Bert's Alerts - October 28, 2016
In the Spotlight
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is continuing its efforts to help make higher education more accessible by waiving the College’s $25 application fee, Oct. 31 – Nov. 7. CWI has hosted its Free Application Week initiative since 2012 in an effort to encourage people to take the first step in starting college. For more information, read the full story.
News Highlights
Vote on Nov. 8
The November 2016 general election is approaching, which will place a number of ballot items related to College of Western Idaho (CWI) in front of voters from Ada and Canyon counties. CWI would like to remind eligible voters to participate in the election process on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
CWI’s Board of Trustees has proposed a bond measure to facilitate campus development in both Boise and Nampa. The College also has three Board of Trustee seats up for election. Information on CWI’s ballot items can be found at:
- Bond: cwi.edu/bond
- Trustees: cwi.edu/info/board-trustees
For more information on voting, please visit www.idahovotes.gov.
Patriotic Tradition Continues at CWI
A College of Western Idaho (CWI) tradition returns to campus in November as part of the College’s annual Veterans Day activities. The CWI Patriot Range, which is a display of 300 American flags, will stand at CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building for the fourth consecutive year starting Friday (Nov. 4) evening. The Patriot Range is presented by CWI’s Veteran’s Association and Student Enrichment Department.
The community is encouraged to visit the Patriot Range, which provides an incredible visual display of three by five foot flags, precisely constructed to ensure equal distance between each flag and row. The field is lit at night and will be open Nov. 4-12. The flags are generously donated by the Eagle Field of Honor.
"Every day is a perfect day to thank a veteran for his or her service,” says Eagle Field of Honor Project Chair, Kathy Coburn. “As organizers and volunteers of the Eagle Field of Honor and the CWI Patriot Range, our hope is that these events not only give everyone a chance to recognize our veterans, but encourage each of us to pause a moment and reflect on the dedication and sacrifices our military makes on our behalf."
The Patriot Range will also provide a moving backdrop for CWI’s Veterans Day ceremony on Friday, Nov. 11. Student Enrichment will be presenting activities at 1 p.m. at the Academic Building, which will feature a guest speaker, color guard, pipers, refreshments, and more.
CWI to Host Election Forum on Nov. 2
College of Western Idaho (CWI) will welcome a trio of guest speakers to campus on Wednesday, Nov. 2, for an hour-long discussion about the 2016 Presidential Election. The forum will feature Boise State University professors; Dr. Jacyln Kettler, Dr. Jeffrey Lyons, and Dr. Steve Utych. The event is open to the public and will run from 6-7 p.m. in the second floor atrium of the Nampa Campus Academic Building.
Each speaker will discuss different aspects of this election including political parties, the role of the media, and how voters are shaping the outcome on Nov. 8. Please contact Rob Harbaugh at 208.562.3406 or robharbaugh@cwi.edu with questions.
Visiting Artist Series Hosts Traci Molloy, Nov. 10-12
College of Western Idaho (CWI) invites the public to participate in a weekend exploration of the work of Brooklyn-based artist and social activist, Traci Molloy. CWI welcomes Molloy as part of the Art department’s Visiting Artist Series. Molloy will host a lecture and workshops, Nov. 10-12, in room 206 of CWI’s Nampa Campus Academic Building. The weekend schedule will include:
Nov. 10, 6 p.m.
Lecture, Reception, Q&A
Nov. 11-12, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Workshops: Portraiture, contour drawing, composition, symbolic color, pattern, typography, watercolor painting, contrast, basic color theory, and focal point.
Molloy’s work explores adolescent culture, loss, and violence through photography, digital arts, installation, painting, and printmaking. Her collaborations have been exhibited in Johannesburg, New York City, Tokyo, Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Cleveland, and featured on Good Morning America and CBS Evening News. Visit www.tracimolloy.com to learn more.
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.
For more information or to reserve a spot in the workshops, contact Goran Fazil at goranfazil@cwi.edu.
Contest Announced for CWI Connections Project Logo
Submissions are now being accepted in a contest to create the logo for College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) second-annual Connections Project event. CWI Connections Project aims to connect, educate, and inspire by showcasing work and talents of CWI students and faculty, as well as community members and organizations.
All logo submissions must be received by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1. The logo contest is open to the public. The winner will be notified of their selection the first week of the Spring 2017 semester. The logo selected will be awarded $200 and used for all 2017 Connections Project marketing and information resources made available to the public.
To submit a logo or find more information on CWI Connections Project, visit cwi.edu/current-students/connections-project.
