The demand for continuing education among California County leaders has never been greater. To meet that demand, the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government has developed an aggressive expansion plan that includes the creation of satellite campuses in specific counties around the state.

A satellite campus has already been successfully established in San Diego County, and another opens in Merced County next month. These satellite campuses allow county leaders from the respective regions  to easily attend Institute courses without investing the time and expense to travel to Sacramento.

At each satellite campus, one course will be held each month for 10 months. This allows interested county officials to satisfy the requirements needed to earn an Institute credential. Merced County launches the program on Sept. 18, and  courses start back up in San Diego County on Sept. 11. The host county works closely with CSAC to ensure each course meets Institute standards on everything from content to attendance.

“This partnership with host counties greatly increases the accessibility to Institute learning opportunities for all county elected officials and senior managers,’ explained Institute Dean Bill Chiat. “Courses are open to all counties for participation. The classes offered at county campuses tend to be among the most popular ones the Institute offers.”

San Diego County recently completed its first series of 10 Institute courses in which 10 staff earned their credentials. County Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer said the value of holding courses locally was apparent.

“The program has been a huge success.  Hosting the CSAC Institute in San Diego County has allowed for many of our emerging leaders and those from neighboring counties to benefit from this educational opportunity by saving the time and expense of traveling to Sacramento,” Robbins-Meyer explained.

CSAC is confident that this same success can be duplicated in the Central Valley. Merced County Administrative Officer Jim Brown has been a longtime strong advocate of the Institute and is looking forward to hosting Institute classes in his County.

“We’re excited to take part in the CSAC Institute by hosting satellite courses in Merced County. Having such a valuable training program available in the Central Valley will afford more County employees the opportunity to grow and find success in their respective positions,” Brown said.

The future of the Institute? Perhaps additional expansion, Chiat said. “We are in discussions for another campus in the Bay Area and the creation of a new credential and course series for IT managers and executives. We keep searching for more ways to be a resource in the professional development of all county managers and elected officials.”

Beyond physical expansion, the Institute continues to broaden its course offerings. A new series titled “Emerging Issues” kicks off in September with the focus on protecting our children; future courses include fostering collaborative mental health public safety services, as well as course discussing long-term impacts of  the drought. The Institute – in conjunction with the County Administrators Association of California – is also offering a two-day workshop titled, “So You Want to be a CAO” on Sept. 17-18. Another two-day course, “Performance Measurement and Management: Accountability for Results” is set for Oct. 1-2.

To review the Institute’s summer/fall course schedule, click here.