CSN Richards/Carpenter Watch

New blog about CSN

2010-09-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to post the following URL to a new blog dedicated to CSN issues:

http://www.changecsn.blogspot.com/ (you have to type or paste this exact URL into your browser)

Check it out!

Taz

Gilbert found guilty

2010-08-31T19:26:00.000-07:00

You can read the stories at the following links:

http://www.lvrj.com/news/former-csn-official-guilty-of-theft-101931673.html

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/aug/31/ex-csn-construction-chief-found-guilty-theft-charg/

Righthaven

2010-08-30T11:33:00.000-07:00

Readers and posters,

In case you haven't heard, the Righthaven Corporation now buys and enforces ownership of copyrights to all Las Vegas Review Journal articles. Since last March Righthaven has filed over 100 lawsuits against blogs and online entities that have reproduced Review Journal articles in 2010. These lawsuits have included a number of "non-profit" blogs like this as well as blogs that use advertising.

Therefore I no longer post Review Journal articles on this blog. If anyone wants to send LINKS to such articles I will be happy to post those.

Taz

NSC President Fred Maryanski dies

2010-07-02T21:42:00.000-07:00

According to the Las Vegas Sun Nevada State College President Fred Maryanski has died.

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/jul/02/nevada-state-college-president-fred-maryanski-dies/

Today's Questions: Monday May 19

2010-05-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

(Thank you Anonymous at 11:11 A.M. on the post below)

The summer is almost here and with that comes the new Fiscal Year.

What changes to you expect to see at CSN due to the budget cuts?

How are the recent cuts hindering your ability to perform your job?

Faculty Senate Arts and Letters Representative Endorsement: ADRIAN HAVAS

2010-05-09T16:24:00.000-07:00

The CSN Richards/Carpenter Watch blog endorses Adrian Havas for Arts and Letters Representative to the Faculty Senate.

If you are Arts and Letters faculty please remember to vote in this important election on the ANGEL course shell.

The election began at 12 noon on Friday May 7 and will end at 12 noon on Friday May 14.

Below is Adrian Havas's Platform Statement:

To the School of Arts & Letters Faculty:

My name is Adrian Havas, and I have accepted a nomination to, and have chosen to run for, an open seat on the CSN Faculty Senate representing Arts & Letters.

The reasons why I wish to serve in the Senate are many, but in the main I want to provide my voice to the governance of our institution. I would do my best to support shared governance of CSN. I promise to listen closely and actively to my fellow faculty in my School, and college wide – something that has not always been the case. I will promptly seek out my peers’ opinion on proposals being brought to Faculty Senate, and try to represent that opinion with my vote. This in mind, I would continue the practice of email newsletters updating faculty on all matters proposed.

It has become apparent that the Faculty Senate needs new voices and leadership that can more actively confront the pressing issues that we face. Among these include the following:

• The need for greater vigilance and voice on budgetary cutbacks at the state level. Current proposals for NSHE Code changes that threaten our contracts and tenure must be fought vigorously.

• The need to provide a voice for departments that may find themselves under fire or on “the chopping block” as regards committee findings on their “efficacy to our mission.” Students have a right to a broad-based education in Nevada, and I intend to see that this diversity of offerings is maintained and protected at CSN.

• The need to keep Faculty Senate out of areas where it has no place. In my opinion, faculty evaluation, student academic honesty, and certain, newly embraced hiring protocols lie beyond the Senate’s purview. I would be a strong voice to limit such infringement on academic freedom.

• The need to better regulate administrative appointments at all levels of our college, so as to avoid favoritism and waste of resources. The most qualified personnel should have access to such appointments, and the process for application should be far more transparent. The Faculty Senate should adopt and embrace a role in this.

My qualifications for this position include more than 15 years as an adjunct, contract, and tenure-track instructor at the college, teaching English and Journalism; service on college-wide committees including Salary & Benefits; service as faculty adviser to the student newspaper for more than a decade; and service on English Department search committees and curriculum development.

While I realize this is a hectic and pressing time to ask, considering finals week is now upon us, I would appreciate your vote for the open seat on the Faculty Senate. Thank you, fellow faculty members!

