friday takeout

December 18, 2020

CUPPA JOE | straight up news.

Happy holidays to everyone!

(2021, We've Been Waiting for You!)

  • Check out the College's new cluster video series, created by Team Gold. These videos are being used to recruit new students. This video features the health sciences cluster ... video


  • New round of grants to Northeast Iowa Community College helps fulfill mission and service to the local community ... Waukon Standard coverage


  • FACULTY AND STAFF: Stay up-to-date on the College's Strategic Plan and Tracking document in NICC Shared Files!

WEEKLY FEATURE | good to know.

Happy One-Year Birthday, NICC Phone System!

December 2020 marks the one-year anniversary of the College’s new phone system. The new system has provided more value than what we could have imagined. With this new system, we were able to keep communication lines open during the nationwide shutdown by using the software, MiCollab. MiCollab provided the opportunity for staff and faculty to make and receive calls remotely from their home office.

Over the past year, CIS has been meeting regularly with a small group of individuals within the College to collaborate, with input from the Senior Leadership Team, center directors and departmental supervisors. Our goal is to learn how to make the system user-friendly for callers and to ensure that callers have the best customer service possible.

Our new system now offers numerous tools to benefit the College. One of the most beneficial tools is reporting. Reporting data is a key tool available in the phone system because it allows us to analyze data from each ring group. We are able to view what the peak hours are and determine appropriate staffing and to view how many calls come in daily, weekly or monthly. To put some numbers in

perspective; in the past 12 months Business and Community Solutions has received 5,328 calls, the CIS Helpdesk team has taken 7,076 calls and Student Services has received 10,706 calls.

Implementing this strong, structured telephone system allows the College to support and serve the community in a timely manner. The system allows for users to be more available and mobile than we have ever been.

CIS

JUST DESSERTS | let's celebrate.

Congratulations, Newlyweds!

Holly Maurer, Manchester Center Director, and Kurt Rahe tied the knot on Nov. 14! A native of Delhi, Holly and Kurt, of Dyersville, were married at St. Paul's Catholic Church in Worthington. The couple married in the same church Holly’s grandparents did 70 years ago this year! The newlyweds now live in Delhi.

The couple’s reception was held at the Worthington Memorial Hall. Holly shared her thoughts on the day: “It was a cold and rainy day, but it was absolutely perfect! We were thankful for the friends and family who were able to celebrate with us in person and virtually. At the end of the day we were able to move forward with our wedding despite COVID-19 and begin the next chapter in our lives. We couldn't have asked for anything more!”

Congratulations!

WELLNESS 360 | be well.

Self-Care Tips and Inspiration

by Flannery Cerbin-Bohach, Wellness and Life Stage Program Manager

Self-Care Tip of the Week:

Ahead of winter break, please take a moment or two to review the CDC’s Winter Holiday guidelines. There are some great resources for how to stay as safe as possible over the winter break. Here are some additional ideas for staying safe.

Also, for those with kids ages 5-8, this just came to my attention. Check out the five-day-long Winter Camp sponsored by Winneshiek County Conservation. Deadline to register is Dec. 20 and camp starts Dec. 28!

Inspiration of the Week:

Join your Northeast Iowa Community College for the 2020 Holiday Mask Contest! Deadline to submit your photo is Monday, Dec. 21. Get the details.


A few weeks ago I made a couple of origami boxes using 12x12 inch squares of cardstock and old calendars. These are so easy and are a fun way to give a gift. Here’s a brief tutorial of how to construct your own box! Speaking of fun wrapping, here are some additional ideas to get your craft on and impress the family.

Recipe of the Week:

I know it’s my duty to provide you with healthy recipes BUT it’s still all about balance and I just had to share because these might just be a favorite: Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies. The cream filling takes an ordinary oatmeal cookie up a serious notch!

BIG FISH | be amazed.

Editor's note: The Friday Takeout is re-publishing our December Big Fish feature from 2019 this year! Enjoy!

Drill Sergeant Eg'nogg

Santa's Workshop | The North Pole (where the ice sheets have not yet melted.)


Welcome to the North Pole, kids. You're all here because you've been given the unheard-of chance to get off the naughty list. The pole's elven population is battling an e coli bug and we're in desperate need of the cavalry. We don't have a cavalry – we just have you.

After this briefing you'll go to the jingle-master and grab your North-issued: hat, boots, belt buckle, thermo-controlled exo-suits and bell. That is your bell, and there are many like it, but that one is yours. At final formation you will have that thing shining like Rudolph's nose; you hear? Speaking of Red, stop by his memorial and pay your respects to a greatness you'll never know. On a completely unrelated note: if something on you starts glowing, seek medical attention immediately. You'll be reassigned to a community college in Iowa and work as a living battery, saving them a ton on electric bills.

We're not going to get you to the toy front line right away, so get the notion of being a hero out of your chestnuts. Keep in mind, Santa is the star and you're just support: order fulfillment, packaging, admin and reindeer poop patrol. The reindeer fly. Their magical chocolate kisses don't.

Because you signed the non-disclosure agreement, here are some announcements from HQ:


    • If you see a seemingly-docile snow monster with pointy teeth, do not engage. Your yuletide career will be over, and we'll have to send a collection stocking around for your parents.

    • Next: If you see a blonde elf with dental forceps, please note he is unlicensed for practice in this region and does not have litigation insurance. Use him at your own risk.

    • HQ requires me to mention every year ... there is no Mrs. Claus. There was never any Mrs. Claus. If you see a human female figure magically floating in the air, you are required to report it to the coal patrol.

    • Donner is the most overrated reindeer in the game. We know it; he knows it. He will ask, but do not reward him with extra feed.

    • Do not bother The Kringle. You're here because you're trying to get off the naughty list – and you ain't there yet. Santa's got latent psychic abilities, so you're wasting your time and his.


Chow's at twelve hundred hours, final formation's at nineteen hundred. Deserters will be jollied on sight.

DISMISSED!

If you have input on a upcoming feature, Big Fish, something to celebrate or a suggestion, email us at news@nicc.edu!