Students Help Shape CSN’s Future

Big sheets of paper, plenty of markers and ideas posted across the walls set the scene as more than 60 students joined faculty and staff for CSN’s Strategic Planning Futures Summit.

The two-day event, facilitated by consulting firm CampusWorks, brought together representatives from every campus to explore the student experience and help shape the college’s next strategic plan.

Participants identified challenges involving technology, advising, access to resources, artificial intelligence and mental health. Working together at tables, students, faculty and staff put their ideas on paper and displayed them around the room for others to see.

Keynote speaker Scott J. Van Pelt is the co-author, with Arthur Levine, of “The Great Upheaval: Higher Education’s Past, Present, and Uncertain Future.” The book explores how technological, economic and demographic changes are reshaping higher education. Attendees could take home copies of the book.

CSN President Dr. Stacy Klippenstein joined students at their tables, listening and engaging as they discussed their experiences and developed ideas.

Faculty and staff also attended breakout sessions exploring student success, K-12 education and workforce development. Internal and external leaders helped facilitate those conversations, including Clark County School District Superintendent Jhone Ebert and Jaime Cruz, executive director of Workforce Connections.

The summit’s final presentations gave participants a creative way to imagine “the best day” at CSN. Groups shared poems, live skits, a rap and drawings reflecting the student experience. The North Las Vegas group wrote a poem about CSN, while others took to the stage to bring their ideas to life.

Those presentations connected the planning discussions to everyday student experiences: finding help, feeling seen and building relationships along the way.

Strategic planning chairs Jyoti Senthil and Kevin Mitchell are spearheading the work. With Phase 1 complete and Phase 2 underway, the summit brought students, faculty and staff into the conversation about what comes next for CSN.

The next session is scheduled for November 4. To learn more about the strategic planing process at CSN visit https://www.csn.edu/institutional-effectiveness/strategic-plan

[ View PHOTOS from the 2 day event]