All the CSN news fit to read: Merry Mike's monthly Chronicle

2010-05-06T09:25:00.001-07:00

Ripped from the CSN "All" email:

The CSN Chronicle

Greetings and welcome to The CSN Chronicle as we close this academic year. This May edition provides an opportunity for me to share year-end information with you before many of our faculty leave for the summer. There is much to share.

Commencement
Graduation ceremonies will be held on Monday, May 17th at 6 p.m., at the Thomas & Mack Center. Commencement marks the close of our academic year, and I encourage your attendance and support of our graduating students.

New Facilities and Office Space
During the summer months, two construction projects will be completed: The fire station/classroom building and the new wing of the Ralph & Betty Engelstad School of Health Sciences. We will furnish these new spaces, but we have decided to delay office assignments until early fall. This will give faculty a chance to return, ensure the new space is ready for occupancy, allow us to prepare for the “domino” effect of office changes under CSN policy, and to make appropriate support assignments. This new space will be a wonderful addition to CSN.

Searches
In August we will move ahead with searches for interim dean positions and continue to hire full-time faculty in selected disciplines. We are also conducting a departmental analysis to determine if establishing a new department or two can be supported.

Budget Status
On July 1, CSN and the State of Nevada will start another budget year, FY2011. Already we have been told to expect a mid-year budget cut, and we’ve been directed to propose a budget for the next biennium that is 10% lower than the present budget after action of the special session. We will begin some initial work on this new plan and save much of the work for the Budget Reduction Committee when it returns in the fall. Before the semester ends, I’ll be meeting with the leaders of our employee groups and students to discuss our budget status and options for solutions.

Gala
The annual gala that our CSN Foundation and NV Energy sponsored was held on April 24th at the M Resort. The event was sold out — a singular tribute to community support for CSN. The evening was a remarkable success, raising scholarship funds for CSN students and programs. We are most grateful for the support of our Foundation trustees and the work of Foundation staff for making these annual events such wonderful successes that our donors, sponsors and the community look forward to each year.

Fall Convocation
This year, we will begin professional development activities for Convocation on August 19 with the annual State of the College address taking place on Monday, Aug. 23, at Texas Station in North Las Vegas. More information will be forth coming via e-mail over the next few months so if you are off campus this summer, please check your CSN account sporadically for updates.

Questions from Faculty and Staff Members:

“Will CSN employees have a flex option for summer?”
Periodically in the past, we have implemented a flexible work schedule during the summer months. After careful analysis, we have determined this is not feasible for the upcoming summer. Our priority, of course, is to provide the most efficient and effective operations across the College without compromising quality and coverage. That is particularly difficult under the state furlough mandate. Furloughs present significant scheduling and management challenges college-wide, and furloughs will continue through the summer. We appreciate your understanding of this decision.

“What preparation can we do now for the 2011 legislative session?”
Right now we’re preparing and watching state revenue figures. The state is down $3-3.5 billion for the next biennium, and it presents a historic challenge to keep the state viable. But this June, nearly every CSN employee can have an impact on the decisions that will be made in the next biennium as you participate in the political primary election:

• Support good candidates in your Assembly and Senate districts who are supportive of CSN, higher education and Nevada’s future.
• Vote in the primary election in June. Plan now to work for supportive candidates and to share your concerns about education and the future of the state.

As spring semester winds down, I extend my best regards and look forward to seeing you at fall convocation.

--Mike Richards

Request

2010-04-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Posters,

If your postings are not statements of fact please preface them with "In my opinion", "In my view", or some such language. Otherwise I cannot post them.

Today's Questions: Friday April 23

2010-04-23T11:36:00.000-07:00

1. Is NFA's supposed lobbyist Jim Richardson a shill for regents and legislators (see below)?

2. Of what benefit is such a person to NSHE faculty? Of what harm?

3. How can better representation of NSHE faculty be achieved?

From: Lyman, Shari
Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2010 11:07 AM
To: Lyman, Shari; Kant, Candace; Stewart, Judy; Nelson, Jennifer; Collins, Carolyn; Konowalow, Steve; Cosgrove, Sondra
Cc: drsharilyman@comnett.net; Kant, Candace; Mahrt, Matthew; Nelson, Jennifer; Havas, Adrian; Chase, Dorothy; Talley, Brenda; Matovina, Jim; Anderson, Kevin; White, Glynda; Thomas, Gayle; Doody, Evelyn; Scott Huber
Subject: RE: code change consensus?

