Greetings, Colleagues. We’ve reached the halfway point of the semester, and there is much news to share. Enrollment is up, we had a positive accreditation visit, the Nevada Promise Scholarship remains a success, we’ve received grant money that will help us continue to put students first, and we are maintaining our laser focus on safety and security.
I also want this edition of the Chronicle to serve as a reminder that safety and security is not only about our physical well-being. Our mental health is just as important. Please know that at CSN, we take this issue very seriously. Free and confidential counseling is available to all faculty, staff and students.
– Federico
In this issue:
- Mid-Cycle Accreditation Visit Update
- Roundtables Summary
- Know When to Call in an Expert
- Behavior Intervention Team
- Public Safety Update
- Nevada Promise • Workday Anniversary
- CAPE Professional Development Platform
- CSN Events
- Mental Health Grant
- STEM Grant
- Fall 2018 Enrollment Report
Inside CSN
Mid-Cycle Accreditation Visit Update
Last month, we had a positive visit from the Northwest Commission Colleges and Universities Mid-Cycle Accreditation team. I hope you got a chance to read Vice President Margo Martin’s email summarizing the visit. If not, the full text of her email is linked below.
As you may know, the commission evaluates colleges and universities on a seven-year cycle to ensure the highest standards are being met. If so, the institution retains its accreditation. Halfway through these seven-year periods, a less formal visit is conducted as a consultation to help institutions get ready for the next accreditation visit. The mid-cycle team was very impressed with the high level of engagement shown by CSN’s faculty and staff. That enthusiasm by everyone here is no surprise to me, of course.
We do have some work to do and some recommendations to follow, which Margo nicely summarized in her note. As I have said from my first day at CSN, our mission will always take a students-first approach. As we consider our accrediting body’s recommendations, I want us to always focus on student persistence, completion and graduation, transferring, and meeting the needs of the local workforce.
Faculty & Staff Presidential Roundtables Summary
I hope you were able to attend one of the roundtable events we held in late September on each of our campuses. It is very important to me that communication between the administration and the faculty and staff happen in both directions. The roundtables were designed to be conversations, and I was pleased that we had the kind of back and forth I had hoped for. If you were unable to attend, we have posted a summary of the topics discussed and some of the concerns brought up. Please take a moment to read through them, and let me know if there is a topic you wish you had been able to bring up.
Know When to Call in an Expert
Often, supervisors are called upon to handle sensitive employee issues, but sometimes it is better to pass along some matters to the experts in human resources. Determining which issues to handle yourself and which to bring HR in on can seem difficult, but it is not as complicated as it sounds. When the issue includes FMLA, ADAAA, sexual harassment, discrimination and other, similar topics, it is best to bring in human resources. Please click the link below for a more thorough examination of the topic. And, as always, feel free to call human resources for a consultation any time you need help. HR can be reached at 702.651.5800.
Behavior Intervention Team
As we have noted since Convocation, we are renewing our attention this year on the safety and security of our faculty, staff and students. As I noted earlier, this includes more than just physical safety. And while we can distribute information about CAPS services, students who may be in need do not always seek it out when perhaps they should. As faculty and staff, sometimes we interact with students who we believe may need those services. We should refer them to www.csn.edu/caps in those cases. For faculty and staff, the Employee Assistance Program is our outlet for counseling services and more. See www.csn.edu/employee-assistance-program for full details.
I bring this up because it occurs to me that while we all intuitively understand the word “safety” to refer to our physical well-being, it also refers to our mental health. The two are equally important. You may not know about the Behavior Intervention Team we have at CSN. It includes experts from across the college, including those from legal, police, human resources, student services and more. This team can supplement the efforts of our student conduct officers, human resources personnel, CAPS office and Employee Assistance program, helping to ensure any concerning behaviors are addressed in a timely and safe manner.
You will hear more about CAPS referrals later in this Chronicle, as well. And please be on the lookout for CAPE sessions on safety and security, as well as more information about the Behavior Intervention Team in the coming weeks.
Public Safety Update
Last month, the NSHE Board of Regents voted to move forward with plans for the Southern Command Police Consolidation. NSHE is in the process of hiring a southern commander to lead the transformation and the development of a collaborative plan that will enhance the safety and security of all our students, faculty and staff. In my presentation to the Board of Regents I emphasized that CSN expects that the consolidation would mean more not less resources and that we would build on the foundation of our current safety model that has worked for the CSN community in the past. To be clear, the plan will not simply replicate the police consolidation that took place in northern Nevada. We will continue to keep you informed of developments as the occur. On a related matter, we are holding an active shooter drill on the North Las Vegas Campus next week. Please remember to be prepared, and go into the drill thinking about what your role would be during such an event.
