Posted on January 27, 2015 by CSN

Greetings!

Hope you all had a restful winter break and enjoyed the wonderful professional development sessions offered through CAPE at this spring’s convocation. This Chronicle includes information regarding CSN’s performance in the second performance pool, the state budget, accomplishments and more!  There is much happening in higher education, particularly as preparations get underway for the 2015 legislative session and as CSN engages the community more intensively.

Performance Pool
Congratulations are well due to you all for your hard work these past few years to increase student success. We are seeing results! For the second year in a row, CSN has met its benchmark obligations in the performance pool, which allows us to retain 10% of our budget for the next fiscal year. These benchmarks are based on the number of students that graduate and transfer in specific categories, as listed below. CSN exceeded its benchmarks by 112%, up from the 108% by which CSN exceeded its graduation and transfer obligations in the first year of the performance pool implementation. You’ll recall that the amount of money at stake with the pool will increase by 5% each year until it comprises 20% of our state budget in FY 2018.

 

 

 

 

Media Articles on Furloughs and NSHE Salary Dollars
Last week, a couple of news articles, regarding the state’s $162 million deficit for the current fiscal year, included reports of additional furlough days and salary sweeps that require clarification.

First, the only reduction being proposed for the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) is an elimination of the ability to draw up to $6.5 million in salary adjustment pool funds from the Nevada Board of Examiners.  While this represents a reduction in potential revenue available to NSHE institutions, it will not impact faculty or staff salaries.  This pool was a source of funds to which institutions could apply for dollars to cover salary adjustments to the extent they were not otherwise covered by vacancy savings or other sources. Now institutions will need to cover those expenses and any shortfall from other one-time sources.  

There was also a reference to two additional furlough days.  No additional furlough days are being proposed for NSHE faculty or staff.

 

This Friday, come join us to celebrate the dedication of the Charleston Student Services Building in honor of CSN President Emeritus Dr. Paul Meacham. He was CSN’s longest serving President and the first African American President of a college or university in Nevada. The dedication of the Paul E. Meacham Student Services Building will take place at 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30. To attend, please R.S.V.P. to Michelle.word@csn.edu.
 

Legislative Update and Governor’s Budget

As stated previously in my all email last week, the Governor has released his budget priorities, including the elimination of furloughs and restoration of pay for faculty, staff and students. the NSHE presented its budget to a joint money committee last week. The presentation went well and we expect to continue to advocate for priorities not included in the Governor’s budget, including an increase of $5 for every weighted student credit hour completed, which  CSN would use to advance student success priorities, state funded grants for low-income community college students and a workforce fund among others. The session begins next week on Feb. 2. CSN will have a strong presence up in Carson City to advance these priorities.

Re-Opening of the A Building
On Feb. 11, we will unveil state-of-the-art renovations to the oldest building on our Charleston campus, including three new classrooms and six labs.

The Claude I. Howard Health Sciences Center first opened in 1988 as the college expanded from its roots on Cheyenne Avenue. Howard was a philanthropist and supporter of education whose generous donation helped CSN’s new campus get off the ground.

Come join us to celebrate its re-opening at a dedication ceremony scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 11. In addition to renovating 26,000 square feet of the building – about half the existing space in the building – nearly 5,000 square feet of new space was added. The new space houses ophthalmic dispensing, radiation therapy and physical therapy. The $10 million project included modern new equipment for the physical therapy, radiation therapy and ophthalmic assistant programs, as well as some smaller renovations to the veterinary tech area in the adjacent B building.

These new classrooms and labs will enhance the learning experience for our students at CSN and we are excited to show them off to the public. We hope you will join us.

CSN Connections at the Charleston campus.

The purpose of the event, which we offer on all three main campuses at the start of every semester, is to help students get to know CSN and the myriad programs designed to enrich their engagement in the collegiate experience. 

Research shows that students who feel more connected to their college are more likely to succeed. Thank you to all the faculty and staff who worked hard to make the event the success that it was.

CSN High Schools Receive High Marks

The Clark County School District recently noted that three CCSD high schools had a 100 percent graduation rate in 2014: College of Southern Nevada High School East, College of Southern Nevada High School South, and College of Southern Nevada High School West. Congratulations to that wonderful program. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the school district.

 

North Las Vegas City Hall

CSN will begin leasing space in the North Las Vegas City Hall this spring. Vice President of Finance Mary Kaye Bailey and her team will relocate to this space.  The Facilities operation will relocate to the business building on the Cheyenne campus, thereby vacating space in the main building for faculty and staff offices. 

 

CSN Student Body President William McCurdy Receives Prestigious MLK Award

ASCSN President William McCurdy II at the MLK Scholarship Banquet on Jan. 17.

On Jan. 17, I had the honor of attending the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship Banquet at the Orleans with a great crew from CSN. Our very own ASCSN President William McCurdy, Jr., received the President’s Award at the event. This is an exceptional honor and we are very proud of William and his accomplishments.

 

 

 

 

Institutional Advisory Council

CSN’s new Institutional Advisory Council will meet for the first time on Feb. 4 at the NSHE Las Vegas system office. The first hour of the meeting will be teleconferenced with three northern community colleges’ institutional advisory councils for a joint presentation by American Association of Community Colleges President and CEO Dr. Walter Bumphus. The second half of the meeting will pertain to CSN. We have put the agenda and other supporting materials for this new body on the web. Go to www.csn.edu/iac for more information.

 

Town Halls Not Roundtables

The length of this Chronicle is indicative of the multitude of major events, happenings, initiatives and so forth that are underway at CSN. Therefore this semester, I will be conducting monthly town halls to update you on the Legislature and other happenings. There will be one per month and we will rotate among each of our campuses. You will see advertisements for these shortly. Please come and bring your questions!

 

Poster Fair

The second annual Poster Fair on Student Success that took place on Jan. 12 was a fantastic event, enjoyed by all. This was a great way to share information about the unique projects each department has been working on and a demonstration of how engaged this college is in the mission of student success. My thanks to all of you for the work you do and the additional efforts to put together engaging and dynamic posters to communicate your important work.

 

New Web Design
I am excited to announce that the CSN website is being redesigned. This new redesign will focus on successfully marketing our college to future students and parents, while placing emphasis on converting visitors into students. The new website will feature great improvements that will benefit our target audience, including user personalization, interactive maps, guided video tours, improved page owner workflows, simplified degree and certificate processes, extended social capabilities, in addition to other enhancements designed to improve the visitor retention and overall experience.

A portal website is also being designed and launched for current students, faculty, and staff.  The portal’s single sign-on functionality will allow users to login once and gain access to emails, class schedules, Canvas, faculty contacts, important forms, financial information and many more features that’s personalized to the user. In essence, the new portal will provide a dashboard that will help students, faculty, and staff get the best functionality out of multiple CSN internal applications, in one convenient location.

