CSAC Institute Reaches New Milestone
4,000 California County Leaders Have Now Taken Courses
From its hopeful beginnings in 2009, the CSAC Institute for Excellence in County Government has grown into the premier continuing education program for county officials in the country. This program reached a milestone last week when its 4,000th California county leader took a course.
The Institute now offers instruction in four counties around California: Sacramento, Contra Costa, Merced and most recently Riverside, reducing travel time for attendees as they can find a course nearby. San Diego County was the site of an Institute satellite campus for the past two years; the Southern California location will now rotate annually between San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
“We are so gratified by the participation and support from all 58 counties and over 4,000 county leaders. It accentuates our mission to provide tools and resources which expand the capacity of county elected officials, executives and managers to best serve their communities,” said Institute Dean Bill Chiat.
The current curriculum offers nearly 40 courses, including the ever-popular New Supervisors Institute, which provides more than 30 hours of instruction and training to county supervisors-elect. The first session will precede the CSAC Annual Meeting in Palm Springs, Riverside County, in November and continue with two additional sessions in Sacramento County during the winter. Chiat said the Winter/Spring course schedule will be the most intensive yet.
“Dean Bill Chiat’s outstanding vision, leadership and relentless commitment have expanded the Institute from its first small class in 2009 to now serving more than 4,000 county leaders,” said CSAC Deputy Executive Director Graham Knaus. “The ongoing evolution of the Institute as a resource to counties is nothing short of remarkable. The Institute is a national model and now includes four locations and with far broader opportunities for county leaders of today and tomorrow. And there’s much more to come.”
Next up: 5,000 county leaders – and beyond.
To review the current Summer/Fall course schedule, click here.