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As most of you have heard by now, the Economic Forum estimated the state is $800 million in the red for this current budget.
Gov. Jim Gibbons is expected to call a special session during his State of the State address on February 8. Tomorrow, Chancellor Klaich and several regents will join me for a town hall at the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre at 3:30 p.m. to discuss the budget outlook and what it could mean for CSN. I hope you can make it.
Keep checking back on this blog for further information.
December 14, 2009
Cabinet Members:
President Mike Richards
John Bearce, Interim Director of Institutional Research
K.C. Brekken, Communications Manager
Thomas Brown, Chief Campus Administrator, Cheyenne
Art Byrd, Vice President, Student Affairs
Patty Charlton, Senior Vice President for Finance & Facilities – absent
Darren Divine, Interim Vice President, Academic Affairs
Richard Hinckley, General Counsel
Bill Kerney, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect – absent
Penny McCollum, Campus Site Administrator, Henderson Campus – absent
Joan McGee, Chief Campus Administrator, Charleston Campus
Larry Mason, Interim Vice President, Diversity & Cultural Affairs – absent
Jacque Matthews, Executive Director, Foundation
Dave Morgan, Chair, Administrative Faculty Assembly
Mark Rauls, Faculty Senate Chair
Cat Maihen, President, Classified Council
Mugunth Vaithylingam, Chief Information Officer
Nathaniel Waugh, Student Government President
Anne Zemek de Dominguez, General Counsel
Guests: Eric Garner, Manager, Public & College Relations
Taylor Gray, Webmaster
The meeting was called to order by Dr. Richards at 9 a.m.
The notes of the November 9, 2009 cabinet meeting were approved.
K.C. Brekken, Eric Garner, Taylor Gray and Dave Morgan gave an over view of the strategic plan for CSN communications. The plan for improvement came from feedback of the challenges to link to specific data, the archaic look of the CSN website, no official method of communication with students, and a number of other issues. The content management system is 10 years old, outdated and not supported any longer. There are many options for the CMS update. The ad-hoc communications committee is in the process of reviewing these options for practicality for CSN. Some other issues being considered include intranet – to keep internal and external information separate, a website redesign for easier navigation, multi-lingual support, online help desk, and possibly a CSN Wiki for student content and perspective. Some marketing and public communication ideas –of course, all contingent upon availability of funds – include an updated phone system, email opt-in for marketing communication, branding opportunities with a publication similar to CSN‟s “Report to the People” but targeting residential customers, a large outdoor LED screen on each campus for advertising events, important dates, etc., and images to tell CSN‟s story with updated photos of students and campuses. The images will create a good first impression and showcase all CSN has to offer. The Intercampus Communication System needs upgrades in the equipment that facilitates putting the information on the many screens around the campuses. Modernization is required for video capability, and the possibility of broadcasting a news network (for instance). Upgrades are also needed for Emergency Notification capability using the ICS screens. Dr. Byrd added that a grant request for a Public Address speaker system is also being investigated as an enhancement to the Emergency Notification System. K.C. said that it is unlikely that the upgrades decided upon would be implemented all at once, but rather will be put into operation in phases.
Dr. Richards distributed a report from the University System of Maryland that details its efficiency efforts. The reporting system has been in place in Maryland for five years and has helped greatly with funding requests from the Maryland legislature. The NSHE Board of Regents has placed high priority on each of the Nevada institutions‟ ability to demonstrate similar efforts, and detail those efforts in an efficiencies report. Dr. Richards encouraged the cabinet members to visit the University System of Maryland website to view the reports from previous years.
John Bearce updated everyone on the progress of the iNtegrate project. A major shift coming up will begin in January as the consultants start working with the non-pilot institutions in preparation for each school‟s “go-live” dates. In January, there will be a review of the academic structure of each institution, and a series of Campus Community meetings will begin in February. CSN will host the first meeting. The training modules will be transitioning from part-time to full-time in 2010. The tentative schedule is as follows:
Admissions: PT March 2010 – FT April 2010
Academic Advising: PT April 2010 – FT July 2010
Financial Aid: PT February 2010 – FT June 2010
Student Financials: PT March 2010 – FT July 2010
Student Records: PT March 2010 – FT June 2010
He told everyone that the cabinet will put together the report that will support CSN‟s efforts to obtain funding from the legislature for the next biennium, and distributed a CSN draft report for everyone to look over. He noted that the report should contain very specific data and minimal narrative.
