President’s Town Halls Summary
Fall 2017
Greetings Colleagues! Earlier this month, I held town hall meetings on each campus, and I thank those of you who were in attendance. We discussed many important topics, and answered a few questions, too.
For those who were not able to make it, here is a brief summary of the major topics addressed. Please feel free to ask questions if you don’t see a topic addressed here. And be sure to read the latest version of the Chronicle, which contains many updates.
Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Update (Chief Caraballo)
The federally mandated annual report on crime stats was distributed by email last week. If you want more you can contact our police department and Chief Caraballo can present to you or your staff. The report covers crime on campus, off campus and on public property. The federal government dictates the geographic boundaries. The on-campus report is most important to us, but you should look at all three to get the full picture. The stats for the off campus and public categories come from other police departments. We also publicize our activity log on our website every day. Everything is there, from citations to other criminal activity. You can see the full report on our website.
Please be sure you have the CSN Mobile Safety App for your devices. Also, please update your person information in our emergency alert system. We would like your personal and CSN contact information to keep you updated. If you see something say something. Every piece of information can help in an emergency.
Presidential Search
With my retirement in January, the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Board of Regents will soon begin the process of selecting a new president for CSN. Chancellor Thom Reilly, Board Chair Kevin Page and Vice Chair Jason Geddes will hold a series of open meetings on Nov. 3 on all three of our campuses. Please watch your email for details, or click here.
There are essentially two options available: The Board could appoint an acting president, which is akin to a caretaker who will watch over the college while a national search for a new president is conducted. Or the Board could appoint an interim president, who would likely get the permanent job unless he or she does something that makes board members change their minds.
The chancellor and board leaders want to know what you think. I recommend attending one of the meetings.
Police Consolidation
You may be aware that the Board of Regents has been studying whether to consolidate some of CSN’s police services with UNLV’s in the interest of saving money. Under the direction of the chancellor, a study of the idea will shortly be underway. It is anticipated that faculty and staff will have an opportunity for input.
Next Budget
For the 2019 legislative session, CSN will once again make compensation for faculty and staff its number one priority. Between now and the end of this academic year a salary study is being conducted to provide data on the issue. CSN has taken the position for the last several sessions that compensation must be number one.
In addition, we are seeking a tweak of the funding formula to put more weight on courses that train the future generation of health care workers, a critical field for both Nevada and CSN.
On the capital side of the budget, we will be requesting the money to construct the new Health and Science Building on our Henderson Campus that we will share with Nevada State College. We expect to ask for approximately $35-40 million for that construction. In addition, we will have to raise $5-6 million in matching funds. We are very optimistic and excited about this new building. Once it is operational it will change the nature of the institution, particularly in Henderson.
Another capital project that we are very excited about is the construction of our three new student unions. Plans are currently being drafted for three identical buildings, one for each campus. Groundbreaking is expected to take place this spring, with a fall 2019 opening date.
Nevada Promise
Applications for the Nevada Promise scholarship continue to roll in. To date, we have received well over 2,000, and expect at least 3,000 by the Oct. 31 deadline. I couldn’t be happier about this.
With that many applications, however, comes a greater that ever need for mentors. Among the qualifications scholarship recipients must meet is to meet with a mentor. We expect to need approximately 750 mentors, at a minimum. To apply, please click here.
Accreditation Update
We are current on what we have to provide to the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities regarding the warning status that was given to us and our governing board. The commission would like to see evidence of the board’s self-evaluation, and I am assured that is forthcoming.
A Common Student Experience
We have posted a series of FAQs at www.csn.edu/experience that are designed to help explain what a multi-campus college district is, how it applies to CSN, and why we believe it will provide for a better student experience at all three – and one day, perhaps, four or five – campuses.
We expect that the next president will appoint provosts/vice presidents to oversee the Henderson, Charleston and North Las Vegas campuses. This person will have the same rank as the vice presidents and will report directly to the president. Some operations will be decentralized, particularly those that directly serve students such as counseling. Others, such as financial aid, for example, will remain much as they are, with operations on all the campuses, but its administration in one place.
The overall goal is to provide what we are calling a common student experience on any of our campuses. Students will be able to take all of their core courses on any campus, and some will be able to finish their entire degrees on one campus. Those who are studying specialized subjects such as culinary arts, for example, will be directed to one of our centers of excellence. Each campus will contain several such centers of excellence, which will focus on the specialties that campus is particularly suited for. Charleston would be a center of excellence for health care, North Las Vegas for cybersecurity, Henderson for public safety, and so on.
Ultimately, this structure – which is used by other community colleges of our size in metro areas of Las Vegas’ size – is expected to make governing CSN more efficient. In the long run, as CSN builds out its planned campus in Northwest Las Vegas and, we hope, one in the southwest one day, the governing structure is much more adaptable than the one currently in place.
It will streamline the student experience, too, making each student’s journey through college that much simpler.
For more detailed information and a full breakdown of all the questions asked and answers provided at the town halls, click here.