A look at the exterior of Nevada State College campus on Paradise Hills Drive in Henderson, Monday Aug. 29, 2022.
Friday, Sept. 9, 2022 | 3:52 p.m.
The Nevada Board of Regents has postponed making a decision on changing the name of Nevada State College to Nevada State University.
The Nevada System of Higher Education announced in a tweet today that regents would be tabling the matter “to allow for additional information to be provided.”
The board, which met today, cited technical issues, such as tuition amounts and faculty salaries, surrounding a name change.
Acting Chancellor Dale Erquiaga noted the school’s code “uses specifically the phrase ‘state college’ in a number of places…," explaining that there are certain specifications that go into how distinctions such as "state college" or "university" are defined.
The board is expected to make a decision at its next quarterly meeting in December.
NSC President DeRionne P. Pollard asked the board to OK the name change effective July 1, 2023.
The switch would not affect the Henderson school’s mission or tuition, which is $185 per credit for undergraduate programs and $249.85 for graduate programs.
The college issued a statement thanking the regents for considering the change and for the public’s support.
“We look forward to the proposal being considered further at the December regents meeting,” the statement said.
The proposed name change has been long in the making. Pollard said her predecessor, Bart Patterson, originally pushed for the switch.
A survey that included students and alumni found a majority support the change.
Amiyah Henly, executive vice president of the Nevada State Student Alliance, said the “university” designation would be more reflective of the school’s four-year degree programs.
Dayton Vasquez, executive secretary of the alliance, said a name change “would serve justice for alumni, as the term ‘university’ would look more favorable to employers.”
Marcela Rodriguez Campo, NSC’s director of community, equity, diversity and inclusion, said a degree is one of the “most effective conduits for social mobility.” But the school’s designation as a “college” may hinder students’ competitiveness in the job market, she said.
Students would “dramatically and tangibly benefit from our institution becoming Nevada State University,” Campo said.
