Bert's Alerts - October 21, 2016
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) employees are invited to showcase their spooky spirit on Monday, Oct. 31, by participating in the CWI Culture and Employee Engagement Committee’s annual Halloween Costume Contest. Prizes will be awarded for best overall individual, overall group, and overall by building. Costumes must be worn at work to be eligible to win. To enter, simply send photos of individual or group costumes to ceec@cwi.edu by end of day Nov. 1. Winners will be announced on Nov. 4.
News Highlights
Hundreds Utilize CWI’s Voter Registration Day
The numbers are in for the first Voter Registration Day event hosted at College of Western Idaho (CWI) that helped students, employees, and community members prepare to vote in the Nov. 8 election. CWI’s honor society chapter, Beta Sigma Pi, organized the event on Sept. 27 at four campus locations in support of National Voter Registration Day. Their efforts resulted in 200 voter registrations and absentee ballots being delivered to county election offices. Organizers say they also handed out hundreds of registration cards for people to submit on their own.
In addition to voter registration and absentee ballots, the event provided:
- Information on CWI’s November 2016 Ballot items
- Polling Locations
- List of Statewide Candidates
- Voting Precinct Information
The student group was pleased with the turnout to their first event and felt the initiative was well received.
Making Music With a Master Musician
CWI Impact - Making Music
Music lovers recently had the opportunity to jam with a master musician at College of Western Idaho (CWI). Local music educator and master percussionist David Gluck held a pair of workshops at CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14 and 15. Open to the public, participants were able to engage in hands-on learning in a workshop-style setting.
“To me, this is more like an open living room jam session,” Gluck said to those in attendance. “Many of the songs we are playing today have never been performed in public.”
Gluck, who is a world-renowned musician, is a teaching artist. He currently teaches percussion and composition at the Idaho Arts Charter School in Nampa. He was invited to CWI as part of the College’s Visiting Artist Series.
“Our Global Beats workshop with David Gluck was a great experience,” Jeff Davis, workshop organizer and CWI music instructor, said. “Those who participated, which included students, faculty, and members of the community, were treated to some hands-on training in world music from one of the best percussionists in the valley. It was music making at its best—friends joining with friends to learn from and inspire each other.”
The weekend concluded with a public concert by workshop participants and several local musicians who regularly collaborate with Gluck. Fellow percussionist Grant Green and saxophonist Sandon Mayhew accompanied the group—along with Gluck’s students from Idaho Arts Charter School.
The CWI Visiting Artist Series features both visual and performing artists. It is made possible thanks to a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts; which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Large Turnout for Idaho Innocence Project Guest Speaker
College of Western Idaho (CWI) hosted a guest lecture on Wednesday (Oct. 19) that was received with a tremendous response from both the public and CWI community. Over 150 guests were in attendance for a special presentation by Executive Director of the Idaho Innocence Project, Dr. Greg Hampikian, at CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building. Dr. Hampikian talked about his role in exonerating innocent individuals from death row. He was joined by Charles Fain, who was exonerated after 19 years on death row. Thank you to everyone who supported the event and helped make it a great success.
Geology Trip Provides Connections for CWI Students
Four College of Western Idaho (CWI) students recently had a chance to network with peers at Idaho State University (ISU) through an annual field trip hosted by the CWI Geology department. The students joined CWI instructors Ander Sundell and Amanda Laib, as well as a Boise State University undergraduate student, on a trip to investigate and map rocks at Southern Chilly Butte north of Mackay.
For the past few years, CWI has been invited to use ISU’s Lost River Field Station as a headquarters for the weekend. This year a group of graduate students from ISU happened to also be using the Lost River Field Station.
“This partnership not only provided an incredible opportunity for our students to spend some time with other geology students studying in Idaho, but also to let them ask questions and converse with students who are four or five academic years ahead of them,” says Sundell. “It is incredibly eye opening for CWI students. We plan on continuing this project into the future.”
Tanked, Tagged, and Ready to Take Off
B-3912. Male. Tagged and ready for flight. Now a Monarch Butterfly, B-3912 was brought to College of Western Idaho (CWI) as a caterpillar from Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge. Left to grow and transform into a brightly-colored butterfly, he has been literally hanging out—with several of his friends—in a tank at the Nampa Campus Academic Building Tutoring Center. Under Biology program student Vance McFarland’s watchful eye, B-3912 is finally ready for the long journey to his winter home in Southern California.