Faculty & Staff Questions:

“What is happening with the Northwest Campus?”
In December, President Obama signed the Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument bill, which converts 22,650 acres to a national park and which also includes the 40-acre Northwest campus parcel. We have waited years for Congress to pass this legislation and are truly grateful. This will open access to postsecondary education in a growing corner of this valley. We are currently working with the City of Las Vegas to finalize the conveyance of the land to us and reviewing the previous plans for this campus’ build out. But in short, we are still a long way off from any ground breaking ceremony.

“Are enrollments up or down this spring?”
Enrollments this spring are slightly up compared to where they were at this time last year. Historically, spring enrollments are lower than fall’s numbers. However, we won’t have an accurate depiction until the mid-semester census.

“Why does the City of North Las Vegas want us to rename the Cheyenne campus?”
It is no secret that Mayor John Lee wants to rename the CSN Cheyenne campus the CSN North Las Vegas Campus. There was an article in the newspaper regarding this recently. Mayor Lee has advocated for such a renaming to help promote the campus to North Las Vegas residents and highlight the college’s presence in North Las Vegas. I continue to look for new ways to accomplish this purpose without a renaming and bring all three of our campuses closer to the diverse communities we serve. I believe our new Institutional Advisory Council will assist us with these efforts.

“What does the President’s proposal for free community college mean for us?”
In his Jan. 20 State of the Union, President Obama announced a $60 billion, 10-year plan, dubbed America’s College Promise that would pay for about three-fourths of a student’s tuition and fees at a community college in states that “opt in” to the program and agree to pay for the remaining tab.  Students would have to attend at least half-time and maintain a 2.5 GPA while making steady progress toward their degrees.

First Congress would have to pass the President’s proposal or some version of it. Then states would have to agree to certain parameters and funding requirements and opt in to allow residents to participate. Most higher education experts are not optimistic that Congress will pass this proposal. The chair of the Education Committee has come out against it.

I know that some of you have heard from students on this proposal. Please urge them to contact their congressional delegates, Rep. Joe Heck, in particular, whereas he is on the Education Committee.

Let me know if you have additional questions.

Best,

Mike

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2015 Governor’s Budget Recommendations for Higher Education

Posted on January 26, 2015 by CSN

From Office of the President Email Jan. 18, 2015:

The Governor delivered his State of the State address last night, outlining his recommendations for the state’s budget over the next two years.  His budget includes the restoration of salaries for professional and classified staff by eliminating the furlough program.

We are pleased to see this significant priority included in the governor’s budget, which lawmakers will begin deliberating upon, starting Feb. 2. Faculty and staff have sacrificed much since the start of the recession and while this effort can never fully restore what was lost, we are grateful to see its inclusion in the governor’s budget. We will be asking lawmakers to support this initiative and ask for your assistance in the coming days.

In addition, the Governor has recommended funding for merit-based step increases for NSHE classified employees. This is an important program that directly impacts many of the lowest paid NSHE employees. It did not, however, include merit for professional employees. Likewise the Executive Budget did not include funding for the Longevity Payment program, which provides semi-annual bonus payments to classified staff based on length of service.

Also as directed by the 2013 Legislature and consistent with the NSHE budget request, the Executive Budget removes F’s for non-attendance from the weighted student credit hour calculation.  This is a net-zero impact to NSHE as a System, but reallocates funds between institutions based on the relative number of F’s for non-attendance each formula budget had.  This reallocation resulted in increases at UNLV, UNR, and NSC and decreases at CSN, TMCC, GBC and WNC.

While most of his speech was dedicated to K-12 needs, the governor recommended overall $76 million in new operating funds for higher education, including $9 million for the medical school and $10 million for graduate medical education.

The majority of these new funds support non-CSN specific priorities and we will continue to advocate for our priorities, including a state funded financial aid program for low-income students, the competitive workforce training grants for community colleges, an increase in the weighted student credit hour, merit for professional employees and longevity pay.

Additional spending in the governor’s budget is paid for through a proposed new business license fee, an increase in the cigarette tax and the continued extension of taxes that were set to expire at the end of this fiscal year. We know this plan is controversial among legislators and will face opposition, so we should by no means expect the governor’s budget to be the final word. The legislative process uses his budget as a starting point and we know that good ideas, student and staff advocacy and good discussions can make a positive impact.

We will keep you posted with regular reports and information on how and when to most effectively contact your legislators to advocate on behalf of our annual 50,000 students.

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State-of-the-Art Labs, Equipment for Science Students at CSN to Enhance Learning

Posted on January 15, 2015 by CSN

 

 

 

 

For Immediate Release:

 

Contact:          Richard Lake, CSN Public Relations Specialist, 702-651-7715, Richard.Lake@csn.edu

 

State-of-the-Art Labs, Equipment for Science Students at CSN to Enhance Learning

Renovated Claude I. Howard Health Sciences Center to be Re-Opened

 

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6, 2015 – The College of Southern Nevada will unveil state-of-the-art renovations to the oldest building on its Charleston campus, including three new classrooms and six labs.

The Claude I. Howard Health Sciences Center first opened in 1988 as the college expanded from its roots on Cheyenne Avenue. Howard was a philanthropist and supporter of education whose generous donation helped CSN’s new campus get off the ground.

College officials and members of the healthcare industry will celebrate its re-opening at a dedication ceremony scheduled for 4 p.m. Feb. 11. In addition to renovating 26,000 square feet of the building – about half the existing space in the building – nearly 5,000 square feet of new space was added. The new space will house ophthalmic dispensing, radiation therapy and physical therapy. The building is used primarily by programs in the Ralph & Betty Engelstad School of Health Sciences.

The $10 million project included modern new equipment for the physical therapy, radiation therapy and ophthalmic assistant programs, as well as some smaller renovations to the veterinary tech area in the adjacent B building.

“These new classrooms and labs will enhance the learning experience for our students at CSN,” said CSN President Michael Richards. “We’re excited to show them off to the public.”

What: CSN to dedicate the Claude I. Howard Health Sciences Center

When: From 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 11

Where: CSN’s Charleston Campus

About CSN:

Founded in 1971 and educating thousands of students a semester, the College of Southern Nevada (csn.edu) is the state’s largest and most ethnically diverse higher education institution. CSN students can choose from 180 degree and certificate options in more than 100 areas of study, including more than 25 degree and certificate programs available entirely online. Students create flexible, personalized schedules, including day, evening, and weekend classes taught on three main campuses and multiple locations throughout Southern Nevada. CSN — your future starts here. CSN is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. For more information, visit http://www.csn.edu/nondiscrimination

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CSN to Name Student Services building in Honor of Dr. Meacham

Posted on January 14, 2015 by CSN

 

 

 

 

For Immediate Release:

 

Contact: Richard Lake, CSN Public Relations Specialist, 702-651-7715, Richard.Lake@csn.edu

 

CSN to Name Charleston Campus Student Services Building in Honor of President Emeritus Dr. Paul E. Meacham

Student Services Building to Bear the Name of Nevada’s First African American Postsecondary President

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 12, 2015 – CSN President Michael D. Richards is pleased to invite members of the community and the media to attend the dedication of the Paul E. Meacham Student Services Building, which will take place on Friday, Jan. 30, at 1 p.m. at the Charleston campus.
The student services building, a cornerstone of the Charleston campus, will be named in honor of CSN President Emeritus Dr. Paul E. Meacham, the first African American president of a Nevada higher education institution.

