Dear CSN Family,
Today’s message focuses on the important role that federal incentives are playing to help address the CSN budget cuts proposed by the governor’s office of up to $19,587,173. I hope you took a moment to read through our proposal and noticed that the first tier of our FY 20-21 proposed cuts — 4 percent — was covered entirely by CARES Act funding. This funding totals $14,078,408, half of which can be used to offset lost revenues and other expenditures related to COVID-19. That equates to $7,039,204. We will apply $6,550,485 to cover the proposed 4 percent cuts, and the remaining $488,719 being applied to our proposed tier 2 cuts. As you can see, these funds are incredibly important to CSN.
The other half of the CARES Act funding will be awarded to students as emergency cash grants to pay for technology, course materials, food, shelter, health care and other essentials. The U.S. Department of Education will not mandate how colleges should allocate the funding, but will make recommendations, such as targeting students based on need. We have formed an internal group to help work on these recommendations and develop a plan for awarding these direct-to-student funds.
We are also waiting for information on the national supplemental funding in the amount of $1 billion that is slated to go to historically black colleges & universities, tribal colleges and universities, and other Minority-Serving Institutions. As you know CSN is both a Minority-Serving Institution and a Hispanic-Serving Institution so we will be eligible for this additional funding. More to come as details become available.
Our Office of Sponsored Projects may also be able to help our students with additional funding, as well as our community overall. The team is busy working on grant applications for both students who need aid and for prospective students who may need job training as we emerge from this crisis. Look for more information about our workforce development grant efforts in the coming weeks.
Our own Student Emergency Fund puts Students First by directly assisting them financially. With the help of donations from faculty, staff and the community, as well as a challenge match from Charles Schwab Bank and donations from Wells Fargo and AT&T, I am happy to report we have raised nearly $55,000 toward this critical resource. View the list of donors on the CSN Foundation’s page. As you know, this fund can help students pay necessary expenses such as housing, utilities, books, tuition and other costs to make sure the student can attend CSN. More than $23,000 has been granted to students so far — the vast majority since mid-March.
We want to thank you for your participation in our previous town halls and want to remind you of our Virtual Town Halls later this week. These events give faculty, staff and students an opportunity to ask questions of our administration and to receive critical information. We are in this together, and that’s how we will remain Vegas Strong and CSN Proud.
Stay safe and God bless.
Federico Zaragoza
President
College of Southern Nevada