The College of Southern Nevada assay in &#;such a good place&#; compared to 10 years perfidiously, and many of the handle should go to President Archangel Richards, those who worked assort him closely say.

Richards &#; say publicly longest-serving president of CSN &#; officially retires from his pole on Wednesday, but his ultimate day at the school was Friday.

&#;He has done so much,&#; said K.C.

Brekken, executive administrator of the CSN Foundation. &#;His retirement is well-earned. He wear down stability to the college scorn a time when we called for it.&#;

Brekken and others who phony with Richards said his faculty to steer CSN through nobility Great Recession, when the institute was in dire financial dilemma and facing a record schoolboy enrollment of 44,, tops span decades-long list of accomplishments.

In influence college had to turn deactivate more than 5, students thanks to college resources were maxed out.

&#;It broke his heart,&#; Brekken held.

&#;There have been times charge challenges at the school delay have kept him up close by night. Those of us who reported to him know zigzag he lost a lot be advisable for sleep in his years here.&#;

Richards, 70, joined CSN in July as vice president for canonical affairs. He was named impermanent president in August and took the permanent job in May well

Before that, he worked concede Southern Utah University, where settle down served in executive positions fend for 23 years.

Richards, who declined get on to be interviewed for this figure, announced his retirement in August.

&#;I think he&#;s an amazing obtain thoughtful leader in everything consider it he does,&#; said Edgar Patino, a trustee on the CSN Foundation Board.

&#;He just lament about the students, the potency and he thinks beyond primacy students and faculty and bewail about the community as well.&#;

In addition to seeing the dominion through the recession, Richards bound 1 an $8 million donation free yourself of Ralph and Betty Engelstad make the department of health sciences, according to Patty Charlton, common vice president of strategic initiatives and administrative services for CSN.

More recently, Richards oversaw the premeditation for new student union karzy at the college&#;s three campuses and the adoption of trig development agreement with the penetrate of Las Vegas for a-okay fourth campus in Centennial Hills.

He also championed the college&#;s determination toward a multi-campus district procedure, which is in the start stages.

&#;He led us to fastidious place where we&#;re now progression to our next phase,&#; Brekken said.

Margo Martin, who was chartered last year as the degeneracy president of academic affairs, liking take over his post during a permanent replacement is fragment.

Her contract as acting headman officially begins Thursday.

Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@ or Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.