Dear CSN Family,
Please join us at 3 p.m. tomorrow for a Virtual Town Hall to receive the latest updates from CSN leadership and pose your questions. This is the start of a series of weekly town halls that we will hold for the foreseeable future.
Join online at: https://csnedu.webex.com/csnedu/onstage/g.php?MTID=ecd24ef616f4ddcc0e01d40d391a6d811
Event number: 962 973 634
Event password: townhall
Audio conference: 408-418-9388
Access code: 962 973 634
Dear CSN Family,
In response to feedback from the CSN family, I am pleased to report that we are introducing a new, daily highlights email to ensure that everyone has access to current and up-to-date information on the latest happenings at CSN.
Today’s email update highlights important information from Academic Affairs. Throughout the week, I will bring you news from several critical divisions of the college, including Student Affairs, Human Resources, Finance and other areas as needed.
There is much to update when it comes to academic affairs. First, please take note of the actions of our health sciences faculty and leadership team in their efforts to donate much-needed medical equipment including ventilators, N95 respirators, masks, gloves, and gowns to local health care facilities. Other NSHE institutions are taking similar actions, as detailed in this NSHE press release.
You should also know that our Centers for Academic Success reports that many of their tutors/learning assistants have been successfully trained to use the online platform Smarthinking. This means that our students now have access to this critical resource remotely. Learn more details on the Centers’ website.
In addition, the CSN Libraries are committed to remotely providing all services that students and faculty might need right now. The Libraries have expanded virtual reference hours, have made more online resource available, and have implemented new services such as textbook digitization so students have what they need to be successful. Please learn more on the Libraries’ website.
To find out more about what’s going on and to pose your questions, we are scheduling town halls for students, faculty and staff on Thursday. We will update you with details tomorrow.
Lastly, I want to say once again how proud I am to be a member of this family. Coyote Proud if you will. Your commitment to Students First and your efforts to come together and help each other in these difficult times is truly inspiring. If you have not yet done so, please check out the online message board we created to highlight the many positive stories happening right now at CSN. Feel free to post your own story, too.
Thank you.
Federico Zaragoza
President
College of Southern Nevada
Dear CSN Students,
I hope this message finds you well and that you’ve settled in and are getting accustomed to the new way of life we’re all experiencing. Many people in our community have been directly affected by the ongoing crisis, including you. I know you’ve been through a lot, and I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge that.
You may not have signed up for remote classes, but because of the worldwide pandemic we are facing, everything changed within the span of a week. Many of you have had to learn how to use new online platforms like Zoom or Webex. We know it has not been easy.
You’ve done an amazing job adjusting to a fully remote environment. Many of you have already taken advantage of the remote student services we’ve made available, such as tutoring or advising. We worked hard to set it all up because we know you need to successfully complete the semester, despite the circumstances.
It has taken a focused effort by you and your instructors to get this done. Individual acts of kindness, determination, hard work and commitment led us to where we are today. We are not done improving upon what we’ve built, but I think it is time to call attention to those people who have allowed us to succeed when that seemed impossible only a short time ago.
I want to hear those stories. I want everyone to hear those stories. Tell us about someone who made your journey through this just a little bit easier, and allowed you to stay in school. A community organization? A family member? Someone from CSN’s faculty or staff, or maybe a fellow student.
Tell us tell how much their efforts have meant to you over these last several weeks.
We have created an online message board where you can post these good news stories. You can also tweet them by tagging @CSNCoyote and using the hashtag #ShareYourCSNstory. Please take advantage and celebrate the good in our CSN family.
Thank you.
Federico Zaragoza
President
College of Southern Nevada
Dear CSN Family,
I hope this message finds you well and that you’ve settled in and are getting accustomed to the new way of life we’re all experiencing. We’ve been through a lot, I know, and I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge all that you have done.
Because we pulled together as a team and put our Students First – everyone from Academics to Technology Services and from our faculty and professional staff to our classified employees – we were able to successfully transition one of the nation’s largest community colleges to an almost entirely remote college in the span of one week.
Take a moment to reflect on that incredible accomplishment.
Each of you played a part in that feat, each of you has a story to tell, whether it’s about a student you went the extra mile for, or special accommodations you made to your home so you could work, or an exciting new idea you had that helped us better serve our students.
