Marc Netter
Kinesiology: Department Coordinator (Office Manager)
CSUN Alum: Child Development, BS, 1995 (now Child and Adolescent Development)
How Marc Netter got to CSUN:
“Before coming to CSUN, I worked for Whole Foods Market for 29 years, the last 25 years was in Accounting,” Netter said. “I applied to work at CSUN because I wanted a job where I could interact with more people, make a difference in their lives and help the next generation.”
Netter applied with CSUN HR for placement as a temporary/emergency hire, the "temp-pool." He was was assigned to the University Corporation as an accountant, covering for an employee on maternity leave. Familiar with the campus from his perspective as a student (BS, 1995) he already knew he loved the campus environment, and the time as a temp employee took away any doubt. So when the worker came back, Netter returned to the temp-pool and was soon selected for a post in Kinesiology. After a few months, he was able to apply for the permanent position and he got it. He’s been with Kinesiology for two years now.
Marc Netter's role in HHD:
“I’m the Department Coordinator for Kinesiology – the Office Manager. The job is perfect for me. Every day like ten things come up – the work isn’t repetitive at all. My job includes managing the office, doing the Schedule of Classes, HR and payroll for the department and I also deal with a variety of concerns from Personal Action Requests for status changes to Omni lock and keys,” he said. Netter also walks through the building regularly to check on the classrooms, labs, gyms and hallways. “I look for any areas where attention may be needed, and I check with instructors to make sure everything’s working as it should.”
Working very closely with the Department Chair, Konstantinos Vrongistinos, ‘Dino’, Netter also takes minutes for faculty meetings, assists faculty with problem-solving and leads them to resources. Netter is also a source of information for the Kinesiology website, providing content to the faculty web-publisher, Associate Professor Ovande Furtado.
Kinesiology has 27 full-time faculty, 48 part-time lecturers, 26 graduate teaching assistants, four lifeguards, 12 peer learning facilitators and seven student assistants. In the department’s main office, Netter works with Blanca Maldonado who is the Finance/Budget Specialist; Marina Sanchez, the Administrative Assistant; and Sangita Dube, who is Kinesiology’s Academic Advisor. He also coordinates with staff in other areas of the building including Steven Paredes, who serves as Instructional and Building Support (Assistant Building Coordinator), and Concha Madrid-Silva who is the Accompanist (piano) for dance classes. He also works with Facilities Coordinator Geoff Stocker on room assignments and making sure all is well with the building.
“Our workflow is smooth because we all know our roles. That’s the biggest thing I can say about working in Kinesiology,” he said, “Everyone’s great. I work with a group of such nice people. I remember my second day in the department as a temp, Dino asked me to take meeting minutes. So there I am with 27 faculty plus Dino. I was a little nervous, I was new, and I looked around the room and one of the faculty just gave me a kind smile and it put me at ease. That set the tone, and since that day I’ve known I was in the right place.”
“The college started off the 2018-19 academic year with retreats for staff and faculty. Among the things we talked about were the four pillars of our college, and the footprint we make in the community,” Netter said. “I take that to heart. The four pillars are student success, employee success, research success and reputational success. With my job I get to strengthen all four, depending on what aspect of my job is at the forefront at any given time,” he said.
Background to Foreground:
Netter began his career in 1987 right around the corner from CSUN at Reseda and Vincennes at Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Foods, which would later become Whole Foods Market. That’s where he met the love of his life, Veronika, (UCLA, Microbiology) who was a cashier. The store has relocated since, and Netter went to the company’s Glendale offices. He and Veronika married in 1996 and today they have two grown children: Taylor 21, graduated from Cal Lutheran with a BA in Educational Studies and she is now working on her teaching credential at CSUN, and Julia, 19, is a freshman/first-year student studying Speech Pathology at San Diego State.
Marc and Veronika Netter stay fit by fast-walking a three mile course through campus several times a week. “It started with 3 WINS Fitness and now it’s a habit,” he said.
The many paths the two travel through campus can be compared to the paths students take to get to their degrees, and Netter’s varied approaches to the walks is comparable to the ways students navigate through their degree programs.
“I think about the university experience I hope my kids are having. Happiness is important to me. I want to be part of a culture that supports students in environment where the human connection is valued,” he said. “We have a culture at CSUN where people hold the doors open for each other, and people look for ways to be kind. The environment and atmosphere are welcoming.”
SP 2019
Jean O'Sullivan/College of HHD