Welcome to our second issue of the Lynx Lowdown, your source for information from the Town Hall meetings and other updates. If you have suggestions for improvements to this publication, please share your ideas with Emily Marsh, Sue Diener (Faculty Council), Kaitlin Moody (Staff Council), or me.

Our November Town Hall focused almost exclusively on draft goals for the new strategic plan.

But first, we had One Cool Thing in which Alan Lindsay shared the consequential work of the English and Math co-requisite model committee, Deb Smith invited us all to reflect on what we are thankful for, and Annie Mattarazzo provided updates on the recent successes of our athletics teams.

I reported on the work of the Strategic Plan Drafting Committee, including 10 draft goals.

Ultimately, we will select 2-4 goals to pursue for the next three years. The goals can be found at the link below, which is also a survey seeking your comments. Survey responses are recorded anonymously. Importantly, none of the goals are fixed—there’s still time for you to suggest edits, or even new goals that are not on the list.

Take the Draft Strategic Goals Survey: https://forms.office.com/r/KXMEQKruhg

Please submit your responses by Monday, November 17, 2025.

If you have questions about this update, please contact ptompkins@ccsnh.edu.

Athlete Study Hall by the Numbers for September and October

• 57 unique students have used the Athlete Study Hall with a total of 529 visits.

• Average total time a student logs per week: 2.45 hours

• Athletes have spent a total of 759.22 hours in ACE for study hall so far this semester.

If you have questions about this update, please contact rdean@ccsnh.edu.

Academic Affairs and Workforce Education will be embarking on the following initiatives:

1. Collaborating with ONE-NHCC to train and support faculty for the launch of the new Canvas Course Template for all 100% online courses for the Spring semester.
2. Working with Department Chairs and Program Coordinators on a single NHTI grading scheme.
3. Reviewing all departments to determine gaps in support to provide additional support.
4. Notifying departments of Perkins Grant funding approvals for the 2025-2026 year.

If you have questions about this update, please contact hiweka@ccsnh.edu.

NHTI performed a successful test of the emergency alert system on Friday, November 7. 

To sign up or update your contact information:

1. Visit NHTI RAVE Alerts.
2. Scroll down and click “Sign up for RAVE Alerts”.
3. Log in using your CCSNH email address.
4. Select “Forgot your password” if you need to reset it.
5. Once logged in, add or update your mobile number, carrier, and notification preferences (text, voice, or both). You may also include a landline or alternate email.

If you have any questions, please contact the NHTI Campus Safety Department by sending an email to nhticampussafety@ccsnh.edu.

Winter is on our doorstep!

As winter weather approaches in New Hampshire, all faculty and staff are reminded to wear appropriate footwear while on campus. Conditions can change quickly, and walkways, parking lots, and stairs may become slippery due to snow and ice. Please choose boots or shoes with good traction and insulation to help prevent slips, falls, and exposure to the cold. Your safety is our top priority—taking a few moments to prepare for winter conditions helps keep everyone at NHTI safe and comfortable.

If you have questions about this update, please contact mbourdon@ccsnh.edu.

Open Enrollment for the 2026 benefit plan year is here. Open Enrollment for the 2026 plan year began on October 31, 2025 and ends on November 17, 2025.

Open Enrollment is the once a year opportunity for full-time, benefits-eligible faculty and staff to review and change their benefit selections outside of a qualifying event (e.g., change in marital status, birth or adoption of a child). This includes adding, removing or changing certain benefits; adjusting dependents; and electing voluntary benefits.

Attend a virtual meeting on Wednesday, 11/12/2025 from 2-3 p.m.

Meeting ID: https://aleragroup.zoom.us/j/98835453740 

Pass Code: 169573

Phone: +1 646-931-3860

You will have from October 31, 2025 to November 17, 2025, to make your benefit elections on the CCSNH Employee Self-Service Portal (https://my.adp.com).

If you have questions about this update, please contact khart@ccsnh.edu.

The Faculty Council meeting was a whirlwind of significant updates and intriguing discussions. A major topic was the ONE-NHCC initiative and the push from the Board of Trustees for faster implementation and "system-ness" across the colleges.

Commencement for the class of 2026 is officially on the calendar for May 15, 2026.

A significant change is coming for faculty members in the spring 2026 semester, as a new advising load configuration has been implemented. This decision, stemming from the CPR project, re-evaluated advising loads based on program advising, expertise, and numbers.

Other notable discussions included:

• The potential for a new grading schema, though there was a question as to whether the VPAAs had already made a system-wide decision.
• The GOAT initiative is working to simplify the governance process by creating a clear decision-making flowchart.
• Guest speaker Emily Marsh gave a presentation on the NHTI website, urging faculty, particularly department chairs and program coordinators, to become more involved in their program pages.
• A reminder was issued for department chairs to ensure the AF policy is available on every faculty member's Canvas course.



