August Chronicle
Greetings colleagues! The month of August typically is a transition from summer to another academic year. This Chronicle provides you with initial information about CSN’s activities this summer in advance of our Convocation on August 21st.
Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Margo Martin
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Margo Martin as CSN’s new Vice President for Academic Affairs. Dr. Martin began her CSN service on July 1. She has already visited most CSN campuses and learning sites, meeting faculty and staff while preparing for fall semester.
Important correspondence
Attached to this Chronicle are three items of correspondence received in July. Two relate to CSN’s accreditation. CSN is in good standing with the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), but there is much work to do on program and institutional assessment. There is also a requirement that CSN’s governing board, the Nevada Board of Regents, evaluate its performance on a regular basis. CSN is accountable for that evaluation.
The third item of correspondence relates to salary adjustments and legislative action regarding salaries this biennium. Should you have questions on any of these items, please let me know.
Personnel Changes in Advancement
Similar to such functions at all colleges and universities, the advancement function at CSN is critical to the mission of the College. Over the years, the College has benefitted from the service of very capable professionals. For about three years, Alan Diskin led the CSN Foundation. He has stepped down after success in preparing the Foundation for its future with new trustees and a renewed direction. I am pleased to announce that Dr. K. C. Brekken will assume new duties as executive director of the Foundation effective immediately. K.C has served CSN for the past nine years, most recently as the executive director of public affairs, overseeing public and media relations as well as government affairs and as the staff liaison to the Institutional Advisory Council. At the Foundation, Dan Morris and Millie Vuksanovic will continue their service and will aid K.C.
Additionally, CSN’s Alumni Relations program, led by Jamille Walton, will align with the Foundation.
Going forward, public relations activities will transition to Dave Morgan who will be CSN’s new director of Marketing and Media, an area that will continue to include Media Relations Senior Specialist Richard Lake and Coordinator Suzan Workman in their assignments. Michael Flores will continue to direct our government relations efforts, including local, state and federal public relations and continue to play an important role in communications.
Maria Marinch, executive director of Community Relations, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, will now work with the Institutional Advisory Council as well as the community service and mentoring requirements of the Nevada Promise program.
Please welcome these individuals into their new roles.
New Chancellor Thom Reilly
On August 7, Dr. Thom Reilly will begin his assignment as the Chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Dr. Reilly has an outstanding record of service in southern Nevada, and most recently served as Director of the Morrison Institute for Public Policy at Arizona State University. He will join us on August 21st at Convocation.