“President Meacham changed the lives of thousands of students and his legacy should be promoted in perpetuity,” said CSN President Michael D. Richards. “He’s the reason we have the Charleston campus today. A decade after he retired from CSN, there is no better time to honor Dr. Meacham, his service to CSN, its students and Nevada.”
The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents approved the naming of the building in honor of Dr. Meacham in December.

Dr. Meacham headed CSN for over a decade from 1983 to 1994 and still holds the title of the longest-serving President in the college’s 44-year history. The student services building opened five years after Dr. Meacham retired in 1999, but the 66,644-square-feet facility is a central hub for students on the campus. It contains advising, registrar, cashier’s, financial aid and disability resources services among others. It also houses a number of classrooms, the Veterans Education Center and Tutorial Services on the second floor.

Through his leadership, Dr. Meacham set the vision for the design of the Charleston campus, which was a plot of dirt when he first arrived at CSN and is now the college’s largest campus. He helped secure private funds for its first building, the Claude I. Howard Health Sciences Center, which has recently been renovated and will re-open Feb. 11. Dr. Meacham also oversaw the college at a time of significant expansion and was instrumental in obtaining student spaces on campuses and securing CSN’s membership in Phi Theta Kappa, the national community college honor society, among many other accomplishments.

“Building the Charleston campus was one of the most significant challenges and accomplishments of my tenure as President,” Meacham said. “I owe many of my successes to the terrific faculty and staff at the college, many of whom are still here and I am honored to be forever connected to them and CSN.”

Dr. Meacham will be available for interviews at the dedication ceremony, which will be followed by a reception inside the building.

 

What: Dedication of the CSN Paul E. Meacham Student Services Building

When: Jan. 30, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where: The ceremony will take place outside in the Palm Tree Circle and will be followed by a reception inside the building

 

About CSN:

Founded in 1971 and educating thousands of students a semester, the College of Southern Nevada (csn.edu) is the state’s largest and most ethnically diverse higher education institution. CSN students can choose from 180 degree and certificate options in more than 100 areas of study, including more than 25 degree and certificate programs available entirely online. Students create flexible, personalized schedules, including day, evening, and weekend classes taught on three main campuses and multiple locations throughout Southern Nevada. CSN — your future starts here.

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CSN Welcomes Students Back for Spring Semester

Posted on January 13, 2015 by CSN

 

 

 

 

For Immediate Release:

 

Contact:          Richard Lake, CSN Public Relations Specialist, 702-651-7715, Richard.Lake@csn.edu

 

CSN Welcomes Students Back for Spring Semester

CSN Connections events designed to build a sense of community

 

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 12, 2015 – CSN is welcoming students back this semester with events featuring information on student clubs, the services offered, a Welcome Back crew, food, prizes and games.

Students can still enroll for the spring 2015 semester through Jan. 19. The CSN Connections events kick off the semester during the first week of classes on all three main campuses, on Jan. 20, 21 and 22.

“We’ll be greeting new and returning students and offering them whatever help they need,” said Darren Divine, CSN’s vice president of academic affairs. “The food and prizes are a bonus.”

Connections will feature burgers and hot dogs grilled by CSN administrators, dozens of booths hosted by student clubs and campus organizations, and information on counseling, transferring, tutoring and all the other services CSN offers.

In addition, there will be giveaways, a welcoming crew of volunteers to shepherd new students around all three campuses, and plenty of staffers on hand to help students.

CSN Connections was designed to help students get to know the college, which spans three campuses across Clark County. Research has shown that students who feel a connection to their college, including its services and students clubs, are more likely to do well, return, and graduate.

“Student success is the foundation of all that we do at CSN,” said Divine, who came up with the idea for the events several years ago. “There is nothing more important than welcoming students back, making them feel comfortable, and making sure they get all the help they need.”

Here are the times and locations of the events:

·      Tuesday, Jan 20: 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., outside the B building on the Henderson campus

·      Wednesday, Jan 21: 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., outside the main entrance on the Cheyenne campus

·      Thursday, Jan 22: 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., outside the D building on the Charleston campus

 

About CSN:

Founded in 1971 and educating thousands of students a semester, the College of Southern Nevada (csn.edu) is the state’s largest and most ethnically diverse higher education institution. CSN students can choose from 180 degree and certificate options in more than 100 areas of study, including more than 25 degree and certificate programs available entirely online. Students create flexible, personalized schedules, including day, evening, and weekend classes taught on three main campuses and multiple locations throughout Southern Nevada. CSN — your future starts here. CSN is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution. For more information, visit http://www.csn.edu/nondiscrimination

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CSN December 2014 Chronicle

Posted on December 31, 2014 by CSN

CSN Cheyenne Campus

 

As this semester ends and we prepare for the holidays, I would like to express my gratitude for your service to our students this semester. It has been a wonderful semester, full of many exciting developments. 

I want to create a culture of communication, in which all supervisors share information with their direct reports and faculty and staff actively discuss changes and debate them as well through the shared-governance process. I believe this is happening in some areas of the college and know it is not happening in others. But it starts right here with this Chronicle,which includes important updates for you and your colleagues. I encourage you to read these, ask questions and share this information with others around you. 

Presidential Evaluation & Introspection

Since I was appointed President in 2007, I have undergone two extensive evaluations of my performance, most recently Dec. 9-12. This process is conducted through the Board of Regents and NSHE staff in accordance with Board policies. This has been an exceptionally busy year for the Board and system staff and I know the date conflicted with finals week, when many faculty, staff and students are occupied with end-of-the-year endeavors. To those of you who were able to participate in the evaluation process, who addressed the committee, wrote emails, or attended forums, THANK YOU!  This is an important process for college communities and whether good, bad or ugly, it provides invaluable feedback that I take very seriously. I am also very grateful to UNLV President Emerita Dr. Carol Harter, who served as the evaluation consultant and facilitated the process to ensure we get the most of this time for introspection. She spoke with 98 individuals from our campus community over three days and received dozens of emails. I look forward to her final report, which she will share with the Board of Regents at their meeting in March. 

She provided initial recommendations to me at the conclusion of the Board of Regents Periodic Presidential Evaluation Committee on Friday, which are discussed below. 

Dr. Harter strongly recommended expanding the executive administration. She and the committee made several suggestions on potential models, including an executive vice provost model, in which CSN would have an internal president, strongly representative of the academic side of the house. Other suggestions included a vice president of advancement, or an executive leader for business and industry partnerships and a special assistant to the president. 

In case the idea of expanding administration seems enigmatic to you, I will explain the rationale for this suggestion. CSN is one of the largest institutions in the nation and is involved in a number of resource intensive initiatives geared toward improving student success. Although in the world of academics and shared governance, we tend to all wear many hats, I need more people, and people of diverse perspectives, to help me develop, plan and implement these initiatives and do so in an organized, cohesive fashion so as to minimize disruptions to you and your responsibilities. 

She also made several recommendations to increase the number of minority applicants and finalists for faculty and administrative positions. 

If you are reading this and wondering why the focus on diversity, it is not only important that we represent the diverse community we serve for symbolic purposes, there are ample studies that suggest our students do better when they are taught by individuals with shared experiences, socialization and background.           

In the area of student success, she recommended that I enhance existing student events with more personal interaction with students. She also suggested that we explore requiring community college students to obtain an associate degree to transfer. 

Another recommendation was to increase my external commitments in the community. Know that I have to be off campus often to promote the reputation of this college, create and maintain partnerships and garner support and friend-raisers for this important institution. At the same time, I pledge to do more to get out and meet with students and employees. Dr. Harter noted that expanding the administration, as noted above, would provide more time to do this and knock on doors in the community. 

Any change in transfer and articulation must come from the system, but I look forward to a rigorous discussion on the associate-degree requirement in the near future with our colleagues at our sister institutions.

More on this will be forthcoming on the evaluation and recommendations, but since I ask you to read the Chronicles, I best keep this brief. In summary, I agree with the recommendations and plan to take some time during the holidays to reflect on them further.  As a final note, there is no time like the present. Although this periodic evaluation happens only once every three years, my door is open and I welcome your comments, concerns and critiques.

CSN faculty and staff dance at the CSN 2014 holiday party.

Holiday Party

I would like to thank the faculty and staff who put together the CSN holiday party. Michelle Word, Dave Morgan, Jann Carson, Jamille Walton, Suzan Workman, our floral design department faculty and staff and many more worked hard to get raffle prizes, make the room look sensational, distribute and take tickets, organize the food drive with Three Square and much more.  The room was beautiful (I particularly liked our logo in lights!). The food was great and the company was magnificent. The event was a wonderful end to this academic semester and I enjoyed catching up with many of you.  Thank you, too, for the many comments encouraging continuation of the holiday party.

Institutional Advisory Council

The Board of Regents, system and my office have selected 17 members to sit on CSN’s new Institutional Advisory Council (IAC). As you’ll recall, these advisory boards are a product of the interim legislative Committee on Community College Governance. The members have been notified of their appointments and have been invited to the inaugural meeting on February 4, which will take place at the system office.

Each community college in Nevada now has an IAC, which will function as an additional layer of governance that will advise me on a broad array of college activities. The Chairs of each IAC will also be ex officio members of the Board of Regents’ Committee on Community Colleges. I’m particularly grateful to have the participation of the Faculty Senate and the ASCSN as members of the IAC.  A thorough orientation process for all IAC members is being developed and will be introduced to the members prior to the first meeting. Should you have questions about the IAC, please let me know.

CSN Institutional Advisory Council Membership

Susan Adamek
Director of Education
Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican

John R. Bailey
Senior Partner
Bailey-Kennedy LLP

Dr. Nancy Brune
Executive Director
Kenny Guinn Center for Policy Priorities

Ardell Galbreth
Executive Director
Workforce Connections

Maria Jose Gatti
Director of National Diversity Relations
Interim Director of Philanthropy & Community Engagement
MGM Resorts International 

Vida Chan Lin
Vice President of Economic Development
OCA Asian Advocacy Group 

Norberto Madrigal
CEO
Lunas Construction 

Paul Moradkhan
Vice President of Government Affairs
Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce 

Shaundell Newsome
Founder
Sumnu Marketing
Vice-Chair of the Urban Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors 

Dennis Perea
Interim Director and Deputy Director
Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation

Dr. Jonas Peterson
COO
Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance 

Randy Robison
Director of Legislative Affairs
Centurylink

Jose Solorio
President & Founder
Political Advancement of Latinos Organization

Gaye Stockman
President & CEO
Mesquite Regional Business, Inc.

Shari Wong
Director of Communications
Arcata Associates and Wong Media Inc

 Ex Officio

Jodie Mandel
CSN Faculty Senate Chair

Ex Officio
Lizbeth Gonzalez
ASCSN Vice President

Legislative Session and Budget

As 2015 opens, Governor Sandoval will announce his budget recommendations in his Jan. 15 State of the State address, prior to the legislative session, which starts Feb.2. We are advocating the Regents’ priorities, including the elimination of furloughs, but as I’m sure you are aware, this will be an interesting session with many surprises. You have my commitment that a steady stream of information and news will be widely shared with the entire CSN community over the next six months.   

People and Responsibilities

As the new calendar year begins, a number of new folks are assuming new assignments in NSHE and at CSN. 

  • Catherine Cortez Masto will become the Executive Vice Chancellor for NSHE
  • Frank Woodbeck will assume greater responsibility for coordinating the community colleges
  • The national search for a new VPSA is expected to conclude in February. 

I want to take a moment to explain two key CSN changes and provide my rationale for these. With the creation of the new Institutional Advisory Councils, I have asked K.C. Brekken to staff this council. Who better to help them become informed advocates for CSN’s 50,000 students, than our communications and government affairs person? She provided support for the previous CSN North Las Vegas Advisory Board, has done research on community college trustees as part of her doctoral program at UNLV and is excited to help get this new initiative up and running as a key support function of our college. She will serve in this capacity as an executive director. 

This leaves a gap in our legislative and public relations activities, just prior to the start of the legislative session. I am pleased to announce that Michael Flores will be our new communications and government affairs director. Michael is a CSN alumnus and comes to us from Congressman Horsford’s office where he served as press secretary and senior community liaison and developed great relationships with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. He has also previously served as state director for Reform Immigration for America and communications director for Progress Now Nevada. He is bilingual and will help us increase our presence in Hispanic media. He begins Jan. 5 and will work with K.C. to help us with our communications and government affairs needs as we approach the 2015 legislative session. Please help welcome him to CSN! 

Facilities Report:

A number of projects are closing or starting and I want to make you aware of them: 

  • Parking lot paving at Cheyenne.  This important project is now underway and will be completed in stages so that disruptions are minimized. 
  • West Charleston’s A building renovation has been completed, and the space is being furnished.  It should be ready for use next semester.  Renovation of part of the B building will commence shortly.
  • CSN is running out of space. We plan over the next several years to add more advisors, counselors, faculty, and other staff.  To accommodate them, we’re researching leasing opportunities for various functions that don’t have to be located on a campus.  You’ll be hearing more about this in the weeks ahead.

    CSN President Emeritus Dr. Paul Meacham and NSHE Chancellor Dan Klaich after the Board of Regents approved the naming of the CSN Student Services Building in honor of Dr. Meacham.