Did you know that Cynthia Lucero is the worst pierogi maker in her family?

If you have questions about this update, please contact sdiener@ccsnh.edu.

The Staff Council meeting on November 5 had lots of information gathering and sharing across campus initiatives.

We reviewed the strategic goals presented by Patrick at the recent Town Hall and had a productive conversation about the future direction of NHTI. From this robust discussion, we identified several key areas of focus to help guide our work moving forward.

Christie Cho provided an update on the CCSNH system’s efforts to achieve WCAG 2.1 accessibility compliance by April 2026. This initiative will ensure that our websites, course materials, and online resources are accessible and inclusive for all users. The council discussed the potential impacts on the NHTI website, campus forms, and other digital materials.

Advising shared updates regarding the new Student Information System (SIS). Some students have reported challenges with self-registration. The hope is additional guidance will be shared soon to help students better navigate these changes.

GOAT shared plans to simplify internal processes, and PEER shared upcoming events including the annual campus-wide Secret Santa and plans for a Snowflake Soirée—a faculty and staff gathering scheduled for Friday, December 12 at 4 p.m. in the Student Center. This event will provide an opportunity for colleagues to relax, enjoy light refreshments, and celebrate the end of the year together. More details to come!

If you have questions about this update, please contact kmoody@ccsnh.edu.

So far this semester GOAT has worked to simplify governance and make the process more transparent and more accessible.

To that end, we’ve created a draft of a process that can be completed in four steps and could allow a proposal to reach the President within a month. We’ve also developed two versions of the proposal form, which would allow all to see the progress of their proposal, along with the feedback it receives along the way. Both versions of the form will be shared and discussed at Faculty and Staff Councils, so be sure to look things over and share your feedback.

Meanwhile, a proposal to revise the names and required GPAs of Academic Honors designations at NHTI, which was reviewed at the end of September using the new governance process, has been approved by the President and Cabinet this week.

If you have an idea and would like to work on it and share it with the college community, just email nhtigovernance@ccsnh.edu and we’ll help you get things started.

If you have questions about this update, please contact mmartel@ccsnh.edu.

The NHTI Athletics program closed out the Fall season with tremendous success and made their mark across multiple sports, finishing as YSCC Runners-Up in Volleyball, Women’s Soccer, and Men’s Cross Country—a testament to the dedication and drive of our athletes and coaches. Cross Country standout Eli Lemire captured the YSCC Individual Championship and USCAA Individual Runner Up, adding additional banner moments to the season. The Women’s Soccer team earned an impressive #2 seed in the USCAA Division II Tournament, continuing their remarkable run on the National stage.

Individual excellence matched team success, with currently five Lynx earning USCAA All-Academic honors for their achievements in the classroom, and eight student-athletes named to YSCC All-Conference teams—and the awards keep coming! The golf program also made national headlines, with Bronson Ammann claiming a National Long Drive Champion and Aiden Boule finishing third nationally in an outstanding showing of skill and composure.

Battle of the Bridge

We’re partnering with Northeast Delta Dental to launch a brand-new community wellness event—and you’re invited to be part of the action!

Help NHTI get moving, have fun, and build stronger connections across campus and with our friends over the bridge. Together, we’ll celebrate teamwork, wellness, and the amazing NHTI community spirit through three friendly competitions:

• 🏀 Basketball - Saturday, February 14, 2026 (6pm)
• 🏃‍♀️ Road Run – Friday, April 17, 2026 (time: TBD – probably 6pm)
• 🥎 Softball – Saturday, June 13, 2026 (1 – 3pm)

Sign-ups are live now — don’t wait!

👉 https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4EAAA82CA0FCC25-60075857-nedd

If you have questions about this update, please contact amattarazzo@ccsnh.edu.

Student Spotlight

Our Carpentry students in have been honing their construction skills through community projects. This fall, the class volunteered with Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Habitat for Humanity.

“Our carpentry apprenticeship program has always required a monthly field trip, but these excursions were typically a visit to a construction site or business to learn about their operations,” said Kathy Taylor, director of workforce education. “This fall’s class took a hands-on approach.”

In September the class participated in Sleep in Heavenly Peace, building beds for children who do not have them.

For October, they worked on a Habitat for Humanity project in Allenstown. They demolished a rotting deck and replaced it with a new landing at the home’s entrance. Students also replaced the windows in a trailer owned by an elderly woman who recently lost her husband.

“We needed to see the real world and to see how different life is for others,” said a student who participated in the Habitat for Humanity project. The class shared that the experience underscored why their work in construction matters.

Do you have a story you think should be shared with our community? An outstanding student you want to brag about? Something unique happening in your department or class? A fellow staff member that you want to give a shout-out to?

Event Calendar