Month:

May 29, 2020

Posted on by Marketing Department

Dear Campus Community,

We have been notified that our campus reopening plan has been reviewed by the NSHE Task Force and approved by the Chancellor. Attached please find the finalized campus plans for phased reopening, as well as an updated Returning to the Workplace Guide, and a form for high-risk employees to request to remain working remotely. Employees should continue to work with their supervisor and HR regarding specific questions on the phased-in return.

Additionally, as part of the campus reopening process, all current employees and new hires are required to complete a COVID-19 prevention training before returning to campus.  The training course, which takes approximately 25-30 minutes to complete, covers several topics related to ensuring a safe return to campus work.  We hope you find this training useful and informative. 

The COVID-19 training is located in Canvas and employees should utilize the following steps to access the course:

Step 1:  Click here for a direct link to the Canvas login.  You will need to enter your campus computer login credentials.

Step 2: Click on the Course icon located on the right-hand side of the page and select “NSC COVID-19 Prevention Training”.

Step 3: You will be brought to the training home screen and will be provided with information for starting the course.

Please note that upon completion of the training, you must provide your certificate of completion to your supervisor with a copy sent to NHR@nsc.edu.

In general, Director level and above, and necessary administrative support staff, will begin returning to work June 15. I have also authorized faculty to return to their offices if needed on and after June 15 without requiring separate permission.  Other employees will start returning to work, as needed, on a phased-in basis in July and August.

In addition to the training certification, employees will be required to perform a health self-assessment each morning and email their supervisor that the assessment has been completed before coming to the workplace. For faculty coming to campus, you should email your department chair or Dean unless otherwise directed by your Dean or supervisor who may delegate the receipt of such emails to other administrative staff. Also, please keep in mind that facial coverings are required to be worn in all interior common areas and exterior spaces where six-feet social distancing cannot be maintained.

Finally, the Governor has announced a proposal to implement a one day a month furlough for all state employees including our classified employees commencing July 1. This mirrors the Board of Regents proposal for NSHE professional staff and faculty. Although this does not yet appear to be a final action, I am attaching the Governor’s statement for your reference.

I want to thank everyone for their patience and vigilance during these difficult times. I look forward to seeing you from a distance very soon!

Be Bold. Be Great. Be State.

Bart Patterson
President

Governor’s Letter to State Employees
Updated Return to Work Plans
Return to Work Guidelines
Telecommute Agreement

May 4, 2020

Posted on by Marketing Department

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

Thank you for your continued understanding and support as we face COVID-19 challenges and plan for the “new normal.”

Chancellor Thom Reilly today announced that the Nevada System of Higher Education has begun planning to resume in-person classes for the 2020 fall semester and more limited in-person class offerings later this summer (after July 1). NSHE and institution leaders, including myself, are working closely with health and education experts on various reopening scenarios and phases, with the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff being at the forefront of our concern. You can read the chancellor’s memorandum to find out more about the various scenarios being considered. We are planning for a full schedule to be taught in the fall semester whether online or in person.

I would also like to thank the Nevada State College team for distributing CARES Act funding to our eligible students. The U.S. Department of Education distributed almost $1.38 million to Nevada State College. To date, 1,611 students have been awarded funds automatically, while another 254 have been awarded through the request process.  The total amount awarded from the $1,377,872 available is $1,004,500, or nearly 73%.

Eligible students may still apply. To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Completed the 2019/2020 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) listing NSC’s school code (041143);
  • Meet all eligibility requirements to receive Federal Student Aid (Title IV, HEA).

Students will complete a short online application.

If a student applies but isn’t approved for CARES Act funds, we will automatically review the application to determine eligibility for other campus emergency funding options that may not have the same restrictions. Students may email questions to the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@nsc.edu.

We will continue to follow the recommendations of Governor Steve Sisolak and NSHE along with the county health and safety directives. More details will be forthcoming as plans are developed for the late summer and fall 2020 semesters.

Sincerely,

Bart Patterson
President

Nevada State College Makes Donations to Support the Valley and its Healthcare Workers

Posted on by LaNelda Rolley

To help the Southern Nevada community during the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty members at Nevada State College have teamed together to donate needed items to several organizations including 3D printed face masks, personal protective equipment (PPE), viral transport mediums and fresh vegetables grown at the campus garden.

The Mathematics Department at Nevada State College is supporting the Vegas Fighting COVID group by printing 3D face masks to help the healthcare workers in hospitals and facilities across the valley. Faculty members completed their first donation of 3D printed face masks on April 20 which included more than 67 face masks, 16 lower mask support pieces, and 9 tension relievers. Faculty members are printing an average of 12 face shields and 12 lower mask support pieces a day.

The Physical and Life Sciences department and its facilities management team gathered more than 30,000 pairs of gloves and more than 800 surgical masks from its personal PPE inventory to donate to Sunrise Health System’s hospitals which include Sunrise Hospital, Mountain View Hospital and Southern Hills Hospital.

The department also teamed up with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, College of Southern Nevada and Touro University to help the Southern Nevada Health District address the impact of COVID-19 by producing and donating more than 1,700 viral transport mediums (VTM) to the Southern Nevada Public Health Lab (SNPHL). The VTMs made in the Nevada State College lab is an important component of the COVID-19 collection kit as it is used to preserve specimens collected from patients. The Physical and Life Sciences department faculty’s production and donation of VTMs is particularly important for SNPHL’s personnel as it allows them to focus on testing.

In addition, more than 35 pounds of vegetables grown at Nevada State College’s campus garden, which is usually used for the campus café, have been donated to the Emergency Aid of Boulder City. Wendy Wilson who tends to the garden will continue to donate vegetables every Friday to food pantries and aid services that can take and store fresh produce.

The Nevada State College community will continue its efforts to provide needed supplies to various organizations. Nevada State College appreciates all of the first responders, medical professionals and community leaders who are working tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure the safety and health of our Southern Nevada community.

For photos and video showing the 3D printing, click here