LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The College of Southern Nevada has a new president for the new school year.
Dr. Stacy Klippenstein most recently joined CSN from Mohave College in Arizona and he sat down with me one-on-one to talk about what he envisions for the future of CSN.
"More students graduating, more students in these programs, growth in our non-credit type space, growth in our industry partnership, growth in our shared governance space, where we have more and more people feeling like they have a voice to be able to participate and help shape the future of the college," he told me.
WATCH my full interview with him here:
Klippenstein also spoke to me about the budget, as funding hasn't kept up with enrollment increases.
He said coming off the pandemic, there were enrollment declines, which led to less funding.
Enrollment numbers are up, but they aren't moving at the same pace as funding.
So now, school leaders are trying to figure out if raising tuition and fees will be the answer.
"The largest revenue we control outside the state is registration fees, tuition fees, other fees that come from our students," he told me. "We don't want to go down that path of overburdening our students, and I've said before, our whole goal is to find that balance."
He said there is an executive budget advisory committee, which includes student representatives, looking at options. He said the formal request to make potential changes to the fees could come as early as December.
He also spoke to me about the future of the northwest campus. He said CSN is seeking more clarification from the BLM regarding when crews have to start building.
It's been in the works for more than 20 years, and school leaders have been operating off a 2026 deadline.
We know many of you have seen the signs and are wondering when work will begin. That's what led Justin Hinton to start asking questions a couple of years ago.
It turns out, it may be by 2028.
"When the BLM gave us the very first patent, back in 2018, they said it's 12 years or whatever the city agreement was, so that's where we're playing off the eight years. Then we got issued a second BLM document or two years later, so we're working that off two years from that date."
That would be 2028.
Within 90 days of receiving a response from the BLM, I'm told CSN will then go to the city to continue the dialogue and make sure everyone is on the same page.
During the last legislative session, lawmakers approved $300,000 for the project to remain alive, but there is still a lot more money and time needed to complete the project.