TMCC and UNLV meet regularly to discuss any difficulties or issues with each “go-live.” The non-pilot institutions will benefit from the pilot schools‟ experience and will be better prepared for the implementation. John also reported on the Shared Instance meetings that take place weekly via video conference and include SCS, NSHE System Office, and NSHE Institutions. A face to face meeting took place on CSN‟s Charleston campus on December 8 with all the participants listed above. The meeting lasted most of the day, but was very productive. Dr. Richards reminded the group that a tech fee increase was approved for the iNtegrate project. The money to support the project is not coming from the general fund.
K.C. reported on the H1N1 clinics at both the Cheyenne and Charleston campuses. The one at Cheyenne was closed down at 11 am due to lack of heat at the campus. The Charleston clinic was successful.
Darren Divine talked about the midnight classes being offered for Spring. He emphasized that the offering is being done on a trial basis, and the outcome will be evaluated after the semester ends. The classes have had some positive press. Darren also told everyone that the classes were meant to help students who actually need the late-night class time. The classes were not meant to be overflow for regular sections. Spring enrollment is up. Biennium discussions about 3
funding are pending, and CSN will move forward while at the same time evaluating our increasing needs very carefully.
Dave Morgan said the AFA would be voting on bylaw changes at the next meeting on December 18. Kelly Wuest was voted the AFA employee of the month.
Mugunth Vaithylingam detailed the projects that OTS is currently working on. Among the many OTS items in progress are:
A password policy draft which will require passwords to be changed regularly has been submitted to Patty Charlton.
A student e-mail system committee is discussing CSN needs versus wants in a new system
OTS is discussing classes with CAPE to increase encryption awareness, „WinZip.‟
OTS is researching how the under-utilized features in Outlook could fill some of CSN‟s needs
A Frequently Asked Questions page is being developed for faculty and staff. The content is being determined by categorizing help desk tickets and calls.
Patty Charlton and Mugunth are discussing the need and the possibilities of developing a CSN intranet.
Desktop, Laptop, and Mac refreshes – OTS is investigating an IBM product (Lenovo) to assist with CSN and OTS‟s security priorities
Microsoft will have a booth at convocation (Tech Connection) on January 12, and they will have a session on Windows 7 as well.
Mark Rauls reported that Faculty Senate has three major policies to complete at the first of the year:
Academic Dishonesty / Plagiarism
Drop policy for students not attending the first week of classes
Electronic Elections (Angel)
Faculty Senate has formed a work group to discuss Gen-Ed requirements. The group is working with Hyla Winters and UNLV‟s Gen-Ed Committee.
Nate Waugh gave some highlights from Student Government and site visits. An Open House/Mixer at the Boulder City site is planned in collaboration with the Rotary Club and the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce. The event is planned for January 13. ASCSN will cover the cost of advertising, food and drinks. Nate and VP Foster are coordinating with Moapa Valley High School for a college visit day. ASCSN will help retention give tours to the students and coordinate the trips to CSN and UNLV. Also, Student Government is working with the campus bookstore to coordinate book delivery for students there. Students would reserve the books and the bookstore would deliver them to the site near the first day of classes. Student government is also working with Counseling Services to have a counselor go to the Summerlin site once per month to meet with students there. The Mesquite site will have a Back-to-School BBQ on January 14. The community will be invited as well as several guests from Administration. Represented at the Mesquite event will be Counseling, Financial Aid, and Registration. Also at the Mesquite site, some substandard and incorrect signage will be replaced. The same signage issues exist at the Caliente site and Sherri Payne is collecting the information to get both sites set. The Caliente site has advertising concerns, and Student Government has received a request to pay for advertising for Spring classes. The ad would be in the form of an insert into the 4
Lincoln County Record, which goes out to 2300 people. The Nellis site will be visited the first part of January.
