Bert's Alerts—Jan. 8. 2021
In the Spotlight
Whether you spent Winter Break laying low or out on the ski slopes, we hope you are ready because Spring 2021 semester is HERE! Kicking off the semester with in-service meetings and the College Address, this year is sure to bring excitement including a new and bold approach to the CWI brand!
News Highlights
Save the Date: Spring 2021 College Address
What a whirlwind of a year 2020 has proven to be! Despite it all, College of Western Idaho (CWI) continues to empower lives, families, futures, and our community – every single day. With the start of a new year, the College looks forward to beginning the Spring 2021 semester while embracing our mighty future with a bold, fearless approach.
Employees of the College are invited to join via a Zoom webinar, Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 9 a.m. to noon as we share highlights from the last semester, updates on College priorities, reveal of our new brand, a guest speaker, and an opportunity for Q & A with members of President’s Cabinet.
Spring 2021 College Address
9:00 a.m. Join Address via Zoom
9:05 a.m. Welcome and Updates
9:20 a.m. College Address
9:45 a.m. New Brand Reveal
10:05 a.m. Break
10:10 a.m. Guest Speaker, Amelia Doty-Jones, LCSW, from St. Luke’s
11:00 a.m. Break
11:05 a.m. Live Q & A with President’s Cabinet
11:45 a.m. Conclusion
Live captioning, a new feature on Zoom, will be utilized during the address. This feature allows participants to modify the font size or hide the captioning as desired. Please refer to the Jan. 13 calendar invitation from Office of the President for the Zoom link. Contact College Relations at communications@cwi.edu with questions.
Here’s to a fantastic spring semester!
Practical Nursing Graduates Celebrate with Virtual Event
College of Western Idaho's (CWI) Practical Nursing program celebrated the class of 2020 during a virtual pinning ceremony Dec. 17.
Joan Weddington, Practical Nursing program instructor, kicked off the 45-minute event followed by speakers, Allison Baker, Nursing Department Chair; Denise Aberle-Cannata, Provost; and President Bert Glandon.
"COVID-19, as challenging as it has been, was not a deterrent to this group of enthusiastic practical nursing students," said Weddington. "Although they would have preferred to have a traditional face-to-face pinning ceremony as future nurses, they wanted to set an example and have a virtual event. These students have consistently proven their ability to be determined, motivated, and resilient--the same qualities of every successful nurse!"
Each student had an opportunity to share their thoughts on graduating during the ceremony.
"Whenever I needed a word of encouragement or just a push, I could always talk with Dr. Weddington. She would say, 'Keep going! You're going to be a nurse!' She seriously pushed me to pursue my dreams," Class of 2020 graduate, Heather Bochenski said.
You can watch the ceremony on YouTube, and learn more about the program and application process by visiting CWI's website!
Facts at a Glance – Fall 2020
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Fall 2020 Facts at a Glance is now available to view online. This annual publication provides a statistical overview of the College and is a valuable resource for learning more about CWI.
Adapting to the ever-changing environment of COVID-19, CWI has introduced new course delivery options allowing for added flexibility and choices to meet students’ needs. A model for higher education, CWI continues to impact the community by providing exceptional instruction empowering thousands of students to be bold!
Hard copies of this year’s Facts at a Glance are available by contacting College Relations at communications@cwi.edu.
CWI Introduces Ionization Technology on Campus
With the impact of COVID-19, providing a safe environment for students, faculty and staff has been a top priority at College of Western Idaho (CWI). As science has raced to address vaccines, additional technologies have been identified and developed to further mitigate the spread of the virus. One such technologies is the use of ionization to improve the air quality in occupied spaces. While not an entirely new technology, studies and testing have demonstrated ionization can and does effectively mitigate the coronavirus in an occupied environment. Recent implementation of this technology has been seen in the airline industry both within aircrafts and in terminals as well as in buildings including public schools.
At beginning of the pandemic, CWI immediately took action to address building air quality by implementing higher rates of air exchanges to bring in more outside air as well as implementation of higher filter-efficiency ratings wherever possible. While these actions have been effective, the introduction of ionization technology into air systems in campus buildings is an additional step to further improve the safety of occupants.
Utilizing CARES Act funding, CWI will be introducing ionization into five of the College’s buildings:
- Nampa Campus Academic Building (NCAB)
- Nampa Campus Micron Education Center (NMEC)
- Nampa Campus Aspen Classroom Building (NASP)
- Ada County Campus Pintail Center (APIN)
- Canyon County Center (CYNC)
Installation will begin immediately and is expected to create little to no disruption. Once installed, these systems will further augment the College’s previous work to help control the spread of COVID-19 and further improve the overall air quality in these buildings. Implementation of this technology in additional buildings on campus will be evaluated at a later date. Installation is expected to conclude the first week of February.
Please note, introduction of ionization will not change the College’s operational direction related to COVID-19, including alternative course delivery options for students, remote work for employees until further notice, and current safety protocols of face coverings, physical distancing, etc. while on campus.
Contact Facilities Planning and Management at facilities@cwi.edu with questions or concerns.
Ionization System Global Plasma Brochure
Video: How it Works
Staff of the Month – November 2020
Congratulations to Juanita Manzo, College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Staff of the Month for November 2020. Originally hired as an Administrative Assistant for Facilities, Manzo is currently a Project Manager for Instruction.