CWI Awarded Gold by Marketing Peers
An important element from College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Upgrade U.0 marketing campaign has been recognized as award winning by a group of community college marketing peers. CWI received a Gold medal from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations’ (NCMPR) District 7 for its most recent Upgrade U.0 television commercials. CWI submitted three entries for the group’s annual Medallion awards, including the T.V. Ad Series category.
CWI was recognized at the annual NCMPR District 7 conference in Walla Walla, Washington in October. The College was represented at the conference by Mark Browning, Audrey Eldridge, Jessica Downing, and Zac Ricketts.
The Upgrade U.O commercials include three thirty-second ads, each with a unique persona and customized message. Comments from the judges included:
- “Overall an appealing and eye-catching advertisement. I love this video series! I think the B-roll communicates all of the stated goals very clearly and the memorable and visual theme of "video game upgrade" is really great too. “
- “This ad series showcased a nice variety of students with different backgrounds and goals. It was upbeat, all three were consistent in terms of branding, production, and messaging.”
- “Many of the shots in these videos are really cool (I especially liked the student in the science class pouring blue liquid into a beaker. Cool angle!).”
NCMPR’s District 7 includes community colleges in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territory. CWI’s Marketing team plans to submit several Upgrade U.0 campaign elements for NCMPR’s national Paragon awards presented in the spring.
Connecting the Community Through Art
Just about everywhere you look, art can be found in some shape or form. A group of local artists, educators, and community leaders recently gathered at College of Western Idaho (CWI) to talk about the importance of art in public places. The panel-style discussion was open to the public and more than 60 people showed up to participate.
“Public art makes people feel connected,” Karen Bubb, the City of Boise’s public art manager and one of the six panelists, said. “Art has the ability to tell stories and it helps engage our community.”
From monuments and metal sculptures to public graffiti and traditional paintings, the panelists discussed art’s overall value to society. They all agree that art is more than just a gateway for artists to express themselves. It has the power to unite communities.
“Art should be inclusive, not exclusive,” Colby Akers, a panelist and local artist, said. “When people come to me, I never turn them away.”
Akers is the creator behind Boise’s Freak Alley. Located in the heart of downtown, Freak Alley got its start when Akers was painting in an alley behind a Boise business. He was asked to paint the business’s door. When he finished, the owner invited him to keep going, and that’s exactly what he did. He eventually moved from business to business—asking permission to continue his work. No one said no, so he kept on going. So far, more than 300 people have collaborated to make Freak Alley what it is today.
“This gives kids who get in trouble tagging an outlet to do it, and it becomes something positive for the community,” Akers said.
Two other panelists, local artists Mark Baltes and Alma Gomez, are also focused on collaborative efforts. Baltes, a graphic artist, works with local machinists and welders to bring his metal creations to life. Gomez was commissioned to create CWI’s first piece of public art last year, and she did it with CWI art students’ help. The mural they created, titled “Spirit of Collaboration,” was the inspiration for the panel discussion. Partially funded by the Idaho Humanities Council, the mural lives in the lobby at CWI’s Micron Center for Professional Technical Education.
“CWI is continually working to develop its public art program with the goal of strengthening connections with the community and providing valuable learning experiences for students,” Brenda Fisher, CWI’s Art Program Chair, said.
The panel discussion was moderated by Kathleen Keys; the art department chair at Boise State University. CWI Art History instructor Karen Brown also participated, along with Antonia Wynn of the Nampa Art Collective.
STEM Out! Brings 140 Young Learners to CWI
College of Western Idaho (CWI) hosted its annual STEM Out! event on Saturday (Oct. 22) bringing 140 kids ages 10-15 to CWI’s Micron Center for Professional Technical Education in Nampa. The event, which is sponsored by CWI’s Center for New Directions and Career and Technical Education, featured 20 unique, hands-on workshops presented by CWI faculty and students. Each participant attended six workshops throughout the day.
Workshops included welding together parts of a take-home clock project, working with state-of-the-industry machine tool technology to create small metal tops, performing surgery on a synthetic surgical dummy, creating and manipulating electrical circuits in mechatronics and heavy equipment, and more.
The goal of the STEM Out! event is to expose young people to occupations in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and careers that are non-traditional by gender. Thank you to all the individuals, programs, and departments that volunteered to help make this event a success. After the event, one parent stated: “Thank you for a GREAT event! My two kiddos had a great time and learned a lot!”
CWI Business Students Benefit from Guest Presentation
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Business program welcomed a guest speaker on Thursday, Oct. 27, to speak with 53 Business students about health insurance and how it relates to individuals and businesses in Idaho. Shad Priest, Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs for Regence Blue Shield of Idaho, was invited by CWI Assistant Professor, Joe Welker, to give a presentation on the Affordable Care Act and its potential impact in the Gem State.
