CWI Compass Connect - November 11, 2014
In the Spotlight
The College of Western Idaho (CWI) Patriot Range provided the setting for a moving picture of the Nampa Campus Academic Building on Thursday, Nov. 6, as the tribute returned for the second consecutive year. The display has grown to 300 flags this year and will stand day and night through Nov. 12.
News Highlights
Free College Application Week Returns to College of Western Idaho
On Monday (Nov. 10) College of Western Idaho (CWI) kicked off its third-annual Free Application Week waiving the $25 application fee for admissions to CWI. CWI’s Free Application Week, which coincides with Idaho College Application Week, is intended to encourage first-generation and low-income students to take the important first step toward pursuing a college degree or certificate. The initiative has been extended to automatically waive the fee to anyone who submits an application to CWI through Nov. 21.
To date, more than 2,700 people have taken advantage of the free application to advance their education. This year CWI hopes to help even more students explore higher education options and benefits.
As part of Free Application Week, CWI will also host an Admissions Express event at the Nampa Campus Academic Building on Tuesday (Nov. 11) from 4:30-7:30 p.m. The event, which is free and open to the public, will provide additional opportunities to connect with advisors, discover college resources, take a campus tour, learn more about college programs, and meet other students.
CWI Visiting Artist Series Presents Free Concert
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is pleased to invite the community to experience the College of Idaho Langroise Trio in a free public concert presented by the CWI Visiting Artist Program. The renowned classical group will perform:
Thursday – November 13
7 p.m.
Nampa Campus Academic Building
Room 206
This marks the second free performance at CWI by the College of Idaho Langroise Trio. The group performed the first-ever Visiting Artist Program concert in April. This concert will feature the music of Haydn, Dotzaur, and Dvorak. The Trio will also host a “talk back” session with the audience and an intimate reception immediately following the performance. The event is made possible thanks to a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts, which is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
"We are thrilled to have the Langroise Trio return to CWI,” says Visual and Performing Arts Department Chair, Brenda Fisher. “The opportunity to present this acclaimed group is tremendous for our students and the community. I believe our studio setting provides a unique and perfect way to experience chamber music.”
The CWI Visiting Artist Program features professional visual and performing artists of state, regional, and national acclaim who visit the College throughout the year for public performances, lectures, and workshops.
Assessment and Testing Updates Hours of Operation
Effective Saturday, Nov. 8, College of Western Idaho (CWI) Assessment and Testing changed its hours of operation to better serve the CWI community and general public. The new hours will include extending service to 8 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday, and opening the Ada County Campus location from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The new Assessment and Testing hours of operation are:
Monday: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
*Tuesday - Thursday: 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday (Ada County Campus only): 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
*On the second Wednesday of each month, Assessment and Testing will close at 5 p.m. to allow staff to attend valuable training.
CWI Assessment and Testing Centers provide a full range of services including proctored exams, certification exams, and specialized assessments such as COMPASS, Computer Skills Assessments (CSA), and College Level Entrance Examination Program (CLEP®). For more information about CWI Assessment & Testing Centers, including scheduling exams or study guides, please visit cwi.edu/assessment.
Two College of Western Idaho Trustee Seats Elected
On Tuesday, Nov. 4, two College of Western Idaho (CWI) Board of Trustee seats were elected by Ada and Canyon County voters. Current Board Chair, Stanley Bastian, was re-elected for seat one while Emily Walton was elected for seat two.
Bastian, a retired school administrator from Eagle, enters his third term serving as a CWI Board member. Walton is a nonprofit and campaign consultant from Boise who will be serving her first term as Trustee.
Bastian and Walton will be sworn in and the Board will conduct the election of officers at the next regular meeting. College of Western Idaho is governed by a volunteer five-member Board of Trustees who are elected at large from within Ada and Canyon Counties for staggered, four-year terms. Trustees derive their authority from and hold office in accordance to the state of Idaho Code.
CWI Completes Accreditation Visit and Review
College of Western Idaho (CWI) is on track to receive Initial Accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) in spring 2017. On Oct. 8-9, CWI welcomed representatives from the NWCCU to campus to conduct a Year Three Site Visit and Mid Cycle Review. The peer evaluators were Summer Kenesson—Executive Dean of Research, Planning and Student Success at Bates Technical College in Tacoma, Wash.—and Martin Heilstedt—Interim Dean of Instruction from Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood, Wash.
The Year Three/Mid-Cycle Evaluation visit is intended to be a formative and collegial evaluation with the institution in conversation with the evaluators. The purpose is to help CWI determine if current processes demonstrating outcomes assessment will lead to a successful Year Seven Self Evaluation and Peer Evaluation.
While on campus, the evaluators focused on conversations with faculty and staff whose programs/units were identified in the Mid-Cycle Report. Overall, the evaluators were impressed with CWI’s efforts and commitment to a comprehensive self-evaluation process and noted that the College’s processes appear robust. Evaluators also provided several suggestions of things to focus on while preparing the Year Seven Self-Evaluation Report and visit. Those comments are reflected in their report to the Commission.
The reports that CWI submitted as well as the Mid-Cycle Evaluation Report compiled by the peer evaluators can be found on CWI’s website cwi.edu/info/accreditation-process.
The following milestones represent steps CWI has completed and what will be completed in the coming years.
- January 2012 – The NWCCU granted CWI Candidacy for Accreditation status at the associate degree level.
- January 2013 - NWCCU Commissioners approved CWI’s Year One Self Evaluation Report
and recommended continuing Candidacy Status.
- October 2014 - CWI hosted a Site Visit in October 2014.
- Peer Evaluators were: Summer Kenesson (Bates Technical College) and Martin Heilstedt (Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom).
- The Peer Evaluator report to NWCCU has been submitted and is posted on cwi.edu/info/accreditation-process.
- Fall 2016 – CWI will submit Year Seven Self Evaluation Report to NWCCU and host a site visit.
- Spring 2017 – The NWCCU will decide Initial Accreditation and implementation of Seven Year Accreditation Cycle.
- Fall 2017 – CWI will submit a Year One Self Evaluation Report to the NWCCU and host a site visit.
English Instructor Receives November Faculty of Distinction
Meagan Newberry has been chosen as College of Western Idaho’s (CWI) Faculty of Distinction for the month of November. Newberry’s nomination came in part for her work with CWI’s English 101Plus model. Her work with students of all education levels embodies the CWI core values of “serving all in an atmosphere of caring” and “innovating for the 21st century.”
Since she began teaching at the College, Newberry has been involved in working with developmental English students, acting as the Developmental English program chair in her first year as full-time faculty and co-leading a professional development group from CWI and Boise State University working on remediation reform in her second year. In this role, she also co-led a weeklong institute for composition instructors from each state college and university. This year, she is representing Idaho as ELA achievement level setter for Smarter Balance. She has been a committed participant in curriculum work both as an adjunct and full-time faculty member, and she actively seeks out professional development and generously shares what she learns with her colleagues both formally (at department meetings) and informally (in conversation).
While these accomplishments are noteworthy, it is Newberry’s commitment to students that is most important. While the change to English 101Plus was initiated in response to changing state guidelines, Newberry has continually reminded the English Department of the very real impact this has on the students at CWI; she talks about and treats all of her students as adults with complicated lives with no lessening of standards. She cares deeply for each individual and one of her former students said of Newberry “she doesn’t teach lessons, she teaches people.”
Please join in congratulating Meagan. Thank you for being dedicated to helping CWI’s students succeed.
