E MPLOY E E NE W SL E T T E R
Rendering of the new Central Energy Facility
O C TO B E R 2013
Rendering of the new housing complex for single students
Construction begins on two new buildings BYU-Idaho has received approval from its Board of Trustees to begin work on two new building projects on campus. Construction began October 1 on a new Central Energy Facility and a new housing complex for single students. The university designed the complex to house either gender based on student needs and changes in community housing. The new Central Energy Facility will be constructed on land currently occupied by the Biddulph Hall parking lot, adjacent to the existing heat plant facility on the southeast corner of First West and Viking Drive (Fourth South). The new housing complex will be built on vacant university property on the northwest corner of First West and Seventh South. “These two projects address critical needs for the university,” said Wayne Clark, managing director of University Operations at BYU-Idaho. “The new housing complex will replace oncampus housing that has reached the end of its useful life. With this project we’ll be able to provide a better on-campus living experience for students. The new heat plant will allow us to maintain campus facilities in a more efficient manner.” To comply with federal environmental regulations, the university will be replacing its coal-fired boilers with new equipment that uses natural gas. This transition has brought the current facility, completed in 1963, to the end of its usable life span. After the new Central Energy Facility is completed, the old facility will be demolished. The adjoining chiller plant, completed
during a 2009 expansion of the heat plant, will remain and will be integrated into the new structure. As with previous large-scale construction work on campus, these projects will require the closure of a number of parking lots, streets, and sidewalks. The Biddulph parking lot is closed permanently. West Campus Drive will now be designated as “A” parking for employees from Physical Plant Way to Center Street. Sage Street will be unaffected by these projects. The portion of First West in front of the new housing complex, from approximately Fifth South to Seventh South, is owned by BYU-Idaho and will be closed for the duration of the construction process. This section of First West will serve as a staging area during construction before being converted to parking for the completed housing complex. “The closure of parking lots, streets, and sidewalks is an unavoidable part of the construction process,” Clark said. “We recognize it can create a significant inconvenience for the campus community and the public. Patience and planning are key to working around that inconvenience.” Throughout the construction of both buildings, the university will provide students, employees, and the community with regular updates on closures as well as alternate routes and parking locations. Construction of the heat plant is expected to be complete in 2016. Completion of the housing complex is anticipated in 2015. O C T O B E R 2 013
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Enrollment figures released for Fall Semester 2013 Statistics released for Fall Semester 2013 show a total campus enrollment of 15,584 students, a decrease of approximately 4.2 percent over last fall’s campus enrollment of 16,262. This decrease in enrollment reflects the anticipated impact from the change in missionary age eligibility announced by the Church in October 2012. Current projections indicate the missionary age change will continue to affect enrollment at BYU-Idaho through the middle of 2014. Enrollment in the university’s online courses and programs continues to grow, making a BYU-Idaho education available to a greater number of students across the United States and around the world. The number of enrolled students not on campus during Fall Semester 2013, including online and Pathway students, is 11,987. For Fall Semester 2012 that number was 6,882. This semester the campus student body consists of 7,128 male students and 8,456 female students (45.7 percent and 54.3 percent respectively). The number of married students is 4,122, comprising 26.5 percent of the total campus student population.
Excerpts from President’s Executive Group Q&A July 2013
Question: I hear the term deep learning on campus used with interpretations. How do you define deep learning? President Clark: It is helpful to contrast what we mean by deep learning with shallow learning. There are all sorts of shallow learning. One very common form is crash-mode memorizing to retain information just long enough to perform on a test and then it’s gone. Most of the worst strategies for studying are shallow learning strategies. On the other hand, deep learning changes the way you see the world and what you are capable of doing. I like the framework outlined by Elder Oaks in his talk “The Challenge to Become,” which is that you do and you become. You not only know something, but you have some skill to use that knowledge in different ways and applications. By doing so, you start to become, which means you see and interact with the world differently because of what you learned. That is a very powerful thing. It’s what I mean by deep learning. Question: I have students who, for whatever reason, need more time to really be ready before graduation, but they bump 2
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up against the credit cap. Sometimes the push is a good thing and sometimes it’s not.
Our responsibility is making sure we light the fire and that [the students’] experience here is really good as they prepare to go on and do great things. At our very best, that is exactly what we do.
where He wants them to be. One of the challenges we have with some students is helping them figure out if they’re on the Lord’s plan or their own plan by seeking His confirmation. If students come here with faith because this is something the Lord wants them to do, then they will get a lot of help. He will magnify them to do what they need to do. Now they may need some help along the way, but people who are on His plan will get help. Second, the most important thing is to light that fire of learning within the student. If that happens, the perceived constraints about credit hours will melt away. The student will just get finished because they know they need to learn as much from us as they can and then they need to go on. Our responsibility is making sure we light the fire and that their experience here is really good as they prepare to go on and do great things. At our very best, that is exactly what we do.
PRESIDENT KIM B. CLARK
UPCOMING Q&A
President Clark: First, I think if the student is working on the Lord’s plan, then He will help them do whatever is needed to get
The next Q&A session will be held Friday, November 8 at noon in the MC Special Events Room.
