More About CSN

The Nevada System of Higher Education has three types of institutions: Universities, a State College, and Community Colleges.  The Universities engage in research and teaching in the areas of B.A. and graduate degrees.  The State College focuses on a few high demand B.A. degrees, while the Community Colleges provide basic higher education access to all Nevadans.  This includes access to job training, associates degrees, and course work for students transferring to universities. Part and parcel of the access mission is keeping tuition and fees lower in comparison with other institutions; but at CSN, over the past four years, fees and tuition have repeatedly gone up while class sections and student services haven’t sufficiently met demand.  It is paramount then that any new funding formula address the community college access mission to keep current conditions from becoming the new status quo.  Unfortunately, the Nevada System of Higher Education funding proposal says nothing about access; instead it relegates most community college classes into the lowest funding category.  As the largest NSHE institution, CSN shouldn’t be relegated to a ‘self-sustaining’ category when other institutions are slated to receive state subsidies for buildings, research, and upper division classes.  Every Nevada citizen should receive equal help in becoming productive citizens and self-sufficient workers.