College Of Western Idaho Foundation Inc

COLLEGE OF WESTERN IDAHO COVID-19 INSTITUTIONAL ASSISTANCE

DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE GEOTECHNICAL INSTRUCTION AND TRAINING -THIS PROJECT AIMS TO SERVE THE NATIONAL INTEREST BY IMPROVING CURRICULA IN MINING TECHNICIAN EDUCATION TO ALIGN TRAINING WITH INNOVATIONS IN THE MINING INDUSTRY. THE COLLEGE OF WESTERN IDAHO WILL ESTABLISH A MINING TECHNICIAN ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE (MINE A.S.) DEGREE PROGRAM TO PREPARE GRADUATES TO FILL TECHNICAL CAREER OPENINGS IN THE HIGH-DEMAND MINING AND GEOSCIENCES INDUSTRIES. WITH THE RE-EMERGENCE OF DOMESTIC CRITICAL MINERAL MINING TO SUPPORT THE NATION?S SHIFTING INDUSTRIAL LANDSCAPE, THERE IS A GROWING NEED TO TRAIN STUDENTS TO USE STATE-OF-THE ART MINING AND SURVEYING TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT, SUCH AS GROUND PENETRATING RADAR (GPR), LIDAR, UAVS (UNCREWED AERIAL VEHICLES), AND VARIOUS SURVEYING, DRILLING, AND WATER TESTING TOOLS. THE PROJECT WILL SERVE THE NSF MISSION AND PUBLIC INTEREST BY ADVANCING UNDERSTANDING ABOUT HOW TO EFFECTIVELY PREPARE COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS FOR THE TECHNICAL DEMANDS OF THE MINING INDUSTRY THROUGH COURSEWORK, FIELDWORK, AND FACULTY DEVELOPMENT. THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY RE-INTRODUCING MINING TECHNICIAN TRAINING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL EMPLOYERS, NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY TO EQUIP A.S. GRADUATES WITH THE SCIENTIFIC, TECHNICAL, AND PROFESSIONAL SKILLS MINING EMPLOYERS SEEK. THE INDUSTRY-ALIGNED PROJECT WILL OFFER DIRECT PATHWAYS INTO MINING INDUSTRY TECHNICIAN-LEVEL JOBS LEADING TO INDUSTRY CERTIFICATIONS THAT PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ENTER WELL-PAYING JOBS. THE PROJECT'S GOAL IS TO ESTABLISH A MINE.A.S. PROGRAM. OBJECTIVES ARE TO (1) ENROLL THREE COHORTS OF STUDENTS (50 TO 60 OVER THE PROJECT PERIOD); (2) TRAIN FACULTY IN THE USES AND COURSE INTEGRATION OF INDUSTRY-STANDARD MINING AND SURVEYING EQUIPMENT; AND (3) BUILD PARTNERSHIPS WITH IDAHO MINING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE ALL MINE.A.S. STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT HANDS-ON TRAINING EXPERIENCES. KEY ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE PURCHASING AND INTEGRATING INDUSTRY-ALIGNED MINING AND SURVEYING EQUIPMENT INTO SEVERAL GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, AND ENGINEERING COURSES; DEVELOPING TWO NEW MINE.A.S. COURSES (MINING CAPSTONE AND SURVEY ENGINEERING); IMPLEMENTING A MINE.A.S. OUTREACH AND RECRUITMENT STRATEGY; PROVIDING A YEARLY FACULTY DEVELOPMENT SERIES LED BY INDUSTRY EXPERTS; ESTABLISHING A NEW MINE.A.S. INDUSTRY ADVISORY TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE; AND ADDING EMPLOYER-PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS. ALL GRADUATES WILL COMPLETE THE REQUIREMENTS TO OBTAIN MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (MSHA) CERTIFICATION AND ENTER MINING CAREERS. PROJECT EVALUATION WILL ASSESS, INFORM, AND DISSEMINATE LEARNING ABOUT THE ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS OF COURSE CURRICULA AND FIELDWORK TO PREPARE THE TECHNICIAN-LEVEL MINING AND GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES WORKFORCE. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT FOCUSES ON THE EDUCATION OF TECHNICIANS FOR THE ADVANCED-TECHNOLOGY FIELDS THAT DRIVE THE NATION'S ECONOMY. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