I want to hear those stories. I want everyone to hear those stories. Tell us about the stranger who donated so you could get students learning remotely. Or the student who started a new volunteer effort. The alumni who donated to help a student in need. The faculty member who did the impossible to get her course online.
Tell us about your students, your co-workers, your community. Give them kudos, and tell us why. Congratulate the Class of 2020 whose graduation celebration is on hold, praise our e-learning team, tell someone how much their efforts have meant to you over these last several weeks.
We have created an online message board where you can post these good news stories. You can also tweet them by tagging @CSNCoyote and using the hashtag #ShareYourCSNstory. Please take advantage and celebrate the good work done by everyone at CSN. They deserve it.
I this time of incredible uncertainty, one thing that remains constant is CSN. We have always been here to put our Students First, and we always will be. Because of you.
Thank you.
Federico
Dear CSN Students,
The deadline to drop a class has been extended due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. The extended deadlines to drop a class and receive a grade of W, or to change from credit to audit, are as listed below:
If you are interested, please schedule an appointment with an academic advisor to discuss your options.
Dear CSN Students,
I know many of you have been wondering how long your classes will be taught remotely, and whether or not we will hold our Commencement Ceremony this spring.
Today, Chancellor Thom Reilly directed CSN and all other Nevada System of Higher Education institutions to postpone or develop alternatives to an in-person spring graduation ceremony and to extend remote instruction through the end of this semester.
We understand that the decision to postpone the Commencement Ceremony is disappointing to many of you and your families. We realize how important this annual ceremony is, so it is our sincere hope to reschedule it for this summer or fall. I say that knowing that the future remains unclear.
We want the opinions of our graduating students on this important topic, so you will soon receive a survey asking for your input. The results will help inform decisions about a potential future commencement ceremony. CSN will process and award all degrees and certificates earned this semester; the postponement of the ceremony will not affect that.
Extending remote instruction through the end of the semester was not an easy decision either, but it is the right one in this time of uncertainty. At this point we are unsure whether we will conduct the summer session remotely, but please know that if the decision is made to do so, it will be made with the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff in mind.
We are also addressing several other topics with the chancellor right now, including issues regarding delinquent student accounts, deferred payments, and course withdrawals. As always, I will keep you updated as events develop.
I realize this is an anxious and trying time for you and your family. We are doing everything we can to ensure your needs are addressed. Please remember to visit our website at www.csn.edu/coronavirus for the latest updates on COVID-19 and for links to critical community and student resources available to you.
Thank you.
Federico Zaragoza
President
College of Southern Nevada
Dear CSN Family,
Today, NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly instructed all system institutions to extend remote instruction through the end of the semester, and to postpone or develop alternatives to an in-person spring graduation ceremony.
The chancellor also addressed several other issues in his memo, including tenure, grading, delinquent student accounts and deferred payments, the hiring freeze, course withdrawals and an upcoming special Board of Regents meeting. This meeting will be needed to formally address some of the issues raised in the memo.
I understand that the decision to postpone the Commencement Ceremony will be disappointing to our students. We realize how important this annual ceremony is, so it is our sincere hope to reschedule it for this summer or fall. I say that knowing that the future is unclear right now. We do want the opinions of our graduating students on this important topic, so we will soon send them a short survey seeking their feedback. I will notify the entire CSN community as soon as we have more details.
Extending remote instruction through the end of the semester was not an easy decision either, but it is the right one in this time of uncertainty. There has been so much positive energy and effort focused on ensuring our students can learn remotely and we need to make sure they have a sense of stability for the duration of the semester. At this point we are unsure whether we will conduct the summer session remotely, but please know that if the decision is made to do so, it will be made with the safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff in mind.
Please remember to visit our website at www.csn.edu/coronavirus for the latest updates on COVID-19 and for links to critical community and student resources available to you.
Thank you all for your continued dedication to our students and to each other. Your collective efforts these last few weeks have been truly inspirational.
Federico
Dear CSN Family,
I want to thank each and every one of you for pulling together to convert to a remote environment in record time. Your concern for the safety of our students and colleagues has been inspirational. Thank you all for working so hard to ensure that our students receive the world class education they have come to expect from CSN.
Please see NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly’s latest memo on the subject, which he asked all institution presidents to share. Each of you has worked through a tremendous amount of stress this week, and we have more than endured. We have achieved what was unthinkable only a week ago, a rapid transition that allows our programs to go fully remote, including CTE classes, hands-on labs, simulations and many clinicals.