Nate also reported on recent events including his Karaoke rendition of “Unforgettable.” Some upcoming events will be Karaoke ll, Active Shooter Presentation for Students, Stop the Violence Presentation, and Battle of the Bands. The Battle of the Bands event has been tentatively set for April 2010 on the Cheyenne campus; the rest of the events‟ dates are yet to be determined. There are currently four vacancies for senators in Student Government. The Veteran‟s Memorial is moving forward. There is a gubernatorial higher education forum in April. For student union areas, Student Government is looking into various entertainment ideas.
Anne Zemek de Dominguez informed the cabinet members that the legal department would be working regular hours over the holidays.
Dr. Richards reported what he knows about the current budget situation. The Governor is asking for plans from other Nevada institutions to cut 1.4% and 3% in additional spending for the current fiscal year. Those plans are due to the Governor January 19. There may be a special session in January. CSN is in the process of preparing with a plan just in case it is needed.
Dr. Richards told the group the Holiday Party was sensational and thanked the Foundation. Jacque Matthews said that the Vice Presidents donated gifts for the raffle, and our guests donated 800 pounds of food from the event to Three Square Food Bank. About 450 people attended the party. Dr. Richards wished everyone a Merry Christmas and adjourned the meeting.
Meeting adjourned at 10:12 a.m. (after only 72 minutes!)
Next meeting scheduled January 11, 2010.
The CSN Chronicle
Greetings, Happy New Year and welcome to The CSN Chronicle for January 2010. There is much activity on many fronts that I’d like you to know about.
Holiday Party
Through the Foundation Board of Trustees and the President’s Cabinet, I have extended your collective appreciation to the Foundation for the outstanding holiday party we held at the Las Vegas Hilton on December 10th. Ticket revenue raised sufficient support to fund one full-time student for a year at CSN, and your food donations contributed more than 700 pounds of food to Three Square. Thank you!
| In early December the City of Las Vegas approached us about moving ahead on development of the northwest campus, and at the same time, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee approved S 940—our land patent for the property. The full Senate will now have to vote on the bill. For CSN’s part, we have retained an architect for the project. Using the “I” building as a prototype, we will adapt its plans as the first building for the new campus. |
Budget Status
We have been directed to prepare blueprints to respond to the governor’s call for budget reduction plans of 6, 8, or 10% for each year of the biennium. The plan we are preparing is in the mid range of the governor’s request, and will likely be presented at a special meeting of the Board of Regents on February 2. The state has requested budget reduction plans for FY2010, effective March 1, that are at a pro-rated level based on the support that each institution receives from the general fund. For CSN, this reduction could range from $1.65M to $2.75M.
Our strategy at the beginning of this fiscal year included establishing a reserve should the state realize a revenue shortfall. Our initial budget included a reserve of approximately $1.2M to accommodate this shortfall. Budget cuts will be necessary to meet the balance of any state imposed budget reduction. These reductions will be determined through a participatory process working with faculty, staff, and student leadership.
More difficult to address is the budget picture for FY 2011. State revenue projections are not likely to be realized and the governor’s proposed cuts of 6, 8, or 10% may mean a reduction to CSN’s budget of $5.0M to $8.2M. Again, we will involve faculty, staff and students and focus on protecting our institutional mission as we prepare these budget reduction plans and keep you apprised as new information arises. By the time you read this, the budget reduction committee will have met twice, and a general plan for FY2010 will be drafted to submit to the Chancellor. The plan for FY2011 will take more time and input to detail.
| About a week after spring semester begins, the southwest entrance to the West Charleston campus off of Torrey Pines—just south of the KNPR studio–will be closed for about a month. The contractor on the drainage project will be making connections at that intersection. The driveway to the north of the Sparks Art Center will be open, but we urge you to use Community College Drive if at all possible. The access road should reopen around March 22. |
Questions from Faculty and Staff Members:
“What preparation can we do now for the 2011 Legislative session?”