“This guy has a long way to go,” McFarland said. “He is about to fly hundreds of miles away. If someone sees or finds this sticker out in the wild, it will lead back to me. And I sure hope it does.”
McFarland has been working closely with CWI’s Monarch Research Project for the past two years. The U.S. Army combat veteran, who once trained bomb-sniffing dogs as an infantryman, is taking a break between classes to tend to his friends in the tank. He, and a few fellow students, have been tracking and logging the butterflies’ progress since early July. On this October day, they are tagging them and determining whether they are male or female. A few days from now, they will be released.
“When I started going to school, I knew I wanted to be in biology,” McFarland said. “I got involved with this project last year helping Dusty Perkins map the milkweed distribution around (Lake Lowell) and that’s where I first really started falling in love with monarch butterflies.”
After spending this past summer chasing butterflies around Lake Lowell and in spots along the Boise River, McFarland continued his work by bringing eggs and/or caterpillars back to the campus. So far, more than 50 have fully evolved into migration-worthy Monarchs.
“Some of them may make it as far as Mexico. Others will stop in California along the coast,” he said. “When they get to where they are going, they will hang upside down in trees. The hope is that whoever may see them—will see our (tracking) stickers and report the information so we know what happened to them.”
The butterflies that make it through migration—and the winter—will begin making their way back to the north this coming spring and start the cycle all over again. McFarland, who completes his studies at CWI at the end of the year, plans to continue his Monarch research when he transfers to Boise State University.
Employees Recognized with President’s Lunch
On Friday, Oct. 14, College of Western Idaho (CWI) celebrated a group of employees who have been formally recognized by their peers for outstanding contributions to the College. CWI hosted a lunch for the honorees from its “Valuable to the Core” initiative as well as Staff of the Month and Faculty of Distinction winners for the 2015-2016 school year.
Seen here at the lunch are (back left to right) President Bert Glandon, Susan Aydelotte, Molly Wolk, Marissa Taylor, Tracey Ode, Teresa Rich, Terri Harbacheck, Jeff Davis, (front left to right) Renee Watson, and Shari Davis. Also honored, but not present at the luncheon, was Kim Bettencourt, Erica Compton, Marry Harrison, Nikki Houston, Lazaro Martinez, and Charles Dickenson.
"Valuable to the Core" nomination cards and stickers can be found at bulletin boards across campus. Employees are encouraged to help recognize colleagues who demonstrate CWI’s values.
CWI Faculty Invited to Professional Development Event
College of Western Idaho (CWI) faculty are invited to attend a day of professional development at the Hampton Inn near the intersection of Franklin and Garrity boulevards in Nampa on Friday (Nov. 4). The day will feature a key note address from Dr. David Laude, Senior Vice Provost for Enrollment and Graduation Management and former chemistry professor from the University of Texas, Austin. Dr. Laude will speak on the topic, “Everyone Can Get an A.”
Dr. Laude's work has included the creation of undergraduate programs to support student success. He was instrumental in the development of the UTeach program, the Texas Interdisciplinary Plan, and the Freshman Research Initiative. CWI’s IDoTeach is modeled after the UTeach program. Following the key note address there will be a question and answer session with Dr. Laude.
Read Speaker's Bio and Abstract
Lunch will be provided. Afternoon sessions will focus on Dual Credit at CWI and the College’s retention and graduation efforts. Both of these topics will be covered in the key note address and should provide for thoughtful consideration of CWI’s programs.
Space is limited and attendees are required to RSVP in advance. To register, visit www.getana.eventbrite.com.
Help Recognize Outstanding Faculty
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Faculty Recognition Committee would like to remind employees that it is continuously accepting nominations for the monthly Faculty of Distinction award. Faculty, staff, students, and administrators are encouraged to nominate a faculty member that they feel is doing an outstanding job of meeting one or more of CWI’s Core Values:
- Acting With Integrity
- Serving All in an Atmosphere of Caring
- Sustaining our Quality of Life for Future Generations
- Respecting the Dignity of Opinions
- Innovating for the 21st Century
- Leaving a Legacy of Learning
Please submit nominations through the You Rock form. Please note, every field in the You Rock form does not need to be completed as nominees aren’t expected to necessarily meet every Core Value. Meeting one Core Value very well is sufficient.