With a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences from New Mexico State University and a master’s degree in Endocrinology from Washington State University, Manzo’s professional life landed her at CWI as she followed a few former colleagues to the College five years ago.
“As a mom, working at CWI was appealing to me because it would allow me to use my skill sets, serve my community, and still be able to take care of my family as needed,” she said.
As a Project Manager for Instruction, Manzo enjoys the challenges associated with the organization, flow, and tactical side of collaborative work including course scheduling and pay for adjunct instructors.
“Juanita continues to shine as a project manager for Instruction,” said a colleague. “This year has been especially challenging as a college as we prepared for a fall unlike any other. Juanita spent countless hours preparing reports, implementing new processes, and supporting ever-changing decisions. She keeps us moving forward and does everything with professionalism, attention to detail, and excellence.”
“CWI is a great place to work because of innovative spirit and the people,” Manzo said. “A community college is a cornerstone of a community due to the direct relationship education has with industry and workforce needs. The value CWI brings to our community and our students is inspiring.”
Originally from Western Massachusetts, Manzo has been ‘out West’ for a long time. She and her husband of 17 years have two teenage girls, two dogs, and a coop full of urban chickens. Outside the office, she enjoys throwing pots, cooking, baking, painting, and getting fresh air.
December 21-Day Challenge Results
Thank you to all who participated in the December 21-day challenge – the Hydration Challenge! We had 50 of our participants submit their results for the goal of drinking eight, 8-ounce glasses of water per day.
Participants who reached this goal for all 21 days were entered to win a Hydro Flask water bottle. Congratulations to the winners, Kevin Platts and Sherri Lauer!
All participants who completed 10 or more days of the challenge were entered to win a participation prize of a motivational water bottle to help track water intake.
Participation prize winners for November are:
- Julia Kaufmann
- Jodi Hickenlooper
- Heather Schoenherr
- Tennly Paul-Bowden
- Diana Rhinehart
- Tea Molino
- Rachel Rencher
- Laura Woodall
- Veronica Van Ry
- Cathy Carson
The January 21-day Sugar-less Challenge is underway with participants eliminating added and processed sugar in their diet, only eating naturally occurring sugar in fruits and vegetables. Be on the lookout for more information coming soon about the February Move More Challenge and the opportunity to work with one of our very own Health Science students on some personal training!
Visit the Culture and Employee Engagement Committee site on myCWI for all the details!
Scholarships Open for Spring 2022 Semester
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Foundation scholarship application period for the Spring 2022 semester opens Nov. 1. One application makes applying for scholarships at CWI easy providing students automatically-generated scholarship matches, in addition to allowing students to self-select scholarships of interest. More than 200 scholarships have already been awarded to students in both academic and career-technical programs at the College for the 2021-2022 academic year!
Students interested in applying for scholarships must have the CWI admission application completed, be accepted, and have myCWI login information. The application closes Nov. 30, 2021.
Visit the Grants and Scholarships page to learn more or apply.
One Stop Extends Hours in Preparation for Spring Semester
With admission, registration, and tuition and fees deadlines approaching and the start of Spring 2021 semester on the horizon, College of Western Idaho’s One Stop Student Services staff is geared up and ready to help students kick off spring semester successfully!
One Stop locations will be open on the following days and times Jan. 4 – 29:
Monday – Thursday
9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Fridays
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 9
9 a.m. to Noon
Saturday, Jan 16
9 a.m. to Noon
For hours, locations, or assistance, contact One Stop Student Services online, by phone at 208.562.3000, or by emailing onestop@cwi.edu.
Bookstore Gears Up for Spring Semester
While service may look different than it has in the past, College of Western Idaho’s Bookstore is geared up and ready for fall book rental returns and to help students prepare for Spring 2021 semester.
Fall 2020 Semester
The rental book return deadline is Monday, Dec. 21. Books can be returned by mail or in the Bookstore lobby at the Nampa Campus Micron Education Center, open limited hours through Dec. 23.
Fall Rental Returns and Lobby Hours
Spring 2021 Semester
Please note the following updates to the Bookstore’s service to students, new for Spring 2021 semester:
- Beginning Dec. 28, books and other bookstore items will be available to order online. Online orders will be shipped at no cost Jan. 4 – 28. Students are encouraged to order early to ensure books and items needed for classes arrive on time.
- Financial aid charging will begin Monday, Jan. 4.
- Students wishing to visit the Bookstore in person can make an appointment by email.
Spring Online Ordering, Appointments, and Financial Aid
Learn more by visiting the Bookstore online, emailing bookstore@cwi.edu, or calling 208.562.2401.
IT Rolls Out Standard VPN on Employee Computers
College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Information Technology team has rolled out standard VPN to all employee-issued computers.
Those already familiar with and regularly log into CWI’s VPN and the ERP VPN (used for Colleague, Perceptive Content, etc.) may disregard the announcement.
Why is this important?
Logging into CWI’s network (either on campus or remotely via VPN) allows users and devices to:
- Access CWI’s network drives for file storage (H:\ and I:\ drives for example)
- Receive system updates
- Maintain device inventory for CWI
What action do I need to take?
Remember to log your CWI issued computer into the network at least once a week so the above-listed items can be updated.
If you currently use a CWI issued computer and have never logged into CWI’s VPN, please follow the steps found in the HelpDesk FAQ 255.
Please contact the Help Desk with any questions at 208.562.3444.
