September Chronicle
Greetings! It has been a very busy start to the semester. There is a lot on which I must update you.
Upcoming Important Events
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CSN Fall Connections at the North Las Vegas Campus
Oct. 4, CSN Informational Session for prospective students and their families, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Charleston Campus, K101
- Oct. 5, Pizza & Politics with Congresswoman Dina Titus, Charleston Campus, 12 p.m. (Room TBD)
- Oct. 17, CSN Institutional Advisory Council Meeting
- Oct. 17, Campus Premiere of No Greater Odds, followed by a panel discussion on college affordability, 6 p.m. at the Horn Theatre
- Oct. 19, CSN Presidential Debate Watch Events at each campus (Charleston: D101; Henderson: C133; and North Las Vegas: June Whitley Student Lounge)
- Oct. 21, Special Board of Regents Meeting
- Oct. 26-27, Early Voting, CSN North Las Vegas Campus, Nicholas J. Horn Theatre Lobby
- Nov. 3, Southern Nevada Diversity Summit
- Dec. 1-2, Board of Regents Meeting
- Dec. 5, CSN’s Magical Forest Night at Opportunity Village
- Dec. 8, CSN Holiday Party, venue TBD
Multi-Campus District Study
Our committee is hard at work, meeting weekly, each Friday. Earlier this month, we heard from Valencia College President Dr. Sandy Shugart and next we will hear from Pima Community College Chancellor Dr. Lee Lambert. As we study how CSN might transition to a multi-campus district, our committee members have asked a number of hard questions, such as how resources could be allocated on each campus and how rigor and quality are maintained in a decentralized system. It is important to emphasize that if we go down this road, these types of questions will be decided through shared governance. This committee to study a potential multi-campus district is working to determine a recommendation as to if we should pursue this model and what a phased transition to this structure would look like. We have our work cut out for us whereas we are trying to construct a recommendation to go before the Nov. 28 Board of Regents Committee on Community Colleges. Dr. Shugart’s interview presented great information on how to minimize the number of administrators needed and maximize the use of employee councils for decision making and accountability. It was clear that as Valencia College expanded, it needed to decentralize to promote access to students and that the benefits of this model included student and faculty empowerment. The meetings are each Friday and locations are posted online on the CSN events calendar. Go to the bottom of the home page and click View All Events.
Work Climate Committee Chair
I have a bittersweet announcement regarding this important committee. Cameron Basquiat, who has done a remarkable job, leading this committee for the past several years, has decided to step down. I appreciate all that Cameron has done on this committee with the support and effort from his dedicated team members on the committee. We spend so much of our life at work and this committee has institutionalized the PACE and Snapshot survey processes and development of recommendations to improve all of our days at CSN. I’ve asked Dr. Danielle Richards, a professor in Human Behavior, to lead this committee going forward.
Culinary Program Ranked No. 7
Chef Steve Soltz supervises an early morning gathering of culinary students as they prepare a meal for nearby elementary school students as part of the department’s partnership with Chefs for Kids
Congratulations to our top-notch Culinary Arts program, which was named the seventh best culinary program in the country by www.bestchoiceschools.com. The ranking cited several factors, including that students can earn either a certificate or an associate degree, students operate a fully functional on-campus restaurant and work with award-winning chefs, and that the program offers a low student-to-faculty ratio. My hat is off to Chef Tom Rosenberger and everyone involved in the program.
Presidential Debate Week: No Greater Odds Premiere and Debate Watch Events! UNLV is the host institution for the last presidential debate on Wednesday, Oct. 19. CSN is supporting this event in various ways.
First, the campus premiere of No Greater Odds will take place on Monday, Oct. 17, at 6 p.m. at the Horn Theatre in North Las Vegas, followed by a panel discussion on college affordability – a topic very relevant to the presidential campaign. We plan to make this a fun, red-carpet event to celebrate the success of the film! Civic Nation, the national non-partisan nonprofit that brought the documentary to the Republican and Democratic national conventions this summer, the CSN Foundation, Las Vegas Metro Chamber, Latin Chamber, Urban Chamber and United Way of Southern Nevada are also supporting this event. Please plan to attend and bring your family, friends and neighbors.
It’s important to remember that the debate is a made-for-TV event. Therefore, CSN will host debate watch events on each campus during the debate for the community on Oct. 19, starting at 5:30 p.m. Following the debate, our remarkable faculty will conduct panel discussions to provide important context for attendees.
New CSN Softball Field Brings Lady Coyotes Back to Campus
We had a fantastic crowd at the dedication of our Lady Coyotes softball field. Team members, coaches and community members came together to celebrate the new field on the Henderson Campus. We believe it will help our women’s softball team be more competitive, and it will help recruiting as well. I am very proud of our athletes for their success on the field and in the classroom. While I am on this topic, I’d like to encourage you to attend one of our at-home soccer games this season.
New Multicultural Center
We celebrated the grand opening of our new Multicultural Center on the North Las Vegas Campus this month. This center will act as a front door for students, a gathering place, and a meeting space for groups. In addition, certain multicultural programs will offer training there for CSN faculty and staff. We’re proud to have it on our campus.
“Been There Done That!”
CSN President Emeritus Dr. Paul Meacham with his new book
If you missed President Emeritus Dr. Paul E. Meacham’s visit to campus to discuss his memoir, “Been There, Done That – My Life in the Educational Arena,” I hope you will go to our bookstore to obtain a copy. Meacham, the first African- American president of a Nevada System of Higher Education institution, served as CSN’s president from 1983 to 1994 and remains our longest-serving president. His contributions to higher education are invaluable.
CSN Information Session
CSN is hosting a CSN Information Session on Oct. 4 at the Charleston Campus in Building K, Rm. 101, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., for prospective students and their families. The event allows members of the community to learn more about CSN and our enrollment process. Please help us spread the word about this important ‘Open House,’ event.
ITT Tech
When ITT Technical Institute announced that it was closing, a team of people at CSN quickly formed and developed a plan to help the stranded students. This has led to specialists assigned on each campus to help ITT Tech students enroll at CSN. We’ve scheduled an open house for 9 a.m. Oct. 8 on the North Las Vegas Campus exclusively for ITT Tech students. Please help spread the word.
Faculty & Staff Questions
“Will CSN campuses be early voting sites for the upcoming election?”
Yes, we have partnered with the Clark County Elections Department and will have two days of early voting at our North Las Vegas Campus on Oct. 26 and 27 at the Nicholas J. Horn Theatre lobby. We are hoping that in the future we can make this available at all of our campuses, so please support this site by casting an early ballot at this location.
“If I prefer to vote on Election Day and not participate in early voting, am I allowed time off?”
Yes, you can take the time to vote. Please work with your supervisor in advance to ensure service coverage. If you have any questions, please contact the Human Resources Department.
“It seems like there have been a lot of office and department moves lately. What are the purposes for the moves? Is there an overall plan behind the moves that the college is working towards? How will this benefit our students?”
We have committed to students to increase the number of student services and high demand courses available to them to enhance their experience. In fact, part of the increase in student fees each year for our four-year plan is dedicated to achieving this goal. As such, we need more office space on our campuses to accommodate these additional positions that interface directly with students. We are working to move some of those positions that do not work directly with students off campus to other sites. This has a significant impact on the student experience at CSN.
Best,
Mike