Gov. Gibbons, higher education leaders convene for Board of Regents meeting	«« back
	by FANTASI PRIDGON Editor-In-Chief	April 2010

Governor Jim Gibbons proposed a plan regarding the future of education in Nevada at the Board of Regents meeting on the West Charleston campus of the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) on March 4, 2010.

“Today I am proposing a series of reforms that will allow the Nevada System of Higher Education to function in a new, autonomous, flexible and entrepreneurial manner,” Gibbons said.

“We must give the Board of Regents and its officers the ability to spend the state dollars we appropriate in the manner they see fit,” Gibbons stated, “This means that we should stay out of their business.”

Some of the changes Gibbons proposed for the 2011 Legislature include: Allowing the higher education system to keep all in-state tuition funds. As of now, two-thirds of funds goes into Nevada’s general fund.

Changing classified staff from state employees to employees of the higher education system. Classified employees typically are the lower level workers, such as maintenance workers and administrative assistants.

Exempting higher education from supervision and control by the state Public Works Board to remove “another layer of bureaucracy.” Giving greater autonomy to the regents.

Allowing the higher education system to keep twenty-five percent of the money it is allocated but does not spend. As of now, all unspent money goes back to the state.

Stabilizing the system’s biennial budget.

“It is my recommendation that we create a policy where we guarantee a certain appropriation to higher education,” Governor Gibbons’ draft proposal states.

All of the proposed changes would require approval by the 2011 Legislature.

Because of the recent decision to cut 6.9 percent from the education budget, many programs within the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) will have to be cut. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), as well as the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) are facing cuts of up to twenty programs, including journalism and women’s studies. The College of Southern Nevada has also come under fire, as there are talks of cutting across the board.

A number of the programs to experience cuts are in high demand, but are still being targeted because they require a substantial amount of funding. Many of these cuts would not have had to take place if theses suggestions by Governor Gibbons were implemented prior to this current crisis.

Some have voiced their criticism of Gibbons’ plan. Candidate for Nevada Governor Rory Reid has expressed his view of the governor’s “new” proposal.

“The governor endorsed measures that the higher education community has sought for years,” Reid said, “Unfortunately, during the more than three years the governor has been in office, he has done nothing except harm our higher education system through a series of drastic cuts and poor decisions...”

“Many of the suggestions in Gibbons’ plan are those that higher education leaders have been insisting on for a number of years, said James Leavitt, board chairman.

“We’re glad the governor has a listening ear,” Leavitt said, “This list is a good starting point for the discussion.”

The governor’s plan has come at a time where there is little to do to rectify the current standing budget, but these measures should be implemented in order to begin mending Nevada’s broken education system.

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