BOARD OF REGENTS BRIEFING PAPER 1. AGENDA ITEM TITLE: Naming the CSN North Las Vegas Campus Student Union MEETING DATE: July 19, 2019 2. BACKGROUND & POLICY CONTEXT OF ISSUE: On May 4, 2019, Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson unexpectedly passed away. Thompson had long grown to be part of the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) family as he regularly attended and hosted events on our campuses. He was a tireless advocate for increasing student success at NSHE institutions, particularly for low-income and minority students. He chaired the CSN-Mentor Committee and helped launch Bump Up, an African American Student Success Program at CSN. He was appointed to represent Assembly District 17 in 2013. He served in four regular sessions and four special sessions. His passion for education led him to serve as the Chair of the Assembly Education Committee. He was working closely with the CSN team to pass education legislation and host equity events at CSN just days before his passing. This past legislative session, Assemblyman Thompson graciously hosted nearly 100 CSN students and staff and always had an open door policy for our team. He was loved and appreciated by the CSN community and at the bequest of CSN students and CSN stakeholders, he was the keynote speaker at the Fall 2018 CSN North Las Vegas Campus – Student Union Topping Off Ceremony. Tyrone Thomson was extremely active in his community, serving on several boards and councils over the years including the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators and the American Society for Public Administrators. He also was a Court Appointed Special Advocate. He also worked on homeless initiatives for the Southern Nevada Planning Coalition at the time he was appointed to the Assembly and was later a senior training coordinator at the Clark County Organizational Development Center. He was particularly passionate about our youth and helped implement several youth programs including, Las Vegas’ My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, Legacy Project Youth Council, Camp Anytown, and the City of Las Vegas Batteries Included. He also mentored youth ushers as a “Senior Usher in Charge” at the Victory Missionary Baptist Church. Thompson earned several civic awards for his work over the years including the Community Leadership Award at Las Vegas Soul Fest, the President Obama Volunteer Service Award and the Volunteer Center of Southern Nevada Community Enrichment Award and National Points of Light Award. As a high school student, he served as student body president at Valley High School. His distinguished service on the state Assembly included selection as Chief Deputy Majority Whip, Assembly Education Committee Chair, and member of the following committees: Corrections, Parole, and Probation Health and Human Services, Judiciary, Legislative Operations and Elections, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining and Ways and Means. He also served on the Office of Minority Health and Equity and on the Advisory Committee on Nevada Criminal Justice Information Sharing. 3. SPECIFIC ACTIONS BEING RECOMMENDED OR REQUESTED: CSN President Zaragoza requests Board approval to name CSN’s North Las Vegas Campus Student Union after Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson, who passed away in May of this year. The name proposed is: CSN North Las Vegas Campus, Tyrone Thompson Student Union (BOARD OF REGENTS 07/19/19) Ref. BOR-2b, Page 1 of 5 Form Revised: 1/2018 4. IMPETUS (WHY NOW?): The student union building will be completed in August of 2019, providing the opportunity to honor Assemblyman Thompson’s legacy with a building named for him. 5. CHECK THE NSHE STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL THAT IS SUPPORTED BY THIS REQUEST: Access (Increase participation in post-secondary education) Success (Increase student success) Close the Achievement Gap (Close the achievement gap among underserved student populations) Workforce (Collaboratively address the challenges of the workforce and industry education needs of Nevada) Research (Co-develop solutions to the critical issues facing 21st century Nevada and raise the overall research profile) X Not Applicable to NSHE Strategic Plan Goals INDICATE HOW THE PROPOSAL SUPPORTS THE SPECIFIC STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL While it may not support the NSHE strategic plan goals directly, the association of the union with Assemblyman Thompson promotes the common CSN and NSHE ideals of access, success, closing the achievement gap and advancing the local workforce – all causes for which he was a staunch advocate. 