Chancellor calls for better university research programs

Jarvis faulted Nevada's higher education system, saying it has too much in common with sparsely populated Alaska and South Dakota, and not enough in common with nearby Utah and New Mexico.

Utah and New Mexico have populations similar in size to Nevada, but offer stronger research and college-level programs, he told the Board of Regents on Friday.

"I don't think we have grown up and looked beyond next year's enrollment increases," Jarvis said. "Where do we want to be when we grow up?"

The chancellor said Utah and New Mexico each have two major research universities, which attract more than double the $85 million brought in annually by the University of Nevada, Reno and University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

UNR and its medical school draw the bulk of Nevada's research dollars.

"When you look around, you don't find high-tech industries without a university research center nearby," Jarvis said.

"We need two research universities in Nevada. If you have that, that is going to transfer to economic diversification."

Without specifying the price tag, Jarvis called on regents and legislators to allot more money to UNR and UNLV so they can become major research universities in the next millennium.

Regents took no immediate action on the request.

Regents also took no action on a proposal to add a state college to a system that now includes two universities and four community colleges.

Henderson leaders are pressing regents and lawmakers to open a four-year state college in the Las Vegas suburb.

Jarvis supports Henderson's effort in part because it would allow UNLV to develop its research programs.

Utah and New Mexico each have two or three other four-year colleges to handle undergraduate needs and give the task of high-level graduate work to research universities.

Jarvis' research goals would cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars at a time when some campuses are coping with major budget shortfalls.

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