Inclusive

The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is proud to oversee the CSN Multicultural Center which is located within all three of the Student Unions in room 121. The mission of the Multicultural Center is to work collaboratively to affirm, educate, and empower our diverse CSN community. With a student-centered focus, the Multicultural Center offers impactful programs and initiatives that provide opportunities for identity development, community engagement, and leadership cultivation to improve campus climate and increase retention. For more information, please refer to our Diversity & Multicultural Affairs webpage for more information on student programs and initiatives including:

• Empowerment Network Initiative
• Multicultural Student Organizations
• Multicultural Graduation Celebrations

The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is honored to work with CSN's diverse and talented faculty and staff. Nine diversity committees were created to ensure that faculty and staff have an opportunity to find community, be affirmed, and contribute to the college's overall mission of inclusion. Specifically, the committees offer campus events, workshops, and professional development opportunities. Please visit each group's website for more information including student, faculty, and staff resources.

African American Heritage Committee

Comprehensive Internationalization Committee

Native American Alliance

Latino Alliance

Queer Inclusive Campus Committee

Military & Veterans Alliance

Women's Alliance

In collaboration with the Center for Academic & Professional Excellence (CAPE), the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion works to increase diversity awareness and cultural sensitivity among faculty and staff with a focus on providing practical tools to enhance student success.

Presentations are offered by faculty and staff on a variety of topics including:

• disability awareness
• creating a fully inclusive classroom
• minority males and higher education
• having difficult conversations
• women in and out of the classroom
• diversity in the Latino community
• understanding the Native American community
• LGBTQ inclusion

CSN faculty and staff are also encouraged to participate in standardized training including Safe Zone and Dream Zone.

The Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion also supports and recognizes several nationally recognized diversity months. Visit our Diversity Events website to learn more about upcoming programs in honor of these months.

Together, we can make CSN an inclusive and welcoming place. Students, faculty, and staff continue to work collaboratively within several committees and initiatives to find our gaps and improve on our mission of inclusion and equity. The following are a few initiatives from across the campus engaged in diversity, equity, and inclusion work.

Diversity and Inclusion Assessment Strategic Plan Report - In 2019, the Sawgrass Group, Inc was contracted to conduct a year-long diversity, equity, and inclusion assessment of the College of Southern Nevada. A full report with key findings and recommendations was submitted to CSN's executive leadership and governing groups. In the spirit of transparency, the full report can be viewed on the President's Blog - Sept 21, 2020.

Anti-Black Racism Taskforce - The Anti-Black Racism Taskforce was launched in Fall 2020 with the support of college leadership and is committed to addressing inequities on campus.

Accessibility Committee - A group dedicated to ensuring CSN creates and maintains a campus that is accessible to all. To join this committee, please contact Emily M King.

Name Change Taskforce - Launched in Fall 2020, this group works to identify gaps and methods to support students, faculty, and staff seeking to change their name within the various systems at CSN.

CSN President Dr. Zaragoza statement of unity: The tragic killing of George Floyd while in the custody of Minneapolis police has weighed heavily upon me. It was both disturbing and hurtful, as it was for so many in the CSN family. The incident, captured on video, caused many people in minority and non-minority communities to exercise their constitutional right to protest, and others to reflect on the persistence of racism in America.  

At CSN, we not only accept our diverse population, we embrace it. CSN is a majority-minority institution and our diversity defines us as a college. Indeed, diversity is one of the primary values that shape our decisions and drives our mission to “empower our students and communities to achieve, succeed, and prosper.” To our Black students, faculty, staff, and community, I proudly stand with you in solidarity along with the rest of our CSN colleagues and community residents, who again call for justice and equality for all regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. At CSN, we strive to be a beacon of hope, a pathway to prosperity, and an instrument for enlightened social justice and equality.

- President Dr. Zaragoza

We each have the responsibility to denounce bigotry and defend the most vulnerable. Any forms of discrimination against our students, faculty, and staff will not be tolerated at CSN. The following are resources for CSN students, faculty, and staff:

• CSN students are encouraged to join the Black Student Union and follow CSNBSU on Instagram.
• The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) secures the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
• American Civil Liberties Union works to educate on the most pressing civil liberties issues of our time and what you can do including knowing your rights.
• CSN faculty and staff are encouraged to join the African American Heritage Committee.
• CSN Office of Institutional Equity & Title IX - Instances of discrimination should be reported immediately to the Office of Institutional Equity & Title IX where reports will be investigated and further action will be determined.

Please know that CSN will continue to support our students, faculty, and staff.

As CSN President Dr. Zaragoza stated, CSN supports our undocumented and DACA community members. We want to reaffirm CSN’s strong support for our community and to let you know that there are resources available to help in this time of increased uncertainty. We also strongly encourage all DACA recipients to renew their DACA status before a Supreme Court decision is made, even if the status is set to expire in more than six months.

The following are some resources to assist you during this time:

• The UNLV Immigration Clinic provides free DACA renewals. To schedule an appointment, call (702) 895-2080.
• The Immigrant Home Foundation also provides assistance with DACA renewals. To schedule an appointment, call (702) 889-4431.
• The NSHE UndocuAlly Committee is building a comprehensive state-wide support system for students who are undocumented, students with DACA, as well as immigrant students under other immigration statuses. You can find more information in the NSHE UndocuAlly DACA Renewal Guide or contact the CSN UndocuAlly Committee.
• CSN Alternative Scholarship Applications for 2020-2021 are still being accepted. The Alternative Scholarship is for students who cannot qualify for federal aid due to U.S. citizenship requirements.
• CSN Generation Dreamers Student Club is designed to establish a support network for DACA and undocumented students at CSN, please contact Esther Pla-Cazares.
• For more statewide support, refer to the Nevada Immigrant Resource Guide.

Please know that CSN supports you and your journey toward completion and will be here for you now and in the future.

Read the full President message.

Recent news has reported an increasing frequency of hate crimes and racist harassment against the AAPI community in the United States, particularly towards Chinese individuals. CSN finds those actions degrading and shameful. These assaults endanger our community’s safety, well-being, dignity, and livelihoods.

At CSN, we celebrate our diversity and embrace equality among us all. As one of the most diverse colleges in the entire country, we are in a unique position to set an example for higher education institutions. We each have the responsibility to denounce bigotry and defend the most vulnerable. Any forms of discrimination against our students, faculty and staff will not be tolerated here.

• CSN Office of Institutional Equity & Title IX - Instances of discrimination should be reported immediately to the Office of Institutional Equity & Title IX where reports will be investigated and further action will be determined.
• AA and NHPI In-Language Resources for Coronavirus - A community-based list of COVID-19 resources in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander languages. This list is organized by the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF).
• Asian Community Development Council - A Nevada-based non-profit organization that works to improve the general well-being and education of the Asian, Pacific Islander, and other ethnic communities in Nevada.
• Self-Care Tips for Asian Americans Dealing With Racism Amid Coronavirus - A news article that helps the AAPI community navigate through racist COVID-19 interactions.

Intolerance and stigmatization divide our community. We must stand in solidarity with our AAPI family as we all go through this crisis together.

The College of Southern Nevada resides on the ancestral lands of the NUWU Southern Paiute. The following are services and resources to support our Indigenous community at CSN: