Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

GUEST COLUMN:

Philanthropists back Question 1 for better higher education; quality of life



As individuals with deep ties to Southern Nevada and a commitment to community betterment, we know firsthand just how important higher education is to the development of a thriving community.

As a state, our focus should be on educating future leaders, fostering workforce development programs and improving college attainment rates. This in turn will attract future investment and economic development for Southern Nevada as well as our entire state. That’s why we and so many others in our community have been longtime supporters of UNLV.

Unfortunately, Nevada’s higher education system is suffering at the hands of the Nevada System of Higher Education and the Board of Regents, which oversees all of our state’s colleges, community colleges and universities. For decades, they have operated in a reckless manner without oversight, which has led to government waste and internal strife, negatively affecting students and faculty.

Because of this, we are urging all Southern Nevadans to join us in voting “yes” on Ballot Question 1, which will bring accountability, transparency and oversight to our higher education governance.

It’s no secret that Nevada’s economy is in the midst of a crisis, yet this has not stopped NSHE and the Board of Regents from continuing to spend. The board oversees a $26 million biennial budget, which is more than the general fund budgets of some of our colleges and larger than that of equivalent entities in similarly sized states.

Additionally, the board paid six-figure salaries to two chancellors for a number of months. This is all occurring during a period when student fees and tuitions have continued to rise. In fact, tuition has more than doubled since 2008.

The board’s dysfunction and internal discord have also led to waste. Twice in the past three years, the board had to hire outside legal counsel to deal with internal issues. The result? Money meant for students went straight into the pockets of attorneys. All of this waste and bloated administrative spending means that fewer state resources get to campuses, faculty and students.

Waste and out-of-control spending have gotten us nowhere. The graduation rate at all our colleges is below the national average. And although we spend $1.2 billion on higher education biennially, which ranks 16th in per-student funding, Nevada ranks just 46th in college attainment.

Our higher education system also suffers due to its antiquated structure. Currently, Nevada is the only state where a single elected board governs all higher education institutions. This hinders us from addressing the different missions of our colleges, community colleges and universities, and has led to a loss of confidence in higher education by our business community and philanthropic supporters.

While Question 1 will ensure greater accountability and independent oversight, it does not affect the day-to-day operations of higher education. Existing Nevada law will still dictate that the Board of Regents be elected, oversee operations and maintain their current roles and duties.

The ballot question simply calls for the board to be removed from the Nevada Constitution as a standalone entity, giving lawmakers the opportunity to add oversight to it. As is, the 13 regents are answerable only to themselves and their voters.

Currently, no other agency within our state operates without legislative oversight. We can change that with the passage of Ballot Question 1, which will provide a system of checks and balances that will ensure that taxpayer dollars meant for higher education are used as intended. Join us in voting “yes” on Ballot Question 1 to improve higher education, our community and quality of life for all Nevadans.

Kris Engelstad McGarry is a UNLV graduate and community philanthropist. Gary Ackerman is a business owner and community philanthropist.