Naming of the D Building in Honor of Dr. Paul Meacham

On Dec. 4, the Board of Regents approved the naming of the CSN Charleston Student Services Building in honor of CSN President Emeritus Dr. Paul Meacham. The first African American President in the Nevada System of Higher Education, Meacham was CSN’s longest serving president. Having led this college through one of its fastest epochs of growth and expansion from 1983 to 1994, he changed the lives of thousands and his legacy should be promoted in perpetuity. CSN desires to recognize Dr. Meacham’s contributions to this state by naming the student services building, also known as the “D” building on the West Charleston campus, in his honor. We will be planning a dedication ceremony in the spring semester. 

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Maria Schellhase, a CSN business instructor whose course MKT 210 – Essentials of Marketing will receive the 2015 Award for Outstanding Blended Course from the Instructional Technology Council. ITC award winners will receive a complimentary registration to attend eLearning 2015, the organization’s annual conference. This year’s conference will be held in Las Vegas and CSN is the official host. ITC is an affiliated council of American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). 

Roundtables:

I have decided to do faculty, staff and student roundtables throughout the semester, instead of at the beginning. My hope is that this will make it easier for more people to attend. 

Happy holidays to you and your families! Hope you have time to rest and relax and enjoy good friends, family and neighbors. 

–Mike Richards

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November Chronicle

Posted on November 26, 2014 by CSN

Greetings! This November Chronicle addresses three specific topics:  legislative issues, periodic presidential evaluation, and outstanding accomplishments.  I would ask you to take time to read this Chronicle carefully.

LEGISLATIVE  ISSUES

  • Following the 2014 elections, Republican lawmakers now control the Senate and Assembly and will be working with Governor Sandoval on the budget for the next biennium and on legislation impacting higher education.
  • Issues that lawmakers are expected to discuss include tax reform and whether to extend a package of taxes due to sunset July 1, 2015, addressing Medicaid and related health issues and fixing the public education funding formula. In terms of higher education, lawmakers will review the Board of Regents’ budget priorities and we anticipate there will be legislation to authorize guns on campus.
  • We have reached out to all Southern Nevada legislators and are in the process of meeting with individual legislative leaders to communicate CSN’s needs.

I want to emphasize that the elimination of furloughs is still a top priority of the Board of Regents and of mine.

More information will be forthcoming on how to get involved. Letter writing, phone calls and petitions are just some of the ways you can participate and bring attention to the issues that matter to you and your family.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions or concerns, regarding legislative issues. Again, I urge you to get involved!

CSN PERIODIC PRESIDENTIAL EVALUATION

Approximately every three years, the Board of Regents conducts an extensive evaluation of a college or university’s president.  My evaluation will be conducted Dec. 9-12. Regent Kevin Melcher will chair the committee that will lead this process.  Due to limited time, the evaluation itself will take place at CSN’s Charleston campus. 

During this period of time, a third-party evaluation consultant – Dr. Carol Harter — will conduct a variety of interviews with CSN stakeholders.

The CSN community’s input is an integral element of the search process. Public comment is invited, anticipated and welcomed. The Regents’ CSN Presidential Evaluation Committee agenda will be posted on the NSHE website at www.nevada.edu and on the State of Nevada public notice website at https://notice.nv.gov/

A presidential evaluation is one of the most important tasks undertaken at the college and your input in this process is critical. As a valued member of CSN, you are encouraged to participate through the following three processes.

I. Open Forums
Open forum for CSN employees

Thursday, Dec. 11, 3-4 p.m.

CSN Charleston Campus, D 101

Open forum for CSN students

Thursday, Dec. 11, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

CSN Charleston Campus, K 101

II. Email
The third-party evaluation consultant will review e-mail letters sent prior to Dec. 8. You may send your input via email to Dr. Carol Harter at carol.harter@unlv.edu. Board policy prohibits her from accepting anonymous emails.

III. Public Comment

The Board of Regents’ CSN Presidential Evaluation Committee will meet on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 9 a.m. and on Friday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. in E 327 on the Charleston campus. These meetings are open to the public and interested stakeholders are invited to provide brief remarks during the public comment periods of these meetings.

For additional questions, please contact CSN Director of Government Affairs & Communications K.C. Brekken at 702-651-7535 or kc.brekken@csn.edu.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSTITUTIONAL ADVISORY COUNCILS (IAC)
The Board of Regents Committee on Community Colleges approved the charges and responsibilities for community college Institutional Advisory Councils this morning. The first meeting of all the community colleges’ new IACs will take place on Feb. 4 at 9 a.m. simultaneously, and we will receive a live address via videoconference from the President of the American Association on Community Colleges Walter Bumphus, which he will deliver from the Southern NSHE office. As mentioned previously, the interim legislative Committee on Community College Governance and Funding served as the impetus for these Institutional Advisory Councils, which will advise respective institutional presidents on a broad array of issues.  In a sense, the IAC is another governing board with links to the community and to the Board of Regents.   The Chair of the Board of Regents, Kevin Page, is expected to appoint the membership of each community college’s IAC by the end of December.   CSN has proposed 15 individuals and two ex officio members, insuring that student and faculty representation to the IAC is sustained from the outset. 

LAS VEGAS LATIN CHAMBER

Congratulations to CSN Executive Director of Community Relations, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs Maria Marinch, who was recently elected to the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors.

We are very proud to have a representative of CSN involved in this important organization and community partner. She will be inducted to the board today.

 

NATIONAL SPACE GRANT COLLEGE AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

CSN is the sub-awardee of the Nevada NASA Space Grant Consortium and received $300,580 to create a STEM Community of Practice. This CoP will link with Nevada’s other three community colleges to influence the success of women and underrepresented minorities as they pursue STEM coursework and degree attainment in the sciences.  Congrats to CSN biology instructor and Faculty Senate Chair elect Camille Naaktgeboren who is the leading this consortium on behalf of CSN!

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

I would like to thank the Native American Heritage Month Committee, including Chair Dr. Sondra Cosgrove, for their hard work to put on this month’s engaging events. If you can make it, I hope to see you at the President’s Forum on E-Learning and Native Students on Thursday in the H Building, Rm. 205 at 2:30 p.m. and then there is also a terrific photo exhibit “Moapa My Home” in the Nicholas J. horn Theatre Exhibit Hall from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 21.

NEVADA’S TOP LIBRARIAN IS AT CSN

Congratulations to CSN’s Ted Chodock! The Nevada Library Association named him the 2014 Librarian of the Year.

His work in assessing the effect of library policies and procedures on students was cited in his nomination as an example of his excellent work.

Chodock, a reference and instructional services librarian on the Charleston campus, came to CSN four years ago, following a stint at the Harvard Divinity School library. He has two master’s degrees and taught English for a period of time in Japan. CSN is fortunate to have him on board!

NEW EMERGENCY ALERT TOOL

In addition to texts and voicemails, CSN’s Emergency Notification System will now send critical alert messages right to college computers.

When CSN initiates an alert, a full-screen emergency message, such as the one featured here, will appear on all CSN computers.