Hello Everyone,
At yesterday's BOR meeting, Dan Klaich starting the code change discussion with the statement that all of the regents had heard from Jim Richardson of NFA. Jim has given the impression that all of the NFA chapters are in support of the code changes. There has never nor will there ever be a consensus of support as the code changes are written now because both the CSN NFA and CSN Senate have expressed unanimous opposition.

Scott of TMCC and Leah of UNR said that the message from Jim was a personal message from him, not a statement from NFA; however, I believe that all of the regents believe Jim's statement was from NFA because he represents NFA all of the time. He did not make it clear he was not speaking on behalf of all of NFA.

I need to send a statement from CSN NFA to all of the regents to make this message clear. I asked for the state board to do this and was told not to be so demanding and to be more civil.

What are your thoughts on a CSN NFA statement? I would like to use much of what Judy and Carolyn sent to the regents.

Thanks,
Shari

________________________________
From: Lyman, Shari
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 11:32 AM
To: Kant, Candace; Stewart, Judy; Nelson, Jennifer; Collins, Carolyn; Konowalow, Steve
Subject: FW: code change consensus?

From: Lyman, Shari
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 11:28 AM
To: Scott Huber; Pandey, Alok; Matovina, Jim; Rauls, Norman Mark; Paul Verburg; Frank Daniels; gregorystephenbrown@gmail.com; strangeman509@gmail.com; Angela.Brommel@nsc.nevada.edu; Steven Bale; Rob Correales; Glenn C Miller; jtr@unr.edu; Leah J Wilds
Cc: Cosgrove, Sondra
Subject: code change consensus?

Hi Scott and All,

I need to let you know that I have been informed from several sources: my own faculty, regents, and others that someone has informed the regents as a whole that State NFA supports the code changes.

Unfortunately, that is not a true statement and it is a great affront to all of my CSN faculty. Those in CSN Senate and CSN NFA Executive Board are not supportive of any of the code changes.

Also, not all of our faculty at CSN have had the opportunity to review and provide an opinion on this issue.

Also, in our State meeting on April 8, we did not reach a consensus as a State Board.

I would like to have the State board issue a statement to the regents that there is not a consensus of support or opposition to the code changes at this time due to the lack of opportunity to get the information to our faculty and receive feedback from our faculty at this point.
Thank you,
Shari

What do you think of this?

2010-04-19T15:48:00.000-07:00

Source:

CSN email 19 Apr 2010

Hello Arts and Letters Faculty!

I am writing to you today on behalf of your Faculty Senate representation in Arts and Letters. We will be holding our next meeting this Friday, and one of the issues we are expected to take action on will be the Academic Integrity Policy, a draft of which is attached to this email. For those who don’t know, CSN does not currently have a policy on dealing with violations of Academic Integrity, and this policy is designed to provide a uniform method of dealing with students who are accused of cheating, plagiarizing or other forms of academic dishonesty.

At our last meeting, there was much discussion about the mandatory nature of the policy. Section 8 of the proposed policy states that:

“Anyone with a good-faith basis for believing a student has violated this policy must report the alleged violation to the responsible instructor, chair / director, dean or appropriate designee within the academic unit.”.

Several Senators objected to the use of the word “must” – the argument was that individual instructors should be given the leeway to deal with students on a case-by-case basis, as opposed to entering them into this system, which creates documentation for the entire process at a level beyond the classroom.

There was also some discussion about what would happen if an individual instructor failed to follow the procedures in the policy. Currently, there is no such language in the proposed policy.

As your elected representatives to the Faculty Senate, we would like to hear your thoughts on these VERY important issues. Read over this policy, reflect on how it will affect you, and email any (or all) of us at the email addresses listed below. We really do want feedback from our constiuents, which will help guide us as we work on this piece of legislation.