Department of Art faculty tour museums and architecture of Chicago » By Paul Morgan
Seven faculty members from the Department of Art traveled to Chicago during the summer to take advantage of an opportunity to gain insights and inspiration that could be transferred into the classroom. While spending time in the city the group visited several museums including the Art Institute of Chicago. They also took time to examine and appreciate the incredible zenith of architectural prowess that constitutes much of the city. The trip was comprised solely of faculty and was an opportunity for members of the Department of Art to work with and understand each other on a more personal level. “It’s nice to have an opportunity to go on a trip as a group of just faculty from time to time. It’s a valuable experience that allows us to discuss and explore what has influenced or inspired us,” said David
Belka, faculty member in the Department of Art. Each member of the group was able to find ideas and concepts that were inspiring to them and that could be brought back to campus. “It’s a different kind of experience when you see something in person rather than second hand through photographs or a book. It’s a great opportunity to visit these museums and see what people have done,” said Belka. Another integral aspect of the faculty’s trip was to visit with former students in the area. They also sought to create and nurture professional relationships that will facilitate future internships for BYU-Idaho students. “It’s fun and exciting to see the successes students are having after they leave BYU-Idaho. It also helps us as faculty to know how to better prepare our students for future employment,” said Belka.
Department of Chemistry offering new biochemistry degree » By Matt Urick
The Department of Chemistry now offers a new major in the field of biochemistry with the goal of better preparing students for immediate employment in the growing field of biotechnology or graduate studies in the biochemical sciences.
Overall the biochemistry degree option provides students with a strong background in chemistry, biology, physics, and math and meets the standards recommended by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
The biochemistry degree incorporates fundamental courses in biology, chemistry, math, and physics.
“Many of the students in the program are pre-professionals and there is a growing number who plan to go on to graduate school and pursue advanced degrees in biochemistry,” Lemon said.
“It’s a great combination of biology and chemistry that provides a solid foundation of chemistry for those still interested in the biological sciences,” said Brian Lemon, instructor in the Department of Chemistry and faculty lead for the new biochemistry program. “It provides more depth than a chemistry minor by including analytical chemistry, a two-semester biochemistry series as well as a biophysical chemistry course.”
He added that there are also immediate career options in biochemistry labs and biotechnology.
The major provides a variety of opportunities for graduates of the program. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the projected job growth outlook from 2010-2020 for biochemists and biophysicists is 37 percent, much higher than the average. “There is industry demand for students with knowledge and skills in the field of biochemistry,” Lemon said. “We’re also filling the needs of those students who want a deeper integration of biology and chemistry instead of treating them like separate subjects.”
The new biochemistry degree will prepare students for either a career or graduate work.
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Department of Nursing benefiting from new training technology » By Paul Morgan
“When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.” That advice from President Thomas S. Monson is something the BYU-Idaho Department of Nursing not only teaches, but also strives to engrain into the mind of every student within the department. To that end, the Nursing Department has recently acquired new and improved simulation mannequins and video recording equipment that enables students to practice their diagnostic skills as well as their patient care. This new equipment helps student nurses prepare to face the critical decisions they will encounter within their chosen vocation. Simulation has been an important learning tool in the training of nursing students for several years; however, it is within the last few months that new and exciting technology has been integrated into the simulation labs. The latest edition to the simulation program is the new SimMan essentials mannequin. This extraordinary piece of equipment allows students to become more familiar with critical patient care, as well as encouraging hands on application of the theory that they are learning. The SimMan essentials mannequin has breathing capability along with pulses, internal sounds and eye movements.“To have simulators to work with is a real blessing for the students. The
simulators provide students with an introduction to critical patient care that would not be available or possible in hospital,” said Margaret Parson, Department of Nursing faculty member. Video and audio recording equipment has also been incorporated into the labs to give students the opportunity to view and analyze their performance. Students are then able to receive feedback from their instructors allowing them to know what they did well, and how they might improve. Lab sessions are usually comprised of four students who must work together to ascertain the patient’s condition, outline a course of action to be taken, and then implement that plan to properly resolve the situation. Faculty members are able to play the role of the patient from an adjacent room through use of a microphone system. Students are able to hear faculty members through a microphone situated in the simulator’s head. “These simulations allow students to work together in a safe environment in which they can learn in a more hands on way. They are able to work with and learn from each other,” said Parson. The simulation process incorporates the BYU-Idaho Learning Model and provides students with experience that would otherwise be unavailable for them to practice.
New college created for faculty development & research
FOR SALE
» By Matt Urick
In an effort to focus on and encourage faculty professional development and collaborative, mentored research at BYU-Idaho, the university has launched a new College of Faculty Development and Mentored Research this fall. President Clark introduced the concept of a dean and college in faculty meetings in both January and September. He emphasized that the two main purposes of the effort are to enhance faculty professional development and scholarship, and to deepen student learning through mentored research and collaborative, creative projects. The college organization is under discussion and development and will potentially include a council of associate deans representing all colleges, the Eastern Idaho Entrepreneurial Center, and the Southeast Idaho Research Institute. “This level of emphasis for professional development is an exciting opportunity that the faculty and administration have been discussing for a long time now,” said Kelly Burgener, associate academic vice president. “It works to meet the quality imperative President Clark introduced in his inaugural address in 2005.” Sid Palmer will serve as the dean of the new college with Dan Moore serving as the associate dean.
Home for rent. Lovely 2 bedroom home, spacious kitchen/dining; gas fireplace, W/D, garage w/storage, nice yard w/ fruit trees; good ward, quiet street, $850. Call 356-3228
THANK YOU Thank you to the university administration and the Department of Nursing for the plant sent during my recovery from surgery. The expression of concern is appreciated. Susan Dicus
News & Notes News & publication Notes of University Communications A weekly
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A D V I S O R Andy Cargal A D V I S O R Marc Stevens W R I T E R S Scott Haycock, Stephen Henderson, Colleen Johnson, Kim Summers W R I T E R S Paul Morgan, Matt Urick P H O T O G R A P H E R S Michael Lewis, Doug McKay P H O T O G R A P H E R S Michael Lewis, Taylor Davenport, Leanna Davidson, Amy Stokes If you have any ideas for future issues, please e-mail newsdesk@byui.edu If you have any ideas for future issues, please e-mail newsdesk@byui.edu
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