Read the NSHE Press Release on Police Consolidation
Nevada Promise Scholarship
The Nevada Promise Scholarship is becoming even more popular, with this year’s application total surpassing last year’s. This year we had more than 10,000 high school seniors applying by the October 31 deadline. Current Promise Scholars attending CSN have also reapplied and will be working with the college to renew their eligibility. CSN will now be engaging with mentors and working with students to complete the required trainings.
For more information on the Nevada Promise Scholarship at CSN, how to become a mentor, or next steps for applicants, please visit the link below or contact the Promise Office at 702.651.7546.
Learn More about Nevada Promise
Workday Anniversary
As we mark the first anniversary of going live with Workday at CSN, I want to first offer my sincere appreciation and congratulations to the entire Workday team. There are roundtable discussions scheduled this month where you can learn about the progress that has been made since the last roundtable in June, discuss your experience with Workday and voice your feedback. You are invited to join Vice President Mary Kaye Bailey and the Workday team at one of the following roundtables:
- Tuesday, November 6, 1-2 p.m., Henderson Campus, C Building, Room 133
- Tuesday, November 27, 9-10 a.m., Charleston Campus, D Building, Room 101
CAPE Professional Development Platform
CAPE will launch the college’s new professional development platform on Monday. This means all employees will be able to use the new features. The old system stopped accepting new registrations this week. Make sure you save your entire training record and certificates in case you need them in the future. CAPE will maintain the old records, but will not have access to your certificates. Trainings are offered November 5, 6, 8, 15, and 20 at various times and locations. If you have questions please contact CAPE at 702.651.5685 or CAPE@csn.edu.
Learn More About the New Platform
CSN Events
October 1 Remembrance
The CSN community came together on the anniversary of the tragedy on the Las Vegas Strip on October 1. The event, held on the Charleston Campus and co-sponsored by student government, saw dozens of faculty, staff, students and members of the community gather and pause for a moment of silent remembrance.
Diversity Events
October saw a number of events centered around the themes of diversity, and inclusion including the PRIDE Parade, the LGBTQ Student Mixer, the Diversity Festival, Black Student Union Spirt Week, and the International Center Welcome Event. I was able to attend some of these events, and what a great time I had. We’ve gathered some photos, which you can see at the link below.
CSN News
Mental Health Grant
We have received wonderful news from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: CSN has received a grant in the amount of $50,000 intended to ensure that our employees have the knowledge base to refer students displaying certain emotional and mental health behaviors to our Counseling and Psychological Services team. The CAPS team will work with Mojave Counseling and external community-based resources to provide services and referrals for students. CSN is the only awardee in the state of Nevada.
The goal is to train a wide array of students, faculty and staff, including deans, department chairs, directors, student leaders and members of the Behavior Intervention Team. This three-year grant will help us help students who may need and be unaware of the incredibly valuable services that CAPS offers.
STEM Grant
We have more great news regarding grants: CSN has received a grant of $1 million from the Governor’s Office of Science, Innovation and Technology to help strengthen STEM education in critically underrepresented student populations. The four-year grant funds the development of initiatives and strategies that seek to increase the number of underrepresented and low-income students studying and completing degrees or certificates in high-demand science, technology, engineering, and math fields. Underrepresented groups in STEM include women, students of color, and students with disabilities.
This is incredibly important news at this time. The demand for workers skilled in STEM fields is growing 41 percent faster in Nevada than in non-STEM industries. These are high-paying jobs that require the kind of credentials and degrees that CSN specializes in. Please look for more news on this exciting grant as we develop the strategies we will use to overcome the barriers these students face.
Enrollment
Fall 2018 Enrollment
Please review the latest enrollment report at the link below. This updated report reflects our fall enrollment through the Fall Census date, October 15. All NSHE institutions must report enrollment numbers to the system office by their designated census date. As I mentioned last month, our enrollment numbers remain at levels not seen in many years and I know we will continue to see those numbers rise year after year. Here’s an interesting note: If you add up our unique student headcount from the spring, summer and fall semesters, as well as those from our non-credit workforce division, we touch the lives of over 50,000 students each and every year. That’s tremendous. And it’s all because of our dedicated faculty and staff.