Patrick Barton – patrick.barton@csn.edu

Diana Clennan – diana.clennan@csn.edu

Karen Hyman -- Karen.Hyman@csn.edu

Steve Konowalow – steve.konowalow@csn.edu

Laura McBride -- laura.mcbride@csn.edu

Eric Moreau – eric.moreau@csn.edu

Thank you very much!

Patrick Barton

Senate Proxy for Jennifer Basquiat

Senator-Elect 2010-2012

___________________________________________________

Patrick Barton

Instructor of Communication

Communication Lab Coordinator - Henderson Campus

Office: C201c

700 College Dr.

Sort Code: H2C

Henderson, NV 89002

Office Phone: 702-651-3181

Email: patrick.barton@csn.edu

---

TITLE: Student Academic Integrity Policy
EFFECTIVE DATE:
SENATE RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVED DATE:
APPROVED:
APPROVED DATE:
CSN PRESIDENT
1. PURPOSE
CSN is first and foremost an academic community with its fundamental purpose being the pursuit of learning and student development. CSN believes that any instance of academic dishonesty hurts the entire college community and that the values of honesty, trust, respect, fairness, responsibility and professionalism are paramount to maintaining academic integrity of our programs and courses.
In order to uphold and support standards of personal honesty and integrity for all members of the college community consistent with the goals of a community of scholars and students seeking knowledge, it is the practice of CSN to enforce the standards for academic integrity through fair and objective procedures governing instances of alleged student academic dishonesty.
This policy enhances the existing CSN Student Code of Conduct with respect to acts of academic dishonesty.
2. POLICY STATEMENT
Academic integrity is a legitimate concern for every member of the CSN college community. By joining the CSN college community, students accept the expectations to always take the ethical path and uphold the standards for integrity and honesty in their individual academic studies and to encourage others to do the same. It is the policy of CSN to review and investigate all allegations of academic dishonesty, and if Academic Dishonesty has occured, impose appropriate sanctions that maintain the integrity of CSN’s academic courses and programs.
CSN students assume the obligation to conduct themselves with integrity in their academic pursuits and in a manner that is compatible with the CSN student conduct code, the NSHE Code, and CSN’s mission as an educational institution with high standards of integrity overall. Students who violate these standards for academic honesty and integrity will be subject to CSN’s disciplinary process.
Academic dishonesty is defined as any of the following:
A. Using the words, creative works, or ideas of another, from the Internet or any source, without proper citation of the sources, commonly called plagiarism. This means any copying of ideas or materials without quotes or citations is considered plagiarism.
2
B. Receiving external assistance during an examination or any academic exercise unless expressly permitted by the instructor. This includes, but is not limited to:
1. Receiving aid not permitted by the instructor in connection with any academic assignment;
2. Unauthorized use or possession of camera telephones, text messages, computer disks, audio recorders, calculators, solution materials, photocopies, materials from previous classes, commercial research services, notes or other means to copy or photograph materials used or intended for academic evaluation not authorized by the instructor for use during the academic evaluation or assignment;
3. Communication in any manner with another student not permitted by the instructor during an examination;
4. Working with others on course work, including in-class and take-home examinations, unless expressly permitted by the instructor; or
5. Possessing, reading, buying, selling or using any materials intended for an academic evaluation or assignment in advance of its administration without the knowledge and consent of the instructor.
C. Turning in the same work in more than one class (or when repeating a class) unless permission is received in advance from the instructor.
D. Falsifying information for inclusion in an assigned paper, project or exercise; including inventing or altering data from a laboratory or field project, or creating fictional citations for a paper.
E. Attempting to influence or change any academic evaluation, assignment or academic records for reasons having no relevance to academic achievement. This includes, but is not limited to, bribery, threats and making unauthorized changes to any academic record.
F. Falsifying or misrepresenting hours or activities in relationship to an internship, externship, field experience, clinical activity or similar activity.
G. Acting or attempting to act as a substitute for another, or using or attempting to use a substitute, in any academic evaluation or assignment.
H. Facilitating, permitting or tolerating any of the above-listed items.
3
3. AUTHORITY AND CROSS REFERENCES
CSN Student Conduct Code; Chapter 6 of the NSHE Code.
4. KNOWLEDGE AND RESPONSIBILITY
CSN students, faculty, and staff must know this policy and actively comply. Instructors, academic supervisors/chairs/directors, and the Office of Student Affairs are responsible for implementation.
5. EXCEPTIONS
There are no exceptions to this policy.
6. DOCUMENT HISTORY
1. Origination: Faculty Senate Academic Standards Committee
2. Reviewed: General Counsel
3. Edited: Academic Standards and Faculty Senate Chair
4. Final Edit: Academic Standards Committee
7.CONTACT INFORMATION
Contact information or questions about this policy should be directed to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Dean of the School in question, the Department Chair of the department/discipline in question, the instructor of the course in question, or the Student Conduct Code Officers.
8.PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING STUDENT ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
These procedures are designed to encourage a fair and appropriate response to allegations of student academic dishonesty. They may be modified in individual cases, so long as the student agrees to the proposed modifications, the student is provided an opportunity to respond to allegations of academic dishonesty within a reasonable time after the allegations have been made, and the modifications do not violate fair process. Authority and jurisdiction for actual determination of academic dishonesty and appropriate academic sanctions are with the primary instructor of the class and/or assignment in accordance with the academic unit chairs/directors/supervisors approval.