Click an acknowledgment button at the bottom of the screen to close the alert and simultaneously provide acknowledgement to safety officials who originated the notification. Otherwise, alert messages will display until expiration or cancellation.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STAFF AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NISOD) EXCELLENCE AWARDS

The CSN Internal Recognition Committee wants to recognize your efforts to go above and beyond the expectations that make CSN a spectacular place to work and study. CSN will be honoring up to six individuals with the NISOD Excellence Awards for teaching faculty, administrative faculty and classified staff for their contributions to the college and student success. If you, or someone at CSN that you know is deserving of this, please be sure to apply or encourage them to apply. Once you fill out the application, have your supervisor sign it (he or she will have an optional place to expand on his or her endorsement) and then email it to IRC Chair Michele Fogg at Michele.fogg@csn.edu or send it via campus mail to her sort WC 204B.  The deadline for completed application is Friday, Dec. 19, at 5 p.m. 

ANNUAL HUNGRY GAMES

Thanks to all who were involved in the tannual Hungry Games, the faculty and staff BBQ and fall festival. It was wonderful to see so many members of our CSN family and to meet so many members of their families.

Congratulations to all administrative faculty, whose team won the employee mush ball competition and took home the trophy.

Lastly, don’t forget! The CSN annual holiday party will take place on Thursday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. at Texas Station. Please bring a food donation for Three Square!  Announcements about the party are already being circulated.  I hope you can join us!

Faculty & Staff Questions:

“What is the status of furloughs for the 15/16 academic year?”

As mentioned above, elimination of the furloughs is a top NSHE priority for the 2015 legislative session, but we can’t know anything for certain at this point. This is a reason you should stay aware of what is happening in the Legislature and get involved.

“What is going on with the Merit Policy?  Current status?”

I have asked the Administrative Faculty Assembly (AFA) Executive Committee to draft the portion of this policy that will affect administrative faculty, following the Faculty Senate approval of its portion of the CSN Merit Pay Policy.  The AFA Executive Committee is currently seeking input. 

 “Do we plan to re-index the salaries so that we are at 83%?  (I think this was a promise; at least that is what I have been told.)”

NSHE’s community college salary committee meets about every other year to review salary levels and re-index them pursuant to policies of the Board of Regents.  During the recession, salaries fell to about 71% of the median of university salaries.  Through the committee’s efforts and the advocacy of Carolyn Collins and John Scarborough, the index rose to approximately 78% with a goal of reaching 83%–a system target.  I am committed to the process of re-indexing on a systematic basis, and I’d like to go higher than 83%–a rather arbitrary target.

“There are rumors of Richards retiring… Is this true?”

This would be a surprise to me. 

“Does Dr. Richards have a position on the Phase 1 recommendations sent out by the chancellor from the DE taskforce?”

The Phase 1 recommendations contain general and specific recommendations regarding distance education.  In the context of Richard Katz’s 16 recommendations these are more manageable and appropriate for the system—a common LMS and registration platform appear to be useful steps forward.  Off the shelf remedial courses and math and English are more problematic since most literature in the field indicates remedial DE is not successful for most students.  If you’d like to read the entire document, either I or Jodie Mandel can provide it.  �

“What do classified staff need to know about the winter break closure? Is there an option for me if I want to work over the closure?”

CSN is reducing operations at the West Charleston, Cheyenne and Henderson campuses and closing all satellite sites Thursday, December 25, 2014 through Friday, January 2, 2015. Staff who choose to be off will need to take leave for the period December 26 – 31, 2014 and January 2, 2015.  

And yes, there are options for you if you want to work over that time period. In short, those departments that will have employees who have been designated to work or have elected to work, the management of the department is responsible for ensuring that there is a supervisory presence to provide oversight and guidance to any employee who is working.

In those cases where insufficient supervisory resources are available for those individuals who do not wish to take the winter break period off or wish to only take some time off during the winter break, arrangements will be made to reassign staff to the West Charleston campus during the winter break. Employees assigned to the Charleston campus from other campuses will be required to check in on the days worked at Charleston with the designated supervisor/administrator-in-charge at the Charleston campus.

For those planning on working during the holiday period, please complete the 2014 Winter Break Form that HR last emailed out on Nov. 6 and send it to Human Resources, (SORT CODE WC E411) no later than Dec. 1, 2014.

Please direct any questions, comments or concerns to the Human Resources e-mail box at HRcustomerservice@csn.edu

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Mike

 

 

 

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October Chronicle

Posted on October 24, 2014 by CSN

Greetings to all!  I hope your semester is going well. There are a number of activities I’d like you to know about.      

Institutional Advisory Council (IAC)

Two of the outcomes of the legislative interim study on community colleges were: 1) Creation of a Board of Regents Committee on Community Colleges, and 2) Creation of an Institutional Advisory Council for each community college. The Board of Regents developed a charge and membership guidelines for the IAC. I was asked to submit names for the CSN Council and have provide names and contact information for about 15 individuals as well as two ex officio members, the Chair of the Faculty Senate and the student body government. The Chair of the Board of Regents will make final decisions and appoint the members of the IAC. By the end of the calendar year, all four community colleges will have one of these councils in place and first meetings are expected during the first quarter of 2015.  

A key feature of the IAC is that the chair of each institution’s council will be an ex officio member of the Regents’ Committee on Community Colleges.  I’m sure you’ll hear more about IACs as the new year begins. 

CSN’s nascent North Las Vegas Advisory Board will give way to this new advisory council which will represent all of Southern Nevada and have a more comprehensive charge. I sincerely appreciate each of the community members who served on the North Las Vegas Advisory Board and put their time and energy toward supporting this college. 

Community Relations and Diversity

CSN operates in a diverse community, so last spring we coupled our community relations and diversity functions to help CSN reach out to the greater community. The Office of Community Relations, Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, led by Maria Marinch and her staff Community Relations Director Guy Amato, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator Leonardo Benavides and Alumni Relations Coordinator Jamille Walton, has been busy. 

On Friday, September 26, the Office held its second Diversity Day, an all-day training with the Center for Academic and Professional Excellence (CAPE). CSN staff and faculty had the option to select among 12 different sessions to enhance awareness and cultural competence and better serve diverse student populations. The next Diversity Day is being planned for February. A save the date announcement will be issued soon. In addition, the Office is working with Human Resources to infuse continuous training in this area. 

Dr. Luis Ponjuan, keynote at the 2nd annual diversity summit

On Friday, October 3, CSN hosted the 2014 NSHE Southern Nevada Diversity Summit, organized by CSN, UNLV, NSC, DRI and the system office. There were 249 attendees from throughout the community. Dr. Luis Ponjuan from Texas A&M spoke on issues facing Hispanic males in college. In addition, NSHE Chancellor Dan Klaich and CCSD Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky engaged in an interesting conversation regarding collaborations and pipelines for success between higher education and K-12. The afternoon concluded with a series of diversity-related workshops presented by staff and faculty. 

On Friday, October 10, more than 128 entrepreneurs and business representatives attended the third Supplier Inclusion Workshop and Networking Event at CSN and met purchasing decision makers at and other stakeholders. In collaboration with UNLV and NSC, the CSN Purchasing Department provided information on how to do business with the college. 