“Allowing our students to receive a lecture on the Affordable Care Act from one of the state’s utmost experts is an invaluable gift to students,” Welker says. “Open enrollment for Your Health Idaho opens next week and this lecture allows our students to gain as much information about health insurance as possible. A special thanks to Shad and Regence Health Insurance for presenting this information.”
Winter Safety Tips
As winter months approach, College of Western Idaho (CWI) will work diligently to keep campus locations safe and clear of ice and snow. Please keep in mind, however, that winter conditions can be dangerous and require everyone's attention to prevent slipping and falling. Remember that we are all responsible for exercising good judgment when walking in icy or slippery conditions. No matter how well snow and ice is removed from parking lots and sidewalks, it is important to be prepared and continually aware of slippery surfaces.
If you become aware of an icy condition on campus, please call 208.562.3545 and report it to the Facilities Planning and Management Department.
Keep the following safety tips in mind:
- Wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice. Neoprene and non-slip rubber are best. Avoid shoes with smooth soles and heels.
- Use caution when entering/exiting your vehicle as the ground may be slick.
- Walk S-L-O-W-L-Y. Plan extra time so you are not rushing.
- Use designated walkways as much as possible and if you come across a snow- or ice-covered sidewalk or driveway, especially on a hill, it might be a better choice to travel along the grassy edge for traction.
- Walk against the flow of traffic if you must walk in the street and avoid shortcuts through areas where snow and ice removal is not possible.
- Walk like a penguin: Point your feet out slightly and shuffle. Spreading your feet out slightly improves your stability. Bend slightly and walk flat-footed with your center of gravity directly over your feet as much as possible. Keep your hands out of your pockets and extend your arms out to your sides to maintain balance.
- When using stairs, always use handrails.
- When you arrive at your indoor destination, remove as much snow and water from your feet as you can to prevent water from melting ice on the floors.
- Review the Snow Removal Plan.
Please contact the Facilities Planning and Management Department with any questions.
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.
Annual CWI Halloween Costume Contest is Oct. 31
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 the following:
- Best Overall Individual
- Best Overall Group
- Best Overall by Building
To enter, simply send photos of your costume or group’s costumes to ceec@cwi.edu by end of day Nov. 1. Winners will be announced on Nov. 4. Costumes must be worn to work to be considered for a prize.
Fall Festivus set for Nov. 17
Who doesn't love a chance to take part in a lip sync contest, eat food, and play games? College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Fall Festivus celebration will offer all this and more on Nov. 17 from 3-5 p.m. at the Micron Center for Professional Technical Education. Employees are invited to enjoy festive treats, games, a photo booth, and more.
The deadline to sign-up for the lip sync contest is Nov. 9. If you wish to participate, email ceec@cwi.edu with three song titles and artists, along with any specific lines from the songs you would like to include. Please also direct any questions to ceec@cwi.edu.
Trimmer Named October Staff of the Month
College of Western Idaho (CWI) has announced Brittney Trimmer is Staff of the Month for October.
Trimmer started working at CWI as an Administrative Assistant for the School of Language and Arts in 2010. She then transitioned to Administrative Assistant to the Associate Vice President and is now a Project Manager III in Academic Affairs. She holds a degree in Graphic Design.
Her nomination states Trimmer displays the core values, “Serving all in an Atmosphere of Caring, Acting with Integrity and Respecting the Dignity of Opinions.” It notes, “Brittney Trimmer is an exceptional colleague and team player and is awesome at her job. She is one my co-worker ‘life-lines’. She has so many talents and is involved in so much here at the college that it seems impossible to recognize them all. She is always willing to help, answer questions, and is very responsive. She’s approachable, knowledgeable and fun, and everyone wants her on their team.”
Trimmer’s involvement at CWI goes way beyond her job. She has served as Staff Senate President, co-chaired the Culture and Employee Engagement Committee, sits on the Safety Committee, ATAC, and more. She is a one-stop shop of information and assistance for so many colleagues. She is known to help with questions about technology, policy and processes, scheduling, courses, curriculum development, and acts as a department trainer for incoming faculty and staff.
Trimmer and her husband have lived in Idaho most their lives. They’ve been together for 11 years and have two daughters and two dogs. When they are looking for some down time they enjoy camping, fishing, and spending time with friends and family. Trimmer is a Realtor in her spare time and also loves helping her husband remodel homes and build his custom sheds.
Please join in congratulating Brittney. Thank you for being such a valuable part of the CWI community.