Nearly every CSN employee can have an impact on the membership of the Legislature. Here are two suggestions:
- Candidates for legislative office have to file their applications in March. Work now to line up good candidates in your Assembly and Senate districts who are supportive of CSN, higher education and Nevada’s future.
- Primary elections will be held in June. Plan now to work for good candidates and to share your concerns about education and the future of the State.
“Why should I care about legislative advocacy? Isn’t that the job of the administration, the Faculty Senate, and the Chancellor’s staff?”
We have an advocacy group at CSN, and NSHE will have staff and a lobbyist ready for the 2011 session. Combined with our students, the CSN advocacy group made immeasurable progress during the 2009 legislative session. We can do it again, but it takes all of us. When the time comes, your legislators need to hear from you.
| Construction projects at the Cheyenne, Henderson and West Charleston campuses move steadily toward completion. The Engelstad addition is on time and on budget. The renovation of science facilities at Cheyenne will soon be under contract through the State Public Works Board. The fire station project is on time and on budget, as is the drainage project at Charleston. At Henderson, we’re moving ahead with additional parking that should be completed this spring. |
Watch for forums on budget issues and the search process for a new Provost and Academic Vice President. I invite your attendance and participation.
Best wishes for the New Year and for spring semester.
–Mike Richards
 Photo by Mayela Arellano As we head into the holiday break, Jan and I would like to wish everyone happy and safe holidays. This is a great time for reflection about the year ahead and what we hope to achieve in 2010.
I will be taking a few days off to enjoy family and friends. On Christmas Day the Richards clan will gather for good food and games with grandchildren. I trust that each member of CSN’s family will find restful time among good friends.
If you have time and the inclination to do some reading, I recommend the following:
W. Bown, M. Chingos and M. McPherson, Crossing the Finish Line, Completing College at America’s Public Universities
J. Garland, Saving Alma Mater, A Rescue Plan for America’s Public Universities
R. Zemsky, Making Reform Work, The Case for Transforming American Higher Education
I highly recommend the Zemsky and Garland books.
Thank you all for a great 2009. We have come far in the last 365 days. Imagine what we can do in the next year.
Enjoy the holidays. See you in the next decade.
Public reports of an all-agency memo regarding budget reductions are correct. The state has asked all agencies, including the Nevada System of Higher Education, to prepare plans for budget cuts. Here’s the essence of the request: “As a result of the most recent revenue reports, agencies will need to determine proposed budget reserves in the amount of 6%, 8% and 10% for FY 2010 and FY 2011 and submit them to the Budget Office by the close of business on Tuesday, January 5, 2010.” For the current fiscal year, the cut would be prorated.
CSN has planned for a mid-year cut, although not at such high levels. Now, we’ll revise our plans and respond as the Board of Regents may direct. As you know, we have done this in previous years; we know how to improve our response with each cycle of cuts. Please be assured that even though the holidays are upon us, we will make this an inclusive process. The memo from state Budget Director Andrew Klinger also includes this sentence: “At this time no decision has been made as to whether these budget reserve recommendations will be implemented, however this information will be considered in the decision making process for closing the current projected deficit.”
As we receive more information, I’ll certainly share it.
Cabinet Members:
President Mike Richards
John Bearce, Interim Director of Institutional Research
K.C. Brekken, Communications Manager
Thomas Brown, Chief Campus Administrator, Cheyenne
Art Byrd, Vice President, Student Affairs
Patty Charlton, Senior Vice President for Finance & Facilities
Darren Divine, Interim Vice President, Academic Affairs
Richard Hinckley, General Counsel
Bill Kerney, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Penny McCollum, Campus Site Administrator, Henderson Campus
Joan McGee, Chief Campus Administrator, Charleston Campus
Larry Mason, Interim Vice President, Diversity & Cultural Affairs
Jacque Matthews, Executive Director, Foundation
Dave Morgan, Chair, Administrative Faculty Assembly
Mark Rauls, Faculty Senate Chair
Cat Maihen, President, Classified Council
Mugunth Vaithylingam, Chief Information Officer
Nathaniel Waugh, Student Government President
Anne Zemek de Dominguez, General Counsel – absent
Guests:
Taylor Gray, Webmaster
Wai Ho, OTS Network Services Director
Rebecca Metty-Burns, Interim Director, DWED
Rebecca Metty-Burns and Taylor Gray demonstrated the Division of Workforce and Economic Development’s improved website. The website, still under construction, was recently restructured based on call topics and call volume. Buttons for class selections are divided into three categories: Careers, Business Solutions, and Personal Enrichment. There is still work being done on the site. One area of concern is how to communicate to the general public the difference between classes for credit and DWED classes. The functionality of the site has been greatly improved, with search capability for classes made possible with new software (AJAX with jQuery) being utilized. The DWED website should be complete by early next year.
John Bearce reported on Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) data, which compares CSN to its peer institutions in a number of categories. These categories include enrollment, student charges, graduation rates, finances, program completions, faculty, and staff. John showed the group how CSN compared to its peer institutions and informed the cabinet members of some changes in diversity reporting methods being established by the federal government. The full report can be viewed using the link below. http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter.
Mugunth Vaithylingam and Wai Ho reported on plans OTS has for email upgrades. The reasons prompting the change include better security, more functionality, easier socialization for students, and reduced costs. The current email system is 11 years old and to keep competitive, CSN should offer a modern alternative. OTS is researching several options. Among them are Microsoft Live Edu and Google Student Apps. They offer portal capability, the inclusion of adjunct faculty, an improved overall experience, and permanent mail (as opposed to mail available only during the college experience). Security will be the primary consideration in making the decision, and exchange-supported functionality will also be important as it pertains to CSN‟s needs.
Patty Charlton told the cabinet members of a change in the Cabinet reporting schedule that will begin in January. Instead of reporting every other month, cabinet members will report quarterly. Annette Lord will distribute the schedule at the next meeting and will send reminders to members the week prior to their scheduled reports.
Dr. Byrd informed the group about a change in hours for certain Student Services departments. The changes will be sent out via “all” e-mail. The Emergency Notification System is ready for faculty, staff and students to register. The system will alert them in the manner they request (email, text, phone, etc.) when the situation dictates notification. It will be tested over the next few weeks. He asked that cabinet members encourage everyone to enroll for the notification. The link to enroll was sent out to “all.” Dr. Byrd also gave a brief update on CSN’s crime report and noted that car thefts have declined over the last three years.
Thomas Brown met with Sherri Payne for their monthly meeting to discuss plans for the Cheyenne Campus. The plans include paint, tile, carpet, and signage. Thomas is working with Darren Divine and Dr. Richards on some beneficial partnerships in the community. The MOU’s are being developed. He also reminded everyone that Sexual Harassment Training is offered at all campuses at various times during the month, and that all employees are required to complete the training.
Joan McGee reported progress with Strategic Planning. The committee has solicited feedback from the community through surveys, and once all the responses are collected a draft will be developed.
Penny McCollum highlighted items from the Henderson Campus and Boulder City Center:
- Henderson Italian Café has new vendors, better quality, and lower prices.
- Parking lot behind Building C should be complete for spring 2010 semester.
- Henderson Campus Environment Steering Committee will meet this winter.
- Henderson faculty member, Dr. Gary Solomon, was selected as the Henderson Chamber of Commerce “Teacher of the Year.”
- The November Social Gathering will be a Veterans Day Lunch and feature a red, white, and blue theme, photos of faculty and staff who served in the Armed Forces, and a web page for sending thank you messages to our currently deployed troops.
- The Henderson Campus/Hinman School Partnership continues to help students at the elementary school. A school supply drive is being planned, and next year grant funding will be sought to assist the children with transportation issues.
- The Boulder City site needs work before it is operational and Penny is working with Facilities, Financial Services, OTS, Academic Departments and the CSN Police Department to address the various issues.