A. Anyone with a good-faith basis for believing a student has violated this policy must report the alleged violation to the responsible instructor, chair / director, dean or appropriate designee within the academic unit. The person who pursues the allegation may be the responsible instructor or a designee appointed by the supervisor of the academic unit in which the course is located. It is expected that appropriate review and consultation with a supervisor and/or chair/director is a part
4
of this process. Final supervisorial review should maintain a distinct ‘one-level’ distance between last consultation and review.
1. The person making the allegation must complete a CSN Academic Dishonesty Report Form, with a copy being provided to the student, Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO), and the Registrar. If the responsible instructor/designee facilitating the initial meeting is not the primary instructor, appropriate communication regarding such sanctions is necessary before signing the CSN Academic Dishonesty Report Form.
B. The meeting to discuss the case are informal and non-adversarial. The responsible instructor/designee will advise a student of a scheduled meeting by verbal agreement, written or electronic notice. The preferred method of notification is a written, hand-delivered correspondence directed to the student. The responsible instructor/designee should request a colleague to be present for this meeting. In compelling circumstances, this initial meeting may also be referred to the appropriate Student Conduct Code Officer or designee. This option shall occur only after consultation and agreement with SCCO. If the student is out of state and is unable to travel, some other form of a meeting will be established and followed. When possible, this initial meeting shall occur within ten working days of discovery of the alleged violation.
C. The purpose of this initial meeting will be to review and discuss the allegations and present any relevant information, The responsible instructor/designee may use documentary evidence, provided the student is allowed to respond to it at the meeting. A student may bring relevant witnesses and/or an advisor. Neither the responsible instructor/designee nor the student may have legal counsel as their advisor at an initial meeting. An advisor is not permitted to participate directly or speak for the student, but may only be present during initial meetings or any subsequent college hearings.
D. At this initial meeting, the following results may occur:
1. The allegations are dismissed.
2. The student accepts responsibility for the violation and accepts the academic sanction(s).
3. The responsible instructor/designee believes a violation occurred with the student not accepting responsibility and requesting a hearing.
4. The student accepts responsibility for the violation but does not accept the academic sanction(s) and requests a hearing.
If the student does not attend the initial meeting, the instructor shall forward the charge to the Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO), for recording and tracking.
5
E. Upon completion of this initial meeting, if the responsible instructor/designee believes academic dishonesty has occurred at any level, he or she shall notify the appropriate Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO) of the resolution of an Academic Dishonesty violation. Notification to the SCCO shall include a copy of the signed CSN Academic Dishonesty Report form and copies of any relevant documentation used in determining the violation.
The SCCO will notify the charged student per notification procedures specified in the CSN Student Conduct Code, which can be found at:
http://www.csn.edu/uploadedFiles/Administration/General_Counsel/CCSN_Student_Conduct_Code-1.pdf
The student will be informed of his or her applicable rights and the process(es) for accepting the academic and judicial sanctions and/or appealing the academic decision and sanctions.
9. HEARING AND APPEAL PROCEDURES FOR ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
A. In any case where a student requests a hearing beyond the initial meeting, it shall occur in the following order:
1. The student shall file the appeal of the decision and any sanctions to the chair/director/designee of the academic department/unit in which the alleged academic dishonesty occurred. This appeal must be filed within 7 college working days of the student’s receipt of the findings of the initial meeting. The chair/director/ designee shall render a decision within 7 college working days of the receipt of the appeal, sending the findings to the student, instructor, department/unit and Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO). The decision shall consist of one of the following:
a. Dismiss the allegations
b. Uphold the allegations
c. Modify the sanctions
2. If the student wishes to appeal the findings of the chair/director/designee, he or she must file the appeal of the decision and any sanctions to the CSN Academic Integrity Appeal Board. This appeal must be filed within 7 college working days of the student’s receipt of the chair/director/designee findings. Appeals will be delivered to the Faculty Senate Office and Provost. The Academic Integrity Appeal Board will meet and render a decision within 10 college working days of the receipt of the appeal, sending its decision to the student, instructor, department/unit and Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO). The decision of the Academic Integrity Appeal Board will serve as the final place of appeal, and may allow witnesses from each party.
6
a. Dismiss the allegations
b. Uphold the allegations
c. Modify the sanctions
3. In cases involving suspension or expulsion, the Academic Integrity Appeal Boards decision shall constitute a recommendation to the president, who shall have final authority. The President may:
a. Dismiss the allegations
b. Uphold the allegations
c. Modify the sanctions
B. A student alleged to have committed academic dishonesty is not permitted to drop the class in question before the matter is resolved without the responsible instructor’s expressed permission, and may not be permitted to do so if dropping the class would negate the academic sanction. The student may continue to attend the class and fully participate until the matter is resolved.