If you recall, it was less than one week ago when the institutions were directed to prepare for a transition to remote instruction by April 3. That quickly changed to a March 18 date due to the evolving situation, followed by system direction to close anything that wasn’t essential.
Today, outside of our critical maintenance and facilities personnel needed to ensure vital campus operations continue, we have reduced the total number of people reporting to campuses to fewer than 20. That is an incredible feat that could not have been accomplished if we hadn’t all worked together as a team.
Words can’t express how very appreciative I am of your efforts and leadership to find solutions that allow us to continue serving our students and our diverse Southern Nevada communities. I am certain we will emerge a stronger higher education institution, and our students will be better off because of your efforts.
Thank you.
Federico
Dear CSN Family,
In response to Gov. Steve Sisolak’s announcement, NSHE has directed that all non-essential employees and operations at all system institutions shall close effective at noon tomorrow, March 18, 2020, for at least 30 days. At CSN, we have worked hard to restructure and realign our programs to go fully remote, including CTE classes, hands-on labs, simulations and many clinicals.
As a result, students, faculty and staff who were prepared to report to class Wednesday should not come to campus. Only those employees who provide core essential services that support operations and students should report to campus. The vast majority of our employees will be working from home or will be placed on paid administrative leave, as we have already planned for. As directed by NSHE Chancellor Thom Reilly, we will provide a list of those employees who are essential to the continued well-being of CSN students and employees by the end of business tomorrow.
Please note that the chancellor has indicated that facilities that were previously scheduled to remain open are now considered non-essential and will therefore be closed for the next 30 days as well. At CSN this includes libraries, computer labs, athletic facilities, and vendors. The limited campus operations considered essential are police services, facilities, select business operations, and information technology. These essential services will continue to be provided on campus. Many non-essential services will continue as well, but in a remote capacity.
As you know, we have been responding to a changing environment and multiple directives. I am very appreciative of your efforts and leadership to find solutions that allow us to continue to serve our students and our diverse Southern Nevada communities. I have no doubt that collectively we will emerge from this situation as stronger higher education institution.
Federico Zaragoza
President
College of Southern Nevada
Students,
As you know, CSN begins teaching and learning in a nearly 100% online modality tomorrow so that we can continue to help you meet your academic goals while staying safe and complying with Federal and State mandates. Your individual instructors should be in touch with you to help you still complete whatever is necessary to be successful in your Spring 2020 courses. Remember that the official means of communication here at CSN is your student.csn.edu email address, so please check here often to be sure that you are up to date, especially as you adjust to learning online in any classes that have changed from a classroom.
Collaboration
Please visit https://www.csn.edu/collaboration to learn more about the tools available for learning and collaborating with your instructors and fellow students. Note that as a student of CSN, you have access to five licenses of the Microsoft Office suite to use on your personal devices to help you to complete any work that you need to do.
Security
During a time like this, when people are in need, cybercriminals find opportunities. You may see an increase in spam and phishing emails asking you to click a link or download free software. Review these emails carefully don’t download any of this software or click on these links. Instead, refrain from using free tools from the internet (freeware/shareware) as these are often linked to adware or spyware and can create a security risk to both you and CSN if you are working remotely. Forward any suspicious emails tospam@csn.edu.
Connectivity
For those concerned about internet access during this change, here are several links to companies who are providing broadband internet access for free or small fees to customers:
Help Desks
CSN Helpdesk Services will remain available and answering as many requests as possible. However, due to increased demand, wait times may be longer than usual so we encourage you to utilize the self-service helpdesk option available at https://www.csn.edu/helpdesk. We appreciate your patience with both the OTS 24/7 Technical Assistance Helpdesk and the CSN Call Center during this time.
Survey
We understand how important technology is to your academic success, and even more so now as we make these adjustments we temporarily change how we work and learn. We would appreciate it if you could take a quick minute of your time and fill out our Technology Preparedness Survey to help us assist you better in this transition.
Also, you can keep up to date on CSN’s response to COVID-19 at https://at.csn.edu/coronavirus.
Take care, be safe, and thank you for all of your support and flexibility during this time.
Thanks,
Mugunth Vaithylingam
Chief Information Officer | College of Southern Nevada
Whether you need help with your account, recording your voicemail message, or notice an issue with your computer, we are here for you. Just contact us at the OTS Help Desk 24×7:
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