6. BULLET POINTS TO SUPPORT REQUEST/RECOMMENDATION: • In consultation with community groups and campus constituents, there is overwhelming internal and external stakeholder support for the naming request, including the CSN Faculty Senate, CSN Executive Council, CSN Leadership Council, CSN Foundation, and CSN Student Government. Countless community leaders support our petition, including but not limited to: o Hannah Brown; President Emeritus, Las Vegas Urban Chamber of Commerce o Dr. Donald Chaney, Minister of Renaissance Fellowship; o Dr. Robert Fowler, Minister of Victory Baptist Church; o Dr. Tiffany Tyler, Director of Nevada DETR; o Roxanne Baumann McCoy, President of Las Vegas' NAACP; o Craig Knight, CEO of Nevada Partners; o Aaron Ford, Nevada Attorney General; o NLV Mayor John Lee, NLV Councilman Isaac Barron, NLV Councilman Richard Cherchio, NLV Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-Brown; o Las Vegas City Councilman Cedric Crear (former Regent); o Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly; Clark County Assessor Briana Johnson; Clark County Recorder Debbie Conway; o CCSD Trustee Dr. Linda E. Young; o Nevada Black Legislative Caucus, including Speaker of the Assembly Jason Frierson, Assemblyman William O. McCurdy, Assemblywoman Britney Miller, Assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno, Assemblywoman Dina Neal, Assemblyman Howard Watts, Senator Dallas Harris, Senator Pat Spearman, Senator Marcia Washington; o Nevada Hispanic Legislative Caucus, including Assemblyman Edgar Flores, Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson, Assemblywoman Bea Duran, Assemblyman Richard Carrillo, Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui, Assemblywoman Susie Martinez, Assemblywoman Selena Torres, Senator Mo Denis (Chairman of Senate Education Committee), and Senator Yvanna Cancela; o Tony F. Sanchez, Executive Vice President of Business Development & External Relations, NV Energy; o Peter Guzman, President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce • He served on many legislative committees in his six years in the Nevada State Assembly and was (BOARD OF REGENTS 07/19/19) Ref. BOR-2b, Page 2 of 5 Form Revised: 1/2018 a tireless champion for NSHE, CSN, and projects that advanced the causes that mattered most to his community. He was very proud to be from North Las Vegas. • In summary, Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson had an exemplary of record of community engagement and was a strong advocate for CSN, access for students of color, workforce and economic development, prison education, and education in general. 7. POTENTIAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST THE REQUEST/RECOMMENDATION: Unknown 8. ALTERNATIVE(S) TO WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED/RECOMMENDED: Not to name the student union. 9. RECOMMENDATION FROM THE CHANCELLOR’S OFFICE: 10. COMPLIANCE WITH BOARD POLICY: Consistent With Current Board Policy: Title #_____ Chapter #_____ Section #_______ Amends Current Board Policy: Title #_____ Chapter #_____ Section #_______ Amends Current Procedures & Guidelines Manual: Chapter #_____ Section #_______ X Other: P & G Manual, Ch. 1, Sec. 2 (2)_______________________________________________ Fiscal Impact: Yes_____ No_X____ Explain:____________________________________________________________ (BOARD OF REGENTS 07/19/19) Ref. BOR-2b, Page 3 of 5 Form Revised: 1/2018 TYRONE THOMPSON Biographical Information Born: • 1967, North Las Vegas, Nevada Education: • M.A., Organizational Management, University of Phoenix, 1998-2000 • B.S., Criminal Justice, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, 1986-1989 • Graduate, Leadership Las Vegas, 2003 • Valley High School, Las Vegas, Nevada, 1981-1985 Background: Tyrone Thomson was extremely active in his community, serving on several boards and councils over the years including the Interagency Council on Homelessness, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators and the American Society for Public Administrators. He also was a Court Appointed Special Advocate. Thompson also worked on homeless initiatives for the Southern Nevada Planning Coalition at the time he was appointed to the Assembly and was later a senior training coordinator at the Clark County Organizational Development Center. He was particularly passionate about our youth and helped implement several youth programs including, Las He was particularly passionate about our youth and helped implement several youth programs including, Las Vegas’ My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, Legacy Project Youth Council, Camp Anytown, and the City of Las Vegas Batteries Included. He also mentored youth ushers as a “Senior Usher in Charge” at the Victory Missionary Baptist Church. Thompson earned several civic awards for his work over the years including the Community Leadership Award at Las Vegas Soul Fest, the President Obama Volunteer Service Award and the Volunteer Center of Southern Nevada Community Enrichment Award and National Points of Light Award. Thompson held a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northern Arizona University and a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of Phoenix. As a high school student, he served as student body president