Enrollments don't match up with budgets

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is posting a 6 percent gain over last spring's full-time undergraduate enrollment. During the same period, UNR's enrollment grew by 1 percent.

The contrast between the state's two public universities is greater at the graduate level, where UNLV's 5 percent enrollment increase compares with UNR's 7 percent decrease, according to preliminary figures from the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Based on the enrollment figures, UNLV should have received $5 million more in funding, and UNR would have received $1 million less.

UNR was budgeted to have 9,439, but 9,277 full-time students showed up. Enrollment at UNLV was budgeted for 14,221 full-time students, but 15,020 arrived for class.

On Monday, University system Chancellor Richard Jarvis called that upside-down scenario a problem and said he is seeking authority from the 1999 Legislature to redistribute money when enrollments come in under or over a campus' projections.

Jarvis also said he has not heard an explanation from UNR about its drop in graduate enrollment and its failure to meet projections.

The enrollment trends are expected to be scrutinized April 29 and 30 by the Board of Regents as the panel meets in Reno to discuss conclusions of an independent study examining whether there are historic budgetary practices that favor stable northern Nevada universities and community colleges over their fast-growing counterparts in the south.

The state budget proposed for the next two years, Jarvis said, would send money to UNR to cover an enrollment increase of 1 percent; 2 percent at UNLV; and 3 percent at the Community College of Southern Nevada, which grew by 12 percent during the previous year. UNR, UNLV and the community college anticipate annual enrollment growth of 3 percent, 5 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

The presidents of southern Nevada's schools have been arguing that more funding should come their way because of higher growth rates.

If such budget increases do not occur, regents have agreed to petition the Legislature in May to redistribute funding from stable northern campuses or cut programs funded by estate tax revenues to fund additional enrollment growth at UNLV and the Community College of Southern Nevada.

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