CAMPUS WELLNESS INITIATIVE - COLLEGE OF WESTERN IDAHO (CWI), A TWO-YEAR, COMPREHENSIVE, NON-RESIDENTIAL, OPEN-ACCESS COMMUNITY COLLEGE WITH LOCATIONS IN NAMPA AND BOISE, IDAHO, IN COLLABORATION WITH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS, PROPOSES THE CAMPUS WELLNESS INITIATIVE PROJECT. WITH SAMHSA FUNDING, CWI WILL MARKEDLY INCREASE ITS CAPACITY TO IMPLEMENT, SUSTAIN, AND IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT SERVICES. DURING THE 2022-2023 ACADEMIC YEAR, CWI ENROLLED 6,195 COLLEGE CREDIT-SEEKING COMMUTER STUDENTS OF WHOM 68% ARE WHITE, 21% ARE HISPANIC, 2% ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN OR BLACK, 42% ARE MALE, 55% ARE FEMALE, AND 3% ARE TRANSGENDERED OR OTHER GENDERED. AMONG CWI'S DEGREE-SEEKING STUDENTS, 37% RECEIVE PELL GRANTS AND APPROXIMATELY 45% ARE FIRST GENERATION. CWI ALSO SERVES 267 VETERANS. FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS (45% OF CWI STUDENTS) DO NOT ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT AT THE SAME RATE AS THEIR NON-FIRST-GENERATION PEERS. LOW-INCOME STUDENTS TRADITIONALLY HAVE MORE BARRIERS FOR ACCESSING SERVICES, AND FINANCIAL STRESS IS A SIGNIFICANT PREDICTOR OF SCREENING POSITIVE FOR ONE OR MORE MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. FOR THESE REASONS, THE POPULATIONS OF FOCUS WILL BE LOW-INCOME, FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS AND SELECT GROUPS (IN COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAWS) AT HIGH RISK FOR SUICIDE AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE, SUCH AS VETERANS. PROJECT GOALS INCLUDE: (1) ESTABLISH THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO LEVERAGE EXISTING RESOURCES, INFORM BEST PRACTICES, AND SHARE DATA WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT IMPROVE WELL-BEING, INCREASE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND MITIGATE SUICIDE RISK AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS FOR CWI STUDENTS; (2) INCREASE HELP-SEEKING BEHAVIOR FOR CWI STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENT POPULATIONS UNDERREPRESENTED IN COUNSELING SERVICES AND THOSE AT HIGH RISK OF SUICIDE; AND (3) PROMOTE UNIVERSAL AND SELECTIVE SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS AT CWI. PROJECT OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: 1.1. CREATE THE CWI CARE COUNCIL (C3) COMPOSED OF KEY COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS BY SPRING 2025. 1.2. DEVELOP SUPPORTIVE POLICIES ADDRESSING STUDENTS WHO NEED A MEDICAL LEAVE OF ABSENCE DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE, SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS, OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDER BY FALL 2025. 1.3. CONTINUE TO PROMOTE THE 24/7 988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE HOTLINE. 1.4. CONTINUE THE PLANNED HEALTHY MINDS AND NCHA SURVEYS, RESPECTIVELY, IN EACH PROJECT YEAR. NCHA WILL CONDUCT SURVEYS IN 2024 AND 2026 AND HEALTHY MINDS WILL BE IN 2025. 1.5. ALL CWI COUNSELING STAFF WILL TAKE THE COUNSELING ON ACCESS TO LETHAL MEANS (CALM) COURSE BY THE END OF YEAR 1. 2.1. ENGAGE 100% OF STUDENT CLUBS IN OUTREACH ACTIVITIES BY THE END OF YEAR 1. THIS INCLUDES: (1) INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN MANDATORY CLUB ADVISOR TRAINING; AND (2) ENGAGING WITH THE ASSOCIATED STUDENTS OF CWI ON A REGULAR BASIS TO IDENTIFY ADDITIONAL AREAS OF SUPPORT/AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY FROM A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE, IN RELATION TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH. 2.2. CONDUCT ONE MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING EVENT EACH SEMESTER ON CAMPUS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY PARTNERS. 2.3. A MINIMUM OF ONE STUDENT CLUB LEADER FROM EACH STUDENT CLUB AND FACULTY/STAFF LIAISONS WILL PARTICIPATE IN A PEER-TO-PEER INTERVENTION BY SPRING 2026. 2.4. INTEGRATE INFORMATION ABOUT SUBSTANCE ABUSE, SUICIDE PREVENTION, AND MENTAL HEALTH INTO THE PLANNED CURRICULUM FOR MANDATORY STUDENT TITLE IX TRAINING BY FALL 2024. 2.5. CONTINUE TO OFFER AND PROMOTE THERAPY ASSISTANCE ONLINE. 2.6. ALL EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TRAINING MATERIALS WILL CONTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT REDUCING ACCESS TO LETHAL MEANS TRAINING BY FALL 2025. 3.1. CONDUCT TWO FOCUS GROUPS ANNUALLY TO UNDERSTAND STUDENTS’ NEEDS TO INFORM LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMMING BY SPRING 2026. 3.2. CONDUCT TWO FOCUS GROUPS ANNUALLY TO UNDERSTAND STUDENTS’ NEEDS TO INFORM PEER SUPPORT PROGRAMMING BY SPRING 2026. 3.3. IDENTIFY, ADAPT, AND CONDUCT OUTREACH TO STUDENTS’ FAMILIES BY SPRING 2026.