- The Boulder City Center will be hosting a Boulder City Chamber Mixer in January 2010. Community Business Leaders and the public will be invited.
Jacque Matthews announced the new officers of the Foundation Board of Trustees:
- Chair – Robbie Graham
- Vice Chair – Neil Friedman
- Treasurer – Bryan Dziedzack
- Secretary – Peter O’Neill
They approved a comprehensive fundraising campaign that should launch in Fall of 2010. Jacque said the President’s Breakfast had excellent support from faculty, deans and marketing; and the event had about 130 attendees. The program went very smoothly. A Dine-About card will be selling soon, and has the potential to raise a lot of money for the college. It should sell for about $20. She also reminded everyone of the Holiday Party on December 10 at the Las Vegas Hilton, and asked that everyone bring a non-perishable food donation for the backpack program.
Larry Mason reminded everyone that November is Native American Heritage Month and distributed a calendar of events. He also issued a flyer for the Sarah Winnemucca Scholarship Breakfast to take place on November 19 at the June Whitley Student Center on the Cheyenne Campus. The Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) program will take place on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for faculty and staff to help CCSD students with those areas of study. A leadership summit is planned for February 19 to address high dropout rates of students from Latino and African American descent. Larry and Dr. Byrd plan to attend.
Cat Maihen reported good attendance for the classified in-service classes offered in October. The classes will be offered in spring at the Henderson campus. The course in self-defense was especially well-attended. The bake sale raised $580 and another one is planned for December. The furlough days are causing some conflict with adjunct instructors who are also classified personnel. The conflict involves overtime pay for these employees and is being vetted out to find a solution. CSN, NSC and UNLV classified employees are planning to get together to discuss the upcoming legislative session and address common issues.
Dr. Richards expressed his appreciation to Jacque Matthews and the CSN Foundation for the President’s Breakfast. He said it was excellent, and he received many compliments on the quality of the event.
Nate Waugh presented appreciation awards to several members of the cabinet for their support of Student Government and its initiatives. Dr. Richards, Patty Charlton, K.C. Brekken, and Mugunth Vaithylingam were among the recipients.
Meeting adjourned at 10:40 a.m.
Next meeting scheduled December 14, 2009.
Media in the state have been reporting on forthcoming budget cuts and the governor’s call for the Economic Forum to meet, which may lead to a special session of the Legislature and more budget reductions. Understandably, you as a student or CSN employee, might be worried about diminished operating funds, furlough days or fewer class sections.
Let me appease those concerns first and clarify that there have been no changes to this year’s budget or to the furlough requirements adopted by the State Personnel Office or the Regents.
We are carefully monitoring developments on state budget issues and you should enter this holiday season confident that I will keep you informed and we, as part of the Nevada System of Higher Education, will do all we can to protect our core mission. This will require efforts on your part next year to mobilize with us and help educate the public about the value of CSN.
The Board of Regents and the Chancellor have suggested to the governor alternative approaches to cutting higher education. They have also defended cuts already taken by our institutions — cuts greater than other state agencies. We have able leadership advocating our cause. In the mean time, at CSN, we have a new mission describing a generation of service to students. We’ll not shirk from our purpose. The state of Nevada and our community need us.
We will continue what we started together in 2007. Through all of our efforts and your strong voice, we succeeded in the 2009 legislative session to preserve CSN and higher education in Nevada. I invite you to join me in the continued struggle for fiscal stability. We also need to stand together by defeating our own fears of uncertainty, change, and innovation.
There will be plenty for us to do, but for now enjoy your holidays. Enjoy family or professional development time. Give honor, respect and trust to your colleagues: The Golden Rule is timeless, especially now in our current circumstances. We have much to be grateful for, particularly our CSN family. Come back to the new semester rested, energized and ready.
As you know, I stand committed to our college and ready to serve you and support your success. I look forward to 2010, come what may, and to working with you to build a strong, vibrant CSN for the next generation.
Best regards,
Mike
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