The College of Southern Nevada Foundation received $100,000 from the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM).

The grant is the second part of a three-year, $300,000 commitment from AGEM to the CSN School of Applied and Advanced Technologies to support slot technician degree programs.

AGEM is an international trading association representing manufacturers of electronic gaming devices, systems and components for the gaming industry.

The grant will help CSN increase technical support for the slot technician programs, step up recruitment efforts, supplement teaching staff and implement a customized curriculum and online courses to educate slot technicians. The grant will also help support a full-time lab technician and host a train-the-trainer workshop to enable gaming businesses the opportunity to develop on-site training staff.

“Today’s slot technician can progress to a board technician and earn up to $60,000 within a year of entering the work force. Today’s technician must have knowledge about electronics, PC based software and possess critical thinking skills to troubleshoot a variety of games,” said Michael Spangler, Dean of the School of Applied and Advanced Technologies. “CSN does an excellent job in preparing students to enter the work force. This contribution will help us reach more students and increase the number of qualified employees in the local work force. The AGEM members, once again, have demonstrated the depth of their commitment to their industry, their community and the College of Southern Nevada.”

This gift is the second $100,000 grant AGEM has awarded the College.

“We are updating the program primarily because of the newer type slot machines out there that require new testing equipment,” said CSN Professor Jim Jennings. The grant will help the College purchase simulation equipment and will also help CSN to create the first text book for prospective slot technicians.

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The College of Southern Nevada’s Curriculum Committee has approved the new Associate of Arts Degree in Latin American and Latina/o Studies. Students will be able to start working toward the 63-credit degree this fall. The degree will also be transferrable to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and its Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies program.

Dr. Carlos Campo will bring the degree to the Academic Council for approval in April.

“The Latina/o and Latin American Studies degree will help Latina/o students place their heritage in a global context, and give any student a fuller understanding of the contribution of Latina/o people to world culture,” Dr. Campo said. “In addition, this degree will feature a number of courses that students in any discipline can take as an elective, thereby broadening the choice of offerings for students at CSN. Finally, this degree supports the demographic shift reflected in Southern Nevada, and a clear educational trend in our peer institutions in the West.”

The College will add 14 new courses as part of the special program requirements of the degree in exciting areas that will help to increase awareness in the community about Latin America as well as the U.S. Latina/o culture.

The degree has classes that focus on both the history, politics, economics and culture of Latin American countries as well as classes on Latinos living in the United States. Students in the program will be able to analyze the assimilation process of immigrants and will be required to take Spanish language classes, such as Spanish for Heritage Speakers I and II, as part of the degree.

“We’re talking about how Mexicans, for instance, see themselves. What are the different elements that help them to form their identities as Mexicans? We’re going to explore things like gender roles, the great role religion plays, music, art and television,” said Sergio Guzman, a Professor in International Languages, who spearheaded the development of the new degree program. “This degree validates the experience of Latin Americans and Latinos in the United States.”

New courses are: Introduction to Latin American Studies; Hispanic Groups in the United States; Capstone class in Latin American Studies; Introduction to Linguistics; Mexican Culture; Pre-Columbian Art and Architecture; Survey of Latin American Music; History of the 20th Century Mexican Photography; Introduction to Mesoamerican Archeology; Introduction to Latin American History in Culture I and II; Latino Politics and Society; Psychological Adjustment of Latinos in the United States and Economics of Discrimination.

To hear more about this new degree, listen to KNPR on Sunday, March 30 at 6:30 p.m. when Dr. Campo and Dr. Guzman will discuss the program on “Ideas in the Air.” Or look for the podcast of the discussion to be posted soon after the show airs on http://www.csn.edu/news/index.asp.

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