The Office’s ongoing collaboration with CSN’s eight diversity-related committees has produced several initiatives and events. The Latino Alliance had a busy calendar in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, including a successful student mixer and a panel on Hispanics in the STEM fields. The Queer Inclusive College Campus (QICC) committee celebrated LGBTQ History Month with mixer at The Center and several movie nights. QICC is also working on developing a Safe Zone program at CSN. 

The Office also continues to strengthen CSN’s presence in the community, collaborating with private and public organizations to positively impact student success. Some examples of the collaborations include participation in the My Brother’s Keeper Initiative addressing issues facing young African American males; the Latino Network Steering Committee, coordinating efforts among stakeholders in the Latino community to identify key areas of concern and to initiate a community based response to those needs; and Southern Nevada Strong, a public-private partnership in regional planning to explore how transportation infrastructure can incite economic development across all areas of the community. In the past month, the Office has had a presence in more than 35 community events and is also advising on grant opportunities with the North Las Vegas Library District and working to bring an Early Childhood Music Education program to West Las Vegas. 

In addition, the Office recently completed assessment of community engagements as the first step in a “Community Mapping” process to identify how and where CSN is represented in the community. 

The Office is also working on developing a strategic plan for the college’s new Alumni Relations Program with the expertise of Ms. Walton. This is expected to launch in the spring to engage, inform and connect CSN alumni. 

Men of Color

National and local data indicate that there is a significant achievement gap between minority males and other populations.  They’re not completing, and drop out at stunning rates.  The loss of men of color is a challenge for CSN that we have been working to ameliorate through the Strategic Enrollment Process and our Achieving the Dream pilot projects but more work is needed.  I’ve asked Larry Mosley, past director of Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation, to help with this important issue, in coordination with NSHE. The community college system in North Carolina has a model program that we are adapting for testing. If it works as planned, it will expand to other NSHE institutions.

Budget Prospects for the Next Biennium

As I reported to you earlier, Gov. Sandoval directed that budget requests from state agencies, including NSHE, for the 2015-17 biennium include salaries funded at the base and omit furloughs.  He also requested a merit pay component of 2.5% be included for possible funding. We are hopeful that these items as well as the budget priorities of the Board of Regents remain in his executive budget when it’s presented to the Legislature next year. Salary and benefit issues will be a matter for the Legislature. For CSN’s part, we will advocate and work and hope for a successful legislative session next year, but you should know that Nevada’s revenue picture has not fully rebounded from the recession and that other state priorities will compete for limited resources.  I’ll keep you informed as the session progresses.  

Women’s Volleyball

In the coming months, you will hear more about CSN’s aspirations to host a collegiate women’s volleyball team in addition to our nationally competitive baseball and softball teams. We envision this new team will start next fall and be based at the Cheyenne campus. This will give us a collegiate team sport at Cheyenne for us to rally around and help us demonstrate our commitment to Title IX.

Texas Station will be the site for our annual Holiday Party on Thursday, Dec. 11.  Please mark your calendars and plan to join us for this wonderful celebration.  

Structural Changes

As announced in September, I have made structural changes to the college’s executive administration to help us move new initiatives forward, deal with increased compliance and regulatory demands and community needs. We’ve been far too thin for too long and I urge you to look at the structures of our peer institutions, such as Valencia or Broward, for comparative purposes.

 The new organization chart is posted online on the President’s page, under the ‘Organization’ tab and can be found here.

The Hungry Games Softball Tournament and BBQ is a CSN family event at the Henderson campus.  It’s a time for good food, games for children of all ages, and for socializing.  So that we know how much food to prepare, please RSVP and plan to join us on Saturday, Nov. 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

 Computer Security

While it is crucial that technical staff secure CSN servers and systems, an effective security strategy requires everyone using campus technology to take precautions to help prevent breaches.  Below are some of the best ways to ensure you and the college do not become easy targets. 

Protect your accounts and computer

  • Use a strong password and change it frequently. Do not SHARE your password with anyone.
  • Do not click on links in suspicious emails.  When in doubt delete the email completely, and using your CSN email address you can forward it to spam@csn.edu  Do NOT forward the message to anyone else.
  • Critical security updates
    • Allow your CSN computer to install the critical Windows security updates sent to it from the CSN update server. Try not to postpone these updates as Microsoft will regularly send patches out for new threats that need to be installed on your systems. 
    • If you have a Mac, make sure you are running Apple Software Update to obtain the latest critical security updates.
    • Bring your CSN laptop on campus to have OTS perform a system health check at least twice a year. 
      • A technician will ensure it has current security updates and is receiving the latest antivirus definitions from McAfee enterprise software regularly. 

Physical computer security

  • Lock or logout of your computer every time you walk away from it.  It only takes a couple of seconds for a malicious user to access your computer and compromise it.
  • Do not store or transport sensitive CSN information on laptops or USB drives.  Use the appropriate CSN network drives or systems instead.  This is especially an issue with small USB flash drives as these devices are easily lost.
  • If you access CSN email using a smart phone, create a code to prevent anyone from accessing your phone and email messages. 

Use secure access tools

  • Login to your CSN VPN (Virtual Private Network) account to access college computer or server systems securely.  If you do not have a CSN VPN account you can contact the help desk at www.csn.edu/helpdesk to get one.
  • If you use a personal computer to access CSN information or data, install updated antivirus software and set the computer to automatically use Windows Update or Apple Software update.  Hackers may use your personal computer to gain access to CSN information systems if it is not protected.

For more information on cyber security visit the OTS Newsletter at http://blog.csn.edu/ots/. 

Questions from Faculty and Staff Members: 

“How many students are enrolled this semester?”

Our official census date was Oct. 15. CSN has a 36,579 student headcount this semester, a 0.2% decrease from last fall. As for FTE, CSN has 19,140.90, a 1.3% increase from last fall, indicating more students are taking more credits. We suspected the new payment due date on June 1 and the slow stabilization of the economy nationwide (although it’s hard to see evidence of that here) would diminish the robust enrollment growth that CSN experienced in 2008, 2009 and 2010. The Great Recession likely gave CSN an artificial bump in enrollment as people lost their jobs and came back to school for new skills. 

We are not alone in this. Based on enrollment data from this spring, community colleges across the nation are down in enrollment by an average of 1 percent. 

“What are the President’s Forums?”

As you know, we have multiple heritage months throughout the academic year.  We start the academic year with Hispanic Heritage month, LGBTQ in October, followed by Native American Heritage Month and International Education Week in November, Black History Month in February, Women’s History Month in March and Asian/Pacific Islander Month in April.  In the past, the heritage months have included some wonderful cultural awareness events. In 2012, I added a President’s Forum on Student Success, a targeted discussion of how we can help students of these cohorts succeed.  

Tomorrow, Oct. 23, the President’s Forum on LGBTQ issues will take place at 2:30 p.m. at the Charleston campus. 

The following is an example of the questions we should begin to ask ourselves: 

  • Nationally, we are losing many Hispanic and African-American males.  They are dropping out of education.  What are they doing?  How can we help them stay engaged?
  • In Nevada, Asian students are generally well prepared for higher education, but although we offer scholarships and match financial aid, these students are leaving the state in large numbers.  How can we help them stay, get their education here and contribute to Nevada?
  • Urban and rural Native Americans have unique learning challenges.  How can we help them more effectively?
  • Women, particularly single mothers, have unique needs.  Can we package our financial aid to better help them attend full-time or create more flexible course schedules that meet their needs? 

The idea is to discuss internally, among our faculty and staff, ways we can help students be more successful.  The format is straight forward:  a review of our data by the IR staff followed by a panel discussion and interaction with the audience. I hope you will participate in each of these. 

“How can we have input into facilities decisions on the campuses?”

Sherri Payne, Associate Vice President for Facilities, supports a campus improvement committee for each campus.  Sherri meets with committee representatives to share improvement and renovation plans and invite suggestions from faculty and staff who work at the respective campus.  Please contact her office for more details. 

“What is the Performance Pool?”

Following the 2013 legislative session, the state funding formula for Nevada’s public colleges and universities changed. We are now largely funded based on student course completion. But each year we have to earn a growing percentage of our state funding by meeting certain benchmarks established by the state that are related to graduation and transfer rates. Last year, this comprised 5% of our budget and next year it will be 10%, increasing each year until 20% of our budget is funded this way. I would also note that last year, CSN exceeded its benchmarks by 108%. Many public colleges around the country are now being funded this way. 

At the Board of Regents’ special committee meeting today, Chair Kevin Page announced the creation of a special committee to review the performance pool metrics going forward. 

Best regards to all. 

–Mike Richards

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Colds, Flus and Ebola

Posted on October 16, 2014 by CSN

Dear CSN community, 

As our world is increasingly concerned about staunching the Ebola outbreak, I think it is an important time to make the following public service announcement. 

First, please get a flu shot. The flu, which consequently has many of the same symptoms as Ebola, is a far greater threat to all of us. If you do get sick with a cold or flu, please stay home. Make arrangements with your supervisor or professor where possible. 

The CDC also has recommended that colleges and universities educate their respective communities about Ebola prevention. While CSN does not have an influx of students and staff visiting countries where Ebola outbreaks are occurring, the following information may be helpful or ease your concerns, regarding the virus. 

Ebola is spread only through contact with blood or bodily fluids from someone showing symptoms of the virus. You can learn more at: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/advice-for-colleges-universities-and-students-about-ebola-in-west-africa. 

Sincerely,

 

Mike Richards, Ph.D.
President, College of Southern Nevada

What should I do if I have traveled to one of the countries where the Ebola outbreaks are happening?

See CDC’s Interim Guidance for Monitoring and Movement of Persons with Ebola Virus Disease Exposure to learn about your risk level.

Pay attention to your health after you return:

  • Monitor your health for 21 days.
    • Take your temperature every morning and evening.
    • Watch for other Ebola symptoms: severe headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising.
    • If your temperature is 101.5°F (38.6°C) or higher or you have any other Ebola signs or symptoms, seek medical care immediately.
      • Call and tell the doctor about your recent travel and your symptoms before you go to the doctor’s office or hospital. Advance notice will help the doctor care for you and protect other people who may be in the doctor’s office or hospital.
      • Limit your contact with other people when you travel to the doctor; avoid public transportation.
      • Do not travel anywhere except to the doctor’s office or hospital.
      • Limit your contact with other people if you are sick. Do not go to work, classes, or other student activities until you have been medically evaluated.
  • During the time that you are monitoring your health, if you have no symptoms, you can continue your normal activities, including work and school. If you get symptoms of Ebola, it is important to stay separated from other people and to call your doctor right away.

What should I do if I have traveled to one of the countries where the Ebola outbreaks are happening and have been exposed to Ebola?

  • If you were exposed to people who had Ebola, or their blood or body fluids, a doctor should evaluate your exposure level and symptoms if you have them and consult with public health authorities to determine if actions— such as medical evaluation and testing for Ebola, monitoring, or travel restrictions— are needed.
  • Follow the instructions above for monitoring your health.

What should I do to protect my health if I come in contact with people on campus who have recently returned from a country where the Ebola outbreaks are happening?

  • Ebola poses little risk to the US general population and is not contagious until symptoms appear. It is spread through direct contact with blood or body fluids (such as urine, saliva, sweat, feces, vomit, and semen) of an infected person, or with objects like needles that have been contaminated with the virus. This includes through intimate contact, such as sex, since Ebola can still be found in semen for 7 weeks after a person has recovered.
  • It is always good to avoid contact with anyone who is sick and to wash your hands regularly. Use soap and water if available or use hand sanitizer. Doing so can help you prevent getting sick from many different illnesses.
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Personnel Announcements

Posted on October 16, 2014 by CSN

Good morning, Colleagues and Trustees, 

As many of you may know, CSN has labored through the recession and for several years with loyal leaders willing to carry an extra load or postpone personal goals for the benefit of the College.  The time has come to shift some duties and spread the load with new folks.  Further, there are new strategic opportunities for CSN that need to be added to an executive portfolio so the College can continue to advance while stepping up its community responsiveness.   To achieve these objectives, I want to announce some exciting personnel changes. 

  • Ms. Patricia Charlton, Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance, has had a considerable workload, further supplemented with the Financial Aid solution.  She will retain her leadership of administration functions, but assume oversight of strategic initiatives, including the NSHE Collaborative, customer relations, efficiency and effectiveness, and relative efforts.  She will continue her excellent work as Senior Vice President for Administration and Strategic Initiatives.
     
  • Ms. Mary Kaye Bailey, Associate Vice President for Finance and Comptroller, will become Vice President for Finance.  Ms. Bailey, an outstanding CPA, has accepted this new assignment along with implementation of Integrate2 and CSN’s budget function. 

The changes with Ms Charlton and Ms Bailey are effective October 15, 2014.  

  • Following a national search, Mr. Alan Diskin has been selected as the new Executive Director of the Foundation.  Mr. Diskin has a distinguished record of decades of accomplishments as development officer for Junior Achievement in Las Vegas and has chosen now to expand his excellent service to higher education.   He succeeds Ms. Jacque Matthews who retired this year after nine years of exemplary service. 
  • Following a national search, Ms. Melody Light, from Jackson, Mississippi, has agreed to join the CSN staff as Director of AA/EEO/ADAAA. She held a similar position at a community college in Mississippi, and she was Senior Deputy City Attorney in Jackson. Ms. Light holds two master’s degrees, one in computer science and one in human resources, and a J. D. from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School. She begins at CSN on October 27, 2014 and succeeds Mr. Thomas Brown who served CSN for 40 years, include an assignment as interim President.
  • Finally, the search for a new Vice President for Student Affairs has begun with the executive search firm facilitating the search.

Please join me in congratulating everyone involved.

Best regards,

Mike Richards

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