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By Mandi Enger

According to Detective Chris White of the Henderson Police Department, there are only two types of people: those that have been victims of identity theft, and those that will become victims. A member of the Property Crimes Unit within the Henderson Police Department, White was joined by Detective Brent Wagner on Wednesday, Nov. 13 to present Identity Theft and Fraud Related Crimes, to the Nevada State College (NSC) campus. The event was part of NSC’s rapidly expanding Financial Literacy Series.
The Henderson Police Department originally participated in the series during the spring 2013 semester and was asked to make a second presentation this fall due to popular demand.
As mentioned by Detective White, identity theft related crimes are becoming more and more prevalent and are therefore a popular topic, said Anthony Morrone, associate director of financial aid and student employment. Through the Financial Literacy Series and speakers like the Henderson Police Department, our department aims to prepare participants with a base of both financial understanding and security.
A crowd of over 30 students, faculty, and staff participated in the discussion in the Marydean Martin Library; many sharing personal experiences as victims of identity theft or seeking advice for the future.
I originally went to the speaker series to get a better understanding of what identity theft is and how we can prevent it, shared Shawna Tracy, an elementary education major and NSSA Senator. I also wanted to ask questions about online theft because I have recently been doing a lot of purchasing over the internet.
Topics covered by the officers included an overview of identity theft related crimes, preventative actions for all individuals, and recommended steps for those affect by this type of theft.
Tracy continued, What I found to be the most interesting from the presentation is the many different ways identity theft can be carried out. I was amazed to know that your personal information can be obtained by stealing tax records, standing behind you at ATMs or stores, and by even going through your trash. Simple fraud protection tips suggested by the detectives include:
Use credit cards, rather than debit, to make purchases online and at gas stations or restaurants and check your receipts before signing.
Cancel credit cards that are no longer in use.
Shred financial documents and mail, rather than simply throwing them away.
Save debit and credit card receipts and reconcile accounts monthly.
“Try not to be a victim, pay attention to what is going on, White added
The Financial Literacy Series was introduced to the NSC campus in November 2012. The casual, discussion-based presentations are open to current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents. Topics such as budgeting and understanding credit, have been selected based on student needs recognized by the Department of Financial Aid. Presentations have featured both guest speakers and webinars.
The next event in the series will be a Student Loan Repayment Seminar held on two dates: December 12 at 2 p.m. in the Basic and Water II building, room 2013; and December 13 at 11 a.m. in the Marydean Martin Library. For additional information on the series, please call 702-992-2152 or email linda.schulz@nsc.edu.

College to pilot Gateways to Completion program
Release | Media Contact: Mandi Enger
HENDERSON, Nev. Nevada State College (NSC) has been selected by the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education to be one of 12 Founding Institutions for the pilot of the Gardner Institute’s Gateways to Completion (G2C) process. Gateways to Completion is a structured course transformation process that will allow faculty and staff at NSC to analyze student and institutional performance in lower division gateway courses. The Gardner Institute developed the G2C process with extensive input from the thirty-two member G2C National Advisory Committee.
By accepting the invitation to be involved in the G2C pilot, NSC has agreed to focus its analysis on up to five critical gateway courses. The courses will be identified using evidence collected during the first year of the three-year G2C process. The analysis will inform the creation of evidenced-based course transformation plans that NSC will subsequently implement.
Gateway courses enroll large numbers of undergraduate students, stated Drew Koch, the Gardner Institute’s Executive Vice President. Research studies, such as Clifford Adelman’s Answers in the Toolbox and The Toolbox Revisited, show that students who do not succeed in gateway courses are significantly less likely to complete their stated programs of study and they are also are less likely to complete college degrees anywhere.
Continuing to enhance student success and retention are key objectives at Nevada State College, said NSC Provost and Executive Vice President Erika Beck. Gateway courses are stepping stones in a student’s path to completing their degree program and are therefore an important foundation for their success. We’re honored to have the opportunity to work so closely with John Gardner, a world-renowned expert in the field, as our institution strengthens the first-year retention of our students and ultimately produces a larger number of career-ready graduates.
NSC joins 11 other G2C Founding Institutions from across the United States. The 12 institutions include: American Public University System; Arkansas Tech University; Ashford University; Florida International University; Kennesaw State University; Lansing Community College; Lone Star College North Harris; Metropolitan State University Denver; Nevada State College; North Dakota State University; University of Houston Downtown; and the University of Rhode Island.
The cohort’s composition shows that this is an issue that spans all of academe, shared John Gardner, President of the Gardner Institute. We applaud Nevada State College for its willingness to take action on this issue. The institution is a true leader and innovator in the student success movement.
Faculty at NSC will play a significant role in the G2C work. The plans the faculty generate working with their academic and student affairs colleagues will be supported with G2C predictive analytics and dashboard tools. In addition, NSC will join the other 11 G2C participating institutions at the annual G2C Community of Practice meeting and the annual Gateway Course Experience Conference.
The G2C project is uniquely special and exciting because it unites different elements of the campus in the pursuit of student success, said Associate Dean of Liberal Arts & Sciences Tony Scinta. Faculty, advisors, and administrators are all combining their efforts to make this work, and we’re doing it under the guidance of someone who is widely-recognized as one of the foremost leaders in the field. We are extremely excited to move forward with this project.