Report calls for overhaul of community college

Jennifer Knight

Wednesday, May 1, 2002 | 9:31 a.m.

A study released Tuesday calls for a complete reorganization of the Community College of Southern Nevada, saying its structure is fragmented, inconsistent and chaotic.

An organizational advisory committee unanimously signed off on the preliminary draft report, which recommends reworking CCSN's administrative structure. The $45,000 study was paid for by both the state and the University and Community College System of Nevada.

"I think this report recognizes what we've already known, that we have too few people, (who) are spread too thin," Ron Remington, CCSN's president, said.

The study was prompted during the 2001 legislative session by Assemblyman Morse Arberry, D-Las Vegas, who said he wanted CCSN's Cheyenne campus to be split from the rest of the system because students in his North Las Vegas district were not receiving the same services as those on other campuses.

The study explored whether CCSN's three campuses should be turned into three separate colleges. The study's conclusion was "No."

"We have concluded that now is not the right time to break up the campuses," said Dr. James Samels, a Boston-based higher education consultant. "The No. 1 reason is cost."

Splitting the campuses would not only be too costly, but would also work against collegial harmony, Samels said.

Samels pointed out that the two-year institution, which has more than 30,000 students, is the fastest growing community college in the nation. The staff, however, has not kept pace with the growth, leaving an under-staffed administration and an under-served student body, the study said.

The study recommended creating five new administrative positions and rebuilding some existing departments. For example, provosts for each of the campuses would be given new titles and responsibilities.

One key position would be that of a chief operating officer to coordinate institution-wide operations. Another would be a vice president for development to focus on fund-raising. Presently, three other administrators are handling those efforts, college officials said.

CCSN could also begin to offer bachelor's degrees. According to the study, there is support for that move, Samels said.

"We did find evidence of students who said they would like to stay at CCSN and if they could complete their degree here they would be interested in that," he said.

Ruell Fiant, chairman of CCSN's Faculty Senate, noted that many of the suggestions made in Tuesday's report had been recommended 13 years ago, but were dropped.

The study said the college's "previous administration" had left a "legacy of idiosyncratic organizational structures."

Community college officials estimated that it would cost about $900,000 to implement the reorganization.

Although a shortage of funding is always a concern, Chancellor Jane Nichols, said that such costs are built into the budget.

"This is not a pie-in-the-sky kind of amount," Nichols said. "When this institution is funded for the formula it provides to the Legislature, it will be able to pay for the implementation of this."

There is no timeline as to how long it would take to fully implement all of the recommendations.

The committee must first review the draft report and write up a final list of recommendations to take to the full Board of Regents for approval. That is scheduled to happen June 13.