10. SANCTIONS FOR ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Sanctions for academic dishonesty should be consistent and appropriate for the offense committed. Course syllabus statements are key in the determination of appropriate sanctions. Potential sanctions for academic dishonesty may include, but are not limited to, any one of the sanctions listed below singularly or in combination:
A. Academic Sanctions
1. Resubmitting an assignment
2. Reduction of points/letter grade for the assignment or class
3. Administrative removal from a class
4. Reduction of points/letter grade for class
5. Failing grade for assignment
6. Failing grade for class
B. Conduct Sanctions
1. Transcript notation. Length of time of notation to be determined by Academic Integrity Appeal Board (approved by Dean/Director)
2. Academic Integrity Seminar
3. Reflection letter of understanding written by the student
4. Disciplinary warning or probation
5. Removal from class and/or program (approved by Dean/Director)
6. Suspension or expulsion (approved by College President)
7. Recommendation for withdrawal of credit for previously accepted course or requirement
7
8. Recommendation for revocation of a degree or certificate
9. Referral to the appropriate legal authorities
10. Repeat offenders may be referred to the College President for appropriate disposition
11. GENERAL POINTS
A. All time limits specified in this policy may be extended for good cause.
B. This policy is not intended to address differences of opinion over grades issued by an instructor exercising good faith and professional judgment regarding a student’s work.
C. Before any action is taken under this policy that may result in the withdrawal, suspension or expulsion of an international student, both the student and the academic program are advised to consult with the CSN Office of International Students and Scholars.
12. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY APPEAL BOARD
A. The Academic Integrity Appeal Board members will come from a variety of areas on campus and will serve two-year terms, with the exception of the members from the CSN Faculty Senate Academic Standards Committee and the Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO), who is a standing and chair of the committee. To create the overall campus-wide pool of Academic Integrity Appeal Board members:
1. The Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO), who will co-chair the Board
2. One member of the CSN Faculty Senate Academic Standards Committee, who will serve as Co-Chair of the Board
3. The faculty of each school may designate: one faculty member
4. The Administration shall designate: one administrator or member of the professional staff one member of the student body
B. Any member of the Academic Integrity Appeal Board pool may serve on a hearing panel unless there are compelling academic discipline issues to be addressed at such hearing. In such cases, specifically designated pool members may be assigned from the college/school in which the alleged academic dishonesty occurred. All efforts to eliminate or avoid conflict of interest and bias will be given in each case.
C. Before serving on an Academic Integrity Appeal Board hearing, members shall complete an orientation and training on academic integrity and dishonesty.
8
D. Recruitment, training and facilitation of the Academic Integrity Appeal Board will be the responsibility of the Student Conduct Code Officer (SCCO), in collaboration with the CSN Faculty Senate; and with appropriate authority and jurisdiction being afforded to College designees as dictated in the NSHE and CSN Student Conduct Codes.
13. TRANSCRIPT NOTATION FOR ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
A. In instances where it is determined that the academic dishonesty is of both an intentional and egregious nature, or there is a pattern of repeated infractions, the conduct sanction shall be recorded on the student’s official and unofficial transcript with a transcript notation. The transcript of the student shall be marked Disciplinary Notation due to Academic Dishonesty in (class) during (semester). The transcript notation shall occur only upon completion of the student conduct proceedings. The conduct sanction notation shall not affect the grade point average, course repeatability or determination of academic standing. This conduct sanction notation is intended to denote a failure to accept and exhibit the fundamental value of academic honesty.
B. Once a conduct sanction notation is made, the student may file a written petition to the Academic Integrity Appeal Board to have the notation removed. The decision to remove the conduct sanction notation shall rest in the discretion and judgment of a majority of a quorum of the board; provided that:
1. At the time the petition is received, at least 180 calendar days shall have elapsed since the conduct sanction notation was recorded; and,
2. At the time the petition is received, the student shall have successfully completed the designated non-credit Academic Integrity Seminar, as administered by the Office of Student Conduct; or, for the person no longer enrolled at the college, an equivalent activity as determined by the Office of Student Conduct; and,
3. The Office of Student Conduct certifies that to the best of its knowledge the student has not been found responsible for any other act of academic dishonesty or similar disciplinary offense at the College of Southern Nevada or another institution.
C. Prior to deciding a petition, the Academic Integrity appeal board will review the record of the case and consult with the Office of Student Conduct and responsible instructor or appropriate chair/director/supervisor. The decision of the appeal board shall not be subject to subsequent appeal board reconsideration for at least 180 calendar days, unless the appeal board specifies an earlier date on which the petition may be reconsidered. This appeal shall be consider one (1) time only. Subsequent appeal board determinations pertaining to the removal of the conduct sanction notation may be appealed to the Vice President for Student Affairs. If the vice president removes the conduct sanction notation from the student’s transcript, the vice president shall provide a written rationale to the appeal board.
9
D. No student with a student conduct notation on the student’s transcript shall be permitted to represent the college in any extracurricular activity, or run for or hold an executive office in any student organization that is allowed to use college facilities or that receives college funds.

