Posted: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 12:00 am
NWC president hits ground running
CODY - Increasing student retention rates, expanding scholarships and working more closely with Bighorn Basin high schools are among the goals of Paul Prestwich, new president of Northwest College in Powell.
With Monday marking the start of the new fall semester, Prestwich joined hundreds of incoming freshmen in beginning his first full school year at the college.
The Northwest College Board of Trustees chose Prestwich in April to replace Miles LaRowe, who retired in May.
Prestwich, 41, has served most recently for three years as vice president for academic affairs at Sussex County Community College in Newton, N.J. That school has 3,700 credit and 4,000 noncredit students.
Prestwich and his wife, Melanie, have five children ranging in age from 5 to 17. His family has lived previously in Colorado.
"We've been in communities similar to Powell, in smaller, rural areas, but this is our first time in Wyoming. We're having a great time," he said.
Prestwich said he worked successfully at Sussex County Community College to expand that school's concurrent enrollment program, and plans to do the same at NWC.
"It enables high school students to earn college credit during the school day, and I'm excited about that program," he said.
Jackson police warn of scheme
JACKSON - Police in Jackson are warning potential renters about a new scam involving rental properties.
People from outside the country have been copying on-line listings for rental properties and re-advertising those listings on-line, according to officer Tony Matthews.
The phony ads contain different contact information than the original ads while asking for less money to reserve and rent the properties.
Mark Henning, property manager for Jackson Hole Apartments, said he listed a single-family home for $3,500 a month and later saw the home advertised on craigslist for $900 a month.
Henning said he knows of at least one person who sent a deposit in response to a bogus ad.
Matthews said prospective renters should be careful of ads that don't have a local phone number and provide only an e-mail contact. He said prospective renters should follow up with an e-mail or phone call before sending money.
Warren National not taking new students
CHEYENNE - An on-line university based in Cheyenne said it has suspended admissions of new students into its degree programs.
A statement on the web site of Warren National University also said the school is not reactivating former students. The statement said this is a time of economic uncertainty, and so the university is focusing its resources on meeting its "current commitments."
Warren National did not return phone messages seeking more information Monday.
Warren National was known as Kennedy-Western University until it changed its name a couple years ago in honor of Wyoming's first governor, Francis E. Warren.
The university has been seeking federally recognized accreditation.