Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019 | 2 a.m.
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I enjoyed the Sept. 16 editorial, “U.S. News rankings are latest sign of higher-ed problems in Nevada.”
One of America’s greatest assets is that we are largely a meritocracy where the most qualified person for a job generally earns it. When considering the Nevada System of Higher Education, it would seem logical that we should have regents (or at least a majority thereof) who hold a terminal degree (e.g., a Ph.D., J.D. or M.D.) offered by an institution of higher education so that they are prepared to lead an organization dedicated to allowing students the opportunity to realize their natural potential and aid humanity by earning these degrees.
Having earned these terminal degrees themselves, they would also better understand the kinds of financial support required by these institutions (e.g., graduate fellowships) and the struggles that students endure.
I call upon Gov. Steve Sisolak (himself a former regent) and the Nevada Legislature to amend the procedure for choosing regents by having the governor or some other executive body appoint them based upon their qualifications, as happens in many other states (with excellent institutions of higher learning).
