Vol. 5, Issue No. 16
August 21, 2017
From the Hawk's Nest, New River CTC's employee newsletter,  is distributed twice a month, and we need your input!  Have story ideas or photos for From the Hawk's Nest?  Send them to Elizabeth Belcher or Jenni Canterbury by Sept. 6, 2017 for the next edition.

Inspiration for today

"All great achievements have one thing in common - people with a passion to succeed." - Pat Cash
New employee welcome

Angela Watkins
As a native of Southern West Virginia, I have enjoyed serving the state for 13 years as the Regional Health Specialist for PEIA Pathways to Wellness Program through Marshall University Research Corporation covering six counties. I attended Mountain State University and earned an A.S. in Physical Therapist Assistant and a B.S. in Health Promotions. I reside in Princeton with my husband Ralph and our 10 year-old son Chance. I am active in the community and school booster program where I am an officer. My husband and I coach and run a travel basketball team for our area kids. I enjoy participating in 5K's and camping. I look forward to promoting New River CTC to the community.

Wendy Patriquin
I come to New River CTC from a community college in Illinois where I worked for 18 years, first teaching (mostly English-as-a-Second Language, but also some Developmental Reading and International Relations), then serving as Chair of the Humanities Department. I completed my undergraduate studies at Ohio University. I have a Master's degree in International Relations from American University and another in Education from the University of Pennsylvania. Last fall I completed my Doctor of Management in Community College Policy and Administration at the University of Maryland. Over the last couple of years, I have become increasingly involved in promoting general education for all community college students in order to ensure that graduates are appropriately prepared for transfer or the workplace. In my new role as Dean of Transfer and Pre-Professional Programs, my goal is to focus on three areas: professional development for faculty, curriculum development and assessment. When I'm not working, I enjoy reading, exercising and cooking. I'm especially looking forward to taking advantage of the outdoor recreation activities available in southern West Virginia!

Timothy "Shawn" Garretson
I am an engineer with over 30 years of experience in manufacturing in different roles, primarily in the maintenance area. Recently, I was the plant manager for a structural steel manufacturer. I have accepted an instructor position at New River CTC so I can pass on the knowledge that I have gained over the years.

Stacy Reikowsky

I am a Ph.D. candidate in history from North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota. While my main scholarship focuses on the influence of the North American plains on twentieth-century civil rights and race progress, I have also specialized in local public, oral and digital history projects as well as Asian-American and world history studies. My courses in history and government include "hands-on" elements where students interact directly with primary source material from local, regional and national holdings. My goal is not only to bring the community into the classroom, but take the classroom to the community where we can forge a collaborative history experience for New River CTC students and the public because doing the work of historians makes it real! I am looking forward to meeting other faculty members and contributing to New River CTC's mission, vision and values.

Rosemary Farrar
My childhood and youth were spent on a few acres in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in central New York. In this rural area, my graduating class consisted of only 18 students. I continued my education receiving a degree in secondary education with a concentration in math from New York State University at Oswego on Lake Ontario. Later, I attended graduate school at the University of Florida and obtained a Master's Degree in Mathematics. Most of my career has been spent teaching in community colleges, including Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, FL; Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua, NY; Fulton-Montgomery Community College in Johnstown, NY; and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College in Logan and Saulsville.

News & updates

  • All New River Community and Technical College locations are now tobacco free, meaning the use of traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, chew, pipes, cigars and snuff will not be allowed on College property (including parking lots). Faculty, staff and students who see individuals smoking or using tobacco products on New River CTC grounds are asked to inform these individuals in a professional and courteous manner that tobacco use is prohibited. To aid tobacco users, cessation support materials will be available on all Campuses and at the Advanced Technology Center.
     
  • The Beckley-Raleigh County Chamber of Commerce has contacted their chamber members regarding discounts for students at member businesses. A list of businesses offering discounts to students and employees has been added to the New River CTC website.
     
  • Do you know of an employee who is going above and beyond in supporting the College? We want to hear about them! Send information to communications@newriver.edu for inclusion in From the Hawk's Nest. 
     
  • Need assistance with placing an ad, creating or editing a promotional document? The Office of Communications is here to help. Please fill out one of our online forms for all requests. These forms go to both Libby and Jenni and help us ensure that projects are completed in a timely manner. 
     
  • The 2017 fall semester begins August 21 for New River CTC and the Allied Health Wing/Erma Byrd Center. On the Raleigh County Campus the parking area in front of the Allied Health Wing is intended as shared parking specifically for the Allied Health Wing. All New River CTC employees, including those teaching in the Allied Health Wing, are required to park in the designated parking area behind the building.

    An additional 20 spaces have been allocated as handicapped adjacent to our building (parking lot with the large rock).  These are shared with the Erma Byrd Center. Other parking spaces in this area are designated to the Erma Byrd Center.
     
  • New River CTC's Medical Laboratory Technician Program has received Serious Applicant Status from the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, this means that the first cohort of students who finish this September are eligible for the ASCP National Certification Exam. Congratulations!
Fall 2018 Convocation





Faculty and staff met at the Raleigh County Campus in Beaver for fall 2017 Convocation.
Have a suggestion for the College?

Submit your suggestion through the online suggestion box.

Browning Social Services officers named for 2017-18

Left to Right: Dr. Kelli White; Felicia Cummings- Raleigh County Campus, Club Historian; Natasha Friend- Nicholas County Campus, Club Secretary; Michele Farruggia- Raleigh County Campus, Club President; Johnny Wall- Raleigh County Campus, Club Treasurer; and Marquiesha Hairston- Mercer County Campus, Club Vice-President.
 
Club Officers are nominated and voted on by their peers and inducted in a candlelight ceremony in May.

Announcements for the start of fall semester

Higher Learning Commission (HLC) - General Education Assessment. The HLC accepted the report New River CTC submitted during the spring with high praise. No further action is needed. Thank you to the Assessment Committee members and Department Chairs that contributed to the report.
Alert Messaging System - Under the direction of the VP of Technology and Library Services, the College is researching and interviewing companies regarding a new Emergency Alert System. Information will be provided as it becomes available.
 
Website Re-design - The Communication Office, in conjunction with an Ad Hoc committee will oversee a re-design on the New River CTC website. As we move forward, we will provide information through the Hawks Nest and other avenues to keep you informed of the progress.
 
First Faculty Senate Meeting - September 1 at 9:00 a.m. by joining Meet Me Number 6713 (304-647-6713).
 
Registration Event Information - A day for registration was held on each campus during the first week of August. Out of an attendance of approximately 60, a total of 44 were registered. Congratulations to those who assisted in these events.

Four Year Agreements - Concord University and New River Community and Technical College signed a guaranteed admission agreement on August 10 at the New River CTC Mercer County Campus. Under the new agreement, New River CTC graduates in good standing who maintained at least a 2.0 GPA in their AA, AS or AAS degree program are guaranteed admission to Concord. Students transferring to specific programs must meet the program prerequisites, GPA and other criteria for program admission.

An admission agreement between New River CTC and West Virginia University will make it easier for students to continue their education. Under the new agreement, our graduates in good standing who maintained at least a 2.0 GPA in their AA or AS program are guaranteed admission to WVU. Students transferring to specific programs must meet the program prerequisites, GPA and other criteria for program admission. This is a new and clear path for New River CTC students to obtain their career goals and increase their earning potential by transitioning easily into four-year programs after completing their associate degrees.

New River CTC graduates with an AAS degree have a new opportunity for completing a bachelor's degree through West Virginia University at Parkersburg in the Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervisory Management program. The degree is designed to prepare students for careers in management by providing associate graduates with skills including managerial accounting, process and quality management and strategic management. The 2+2 program allows our graduates to transfer 60 credit hours from their associate degree and earn their bachelor's degree by completing 60 credit hours online through WVU Parkersburg.
 
Policies and Procedures - On June 1, 2017, the New River CTC Board of Governors approved for 30-day comment revisions to Policy 25: Personnel Administration and Policy 18: Employee Leave. The policy had no substantive comments and became effective July 3, 2017. The Board of Governors approved Policy 25 and it moved all Classified Staff who are exempt from the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to Non-classified staff effective July 3, 2017.
 
Technology Services
  • Replaced Microsoft Office 2013 with Office 2016 in all classrooms and labs.
  • Upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 10 for all classrooms and labs.
  • Blackboard Mobile Learn app was discontinued and replaced with an Instructor app and a Student app. They are free downloads for iOS and Android devices.
  • Blackboard IM was upgraded to version 4.2. This upgrade gets rid of the error message related to the security certificate encountered during login.
  • Joined a WV consortium and changed our online database subscriptions for the library from GALE to EBSCOHOST and LEXIS/NEXIS (saving the College $16,000 in the process).
  • Worked with WVNET to upgrade Banner to version 9, but Self-Service Banner is still Banner 8 and Banner 8 will continue to be available for now.
  • Finalizing IVN replacements in G230 and G207 and the conference room at ATC.
  • Course evaluation data is available to instructors for Spring and Summer 2017 terms in Blackboard (see https://web.newriver.edu/training/it203/index.html for more information).
  • Worked with the Registrar's Office to update DegreeWorks - links are now available in the portal.

AED purchased for MCC

Recently New River CTC purchased and installed a Philips HeartStart On Site Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) for the Mercer County Campus. This is the same AED model that is utilized across New River CTC facilities. 
 
In case of an emergency always call 9-911 from a New River CTC campus phone or 911 on personal/cell phones. Seconds count in an emergency! When police, fire or medical emergencies occur, 911 can help save precious time. It can mean saving lives! 
 
Below you will find a video URL on the Philips HeartStart OnSite ease of use defibrillator video for your reference: https://youtu.be/e5rnL4-19Ck  
New River Community and Technical College | 866.349.3739 |   www.newriver.edu

New River Community and Technical College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, blindness or disability in its educational programs or in admission to, access to, treatment in, or employment as required by applicable state and federal law. The following individual has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the College's non-discrimination polices relating to disabilities or sex discrimination: Leah Taylor, VP Administrative Services and Student Services, 304-929-6701, ltayor@newriver.edu (Employees/Visitors/Third Parties/Students).

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