Greetings and welcome to the CSN Chronicle for April 2013. Spring semester this year is unusually busy and the Legislature continues its deliberations!
Town Halls
My intent, as the academic year closes, was to share information on various topics of interest. Three town hall meetings were held on each campus. K.C. Brekken has summarized the meetings and topics, which are posted here for your review.
We discussed salaries and benefits, student success, the new funding formula, work climate and distance education. Attendees also asked many questions. The questions and answers are also summarized.
Communication at CSN continues to challenge all of us, and town halls, chronicles and round table discussions help keep the dialogue open. Starting next fall, I will be holding two open town hall discussions each semester to help. My door is open, as they say, so please feel free to contact me in the meantime, should you have questions or concerns.
Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
The Nevada/California region of Phi Theta Kappa held its annual Regional Conference in San Jose, Calif., on April 5-6. Alpha Xi Beta, CSN’s chapter, advised so ably by Professor Bruno Rhodes, worked diligently last year to achieve the goals as set forth by Phi Theta Kappa, the largest honor society in American higher education. Our officers and members’ efforts paid off Saturday night when they were presented with the following awards:
1. Five Star Award for Chapter Development
2. Honors in Action Project/Theme 6 – 3rd Place
3. 2012 Yearbook Award – 2nd Place
4. Chapter Participation in Regional Events – 1st Place
5. Award for Regional Project 2 – Make a Difference Day
6. Award for Regional Project 4 – Scholarly Hallmarks
7. Award for Regional Project 5 – Unity of Diversity
8. Award for Excellence in Fellowship
Congratulations Alpha Xi Beta! You cannot do better than five stars!
Budget Outlook
• The Economic Forum established a flat revenue budget for the 2013-15 biennium;
• The budget priorities of CSN and the Board of Regents remain: restore salaries, eliminate furloughs and approve the funding formula;�
Regental budget priorities will be difficult to achieve with the latest revenue forecast;
• CSN has experienced a decline in enrollment and concurrently a decline in revenues. This means that for the next biennium, a backfill will be needed on budgeted revenues from any new appropriations CSN might receive. Discussed further in our town hall notes described above, the decline in enrollment is largely due to nationwide post-Recession trends.
CSN Executive Leadership Institute (ELI) Program Accepting Applications
I cannot tout our Executive Leadership Institute enough. This program has been a wonderful success in terms of professional development. Applications are being solicited for the 2013/2014 CSN Executive Leadership Institute. Throughout the monthly sessions, scholars will enhance their leadership knowledge and apply transferrable skills as they prepare for potential high-level advancement. I encourage all those who aspire for more within the career field of higher education to apply.
ELI Application instructions
http://www.csn.edu/pages/3923.asp
ELI Application form
http://www.csn.edu/pages/3925.asp
Please direct questions to the ELI Application Committee Chair Gillian Silver-Rodis at Gillian.Silver-Rodis@csn.edu. Thank you.
Questions from Faculty and Staff Members (Many questions are posted in the town hall notes referenced above):
What improvements if any can be expected with our health care benefits?
The Board of Regents met this month and discussed the system’s efforts to improve the state’s benefits package. The Board ultimately supported a resolution to empower PEBP to explore other options available this fall to see if we might bring better and/or more options to our people. It was also discussed that if NSHE pulled out of PEBP it would negatively impact other state workers’ healthcare. In the meantime, as discussed in the town hall notes, PEBP voted in December to continue the current HMO and PPO for another two years. I cannot emphasize enough the need to educate yourself and your families about these plans and prepare appropriately. Take good care of yourselves.
–Mike Richards