Today's Question: Monday April 19

2010-04-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

What is going on with the proposed NSHE code changes? Who and what is driving this?

All the CSN news fit to read: March Cabinet Notes

2010-04-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

Source:

http://blog.csn.edu/?p=437

March Cabinet Notes
March 08, 2010

Cabinet Members:
President Mike Richards
John Bearce, Interim Director of Institutional Research
K.C. Brekken, Communications Manager
Thomas Brown, Chief Campus Administrator, Cheyenne
Art Byrd, Vice President, Student Affairs
Patty Charlton, Senior Vice President for Finance & Facilities
Darren Divine, Interim Vice President, Academic Affairs
Richard Hinckley, General Counsel
Bill Kerney, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Penny McCollum, Campus Site Administrator, Henderson Campus
Joan McGee, Chief Campus Administrator, Charleston Campus
Larry Mason, Interim Vice President, Diversity & Cultural Affairs
Jacque Matthews, Executive Director, Foundation
Dave Morgan, Chair, Administrative Faculty Assembly
Mark Rauls, Faculty Senate Chair
Cat Maihen, President, Classified Council
Mugunth Vaithylingam, Chief Information Officer – absent
Nathaniel Waugh, Student Government President
Anne Zemek de Dominguez, General Counsel

The meeting was called to order by Dr. Richards at 9 a.m.

The notes of the February 8, 2010 cabinet meeting were approved.

Dr. Richards reminded the group of Spring Break, March 15-21, and the Legacy of Achievement Gala on April 24 at the M Resort. Jacque Matthews told everyone that so far, the Gala planning and table sales are progressing as expected, but there are plenty of tables and seats still available for purchase.

Dr. Richards recapped the Board of Regents meeting that took place on CSN‘s Charleston campus March 4 & 5. Most notably, the Governor gave a speech outlining ―sweeping changes‖ he would like to propose for Nevada‘s System of Higher Education. Some of the changes he proposed include measures that CSN constituents have been suggesting to legislators since before he took office. A proposal to help balance the state‘s budget with four ten-hour workdays and an additional 2-hours of furlough per month is still not well-understood as far as it concerns CSN. Patty Charlton told the cabinet members that Human Resources will be meeting this week to discuss the various issues in implementing that type of work schedule.

The Board of Regents and Legislators will need to vet out the details as well, and decide if it is even feasible for NSHE institutions to participate. The earliest any change in classified employees‘ work schedules would take effect – if, in fact, it does change – would be July 1. Dr. Richards, Patty Charlton and Human Resources will keep the College updated as the issues are considered.

The Board of Regents wants a report from each institution on the progress of their Diversity initiatives at the June Board meeting.

Patty Charlton said the budget cut of 6.9% for the current fiscal year would mean $2M for CSN, and the plans to address the cut have already been put in place. The next fiscal year that begins July 1 will involve about $5.7M, and may require more if a mid-year (December) additional cut is applied. Any speculation about changes in classified work schedules, additional furloughs, Grant-in-Aid reductions, etc. is all very premature. The legislators need to discuss the situation and vote before any definite course of action can be planned.

Dr. Richards distributed a copy of Chancellor Klaich‘s notes from a recent visit to the University System of Maryland. The System has in place an effectiveness and efficiency initiative brought about by the state‘s lack of confidence concerning costs incurred by the system.

John Bearce told the cabinet members about the March 15 census date, and the IPEDs reports due next month will be sent to the Federal Government. John distributed an iNtegrate project update, which indicates that the Pilot schools are going live on the new registration system in April. CSN goes live along with the other ‗copilot‘ schools in October. The first phase of the Admissions IDP takes effect this week. Cedar Crestone consultants who are on campus now occasionally, will be here more often and more permanently in April or May to ensure smooth transition to the live system.

K.C. Brekken reminded everyone of the Science Technology Expo on the Cheyenne campus. The event has a good turn out each year, and this year Senator Reid may be in attendance. The SciTech Expo is scheduled for April 9. K.C. is also working on this year‘s Report to the People. To save money on printing and improve efficiency, the new report will be an electronic version. The new format will allow for more frequent updates at a minimal cost.

Thomas Brown gave an update on Affirmative Action plans and training, and on events at the Cheyenne campus. He thanked Nate Waugh for his invitation to the Student Government meeting to meet the new senators. Black History month brought several events to the Cheyenne campus that were well-attended. There are several ongoing employee grievance investigations, and sexual harassment training implementation has greatly reduced the number of grievances to date. Thomas also reminded everyone that Russell‘s Restaurant is open for business and is a great bargain.

Dr. Richards reminded the cabinet members that CSN‘s full-time to part-time ratio is approximately 50-50. The reason CSN is hiring for some positions is to improve that ratio.

At the June Board of Regents meeting, we will present our Affirmative Action plan in hiring and retaining faculty. We have a solid plan, but Dr. Richards emphasized the need for its communication—especially to supervisors, deans and department chairs. Everyone in a supervisory position should be familiar with the AA Plan and the compliance status of his or her department.

Dr. Byrd reviewed the status of the departments in Student Affairs. There were almost 8,000 students on the Dean‘s Honor List for Fall 2009. Student Affairs in collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Cultural Affairs prepared a report on CSN‘s initiatives and efforts to improve recruitment, retention and graduation of students from diverse backgrounds. The report was presented to the Cultural Diversity Committee of the NSHE Board of Regents at the March 4-5 Meeting. Financial Services reported a record increase in Federal Pell Grant recipients. During the spring semester, recruitment staff will host Specