idaho (CWI) will not hold classes in observance of President’s Day. All campus buildings, offices, and services will also be closed. The College will resume its regular class schedule and operating hours on Tuesday (Feb. 21).
CWI Signs Transfer Agreement with Southern New Hampshire University
College of Western Idaho (CWI) and Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) have announced an agreement that provides direct transfer opportunities between the two institutions. Through the partnership, CWI graduates can fully transition their associate degree into an online bachelor’s degree program at SNHU with the confidence that their CWI coursework will transfer. In addition, CWI employees and their immediate family members are offered a 10 percent tuition reduction at SNHU.
“Community college graduates often look for opportunities to continue their education by transferring credits to a bachelor’s degree program,” explains William Hartglass, Vice President of Undergraduate Marketing at SNHU’s College of Online and Continuing Education. “Partnerships, like this one with the College of Western Idaho, alleviate that concern by creating a direct pathway from an associate degree to a bachelor’s degree. We are always eager to work with community colleges that are looking to help students find ways to continue their education and achieve their personal and professional goals. This gives us the opportunity to share our resources and further our commitment to students.”
SNHU is a private, nonprofit institution accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, as well as several other accrediting bodies. With more than 200 certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs offered, SNHU has one of the lowest tuition rates in the nation that has remained the same over the past four years.
“We are pleased to finalize this articulation agreement with Southern New Hampshire University, which provides tremendous value for our students and employees,” said David Shellberg, CWI’s Executive Vice President of Instruction and Student Services. “We couldn’t be happier to provide transfer opportunities to SNHU and the high quality online bachelor’s degree programs they offer.”
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.
President’s Writing Awards Accepting Submissions
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) President, Bert Glandon, invites all students to submit their writing to CWI’s annual President’s Writing Awards contest. Winners, who will be announced at the Connections Project event, are eligible for a cash prize and a chance to be published on the College’s website. The contest is open to a variety of writing categories:
• Creative Nonfiction
• Poetry
• Fiction
• Critical Analysis
• Research Based
Applicants must be a CWI student and the writing must have been done for coursework at CWI. The deadline is Feb. 24. To access the submission link and guidelines, visit /current-students/presidents-writing-awards.
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.
Tech Talk: Archive Emails
On Feb. 28, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Information Technology Department will purge any emails on CWI’s exchange server more than five years old. After Feb. 28, emails older than five years will continue to be purged on a daily basis. To avoid losing old email, employees will need to archive them.
Read instructions on how to archive email. Employees can request assistance with archiving email by opening a Help Desk ticket:
Online https://helpdesk.cwi.edu/helpdesk
Email helpdesk@cwi.edu
Phone (208) 562-3444
