Where I Stand -- Tom Anderes: State of higher education

In August, Where I Stand is written by guest columnists. Today's guest is Dr. Tom Anderes, interim chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada. Responsible for overseeing the administration of Nevada's seven public institutions of higher learning, Anderes has more than 20 years of leadership experience in higher education.

Is Nevada's higher education at a crossroads?

When one reaches a critical point in his ability to succeed he is generally considered to have reached a crossroads. Moving beyond this crossroads symbolizes the ability to overcome difficult obstacles and define new objectives.

In recent months Nevada higher education, through the leadership of the Board of Regents, has been looking at the long-term implications of population growth and the ensuing increased demand for services. What they have found is an unprecedented appetite for educational programming requiring added resources and facilities that will continue into the foreseeable future. These findings suggest that higher education is at a crossroads in its ability to provide sufficient services within necessary standards of quality.

The stark reality for each university and community college campus is that there are many crossroads to be reached and passed. The challenges of student growth, funding limitations, space shortages, institutional accreditation, increased student costs and state accountability standards are combined into a complex blend affecting how best to deliver educational programs.

The Board of Regents' planning process has focused on identifying key trends that will be the basis for budget development and decision making in the upcoming year. Performance indicators for academic and administrative programs are being developed as credible standards for accountability. Not surprisingly, the most significant indicator is the number of students attending Nevada's four community colleges and two universities. The projected growth in the number of students seeking some post-secondary education is overwhelming in its implications for the next decade and beyond.

As we look to the future, however, we should not lose sight of what is offered to students attending classes today. The value of a student receiving an education today should be the same value as one attending in the future.

Escalation in the demand for higher education in our state is greater today than in any other in the country. Unabated migration into Nevada, in combination with increased participation in higher education by the existing population, has created a positive pressure for change. It is critical that our long-term vision not impair our short term attention to the students served today.

Each institution, through its faculty and staff, must assess continually the effectiveness and efficiency of its academic and administrative programs. Analyses of administrative programs and processes through quality improvement techniques has become an important facet of system and institutional decision making. Continual quality concepts must become an even more integral tool in the future.

Today's student can benefit from creative solutions in streamlined administrative services, flexible financial aid packages, expanded course availability, simplified transfer requirements and many other initiatives. It is essential that every effort be made to rethink and restructure program delivery to maximize the level and quality of service provided to each student.

As we prepare for the demands confronting us in the next decade we must maintain a commitment to students seeking education today. Planning for the future is critical. Establishing parameters of growth, estimating funding requirements, creating facility alternatives and developing new programs are necessary components of informed decision making.

It should be of paramount importance that the future is today for thousands of Nevada residents. All of our skills should be as focused on them as they are for the students yet to attend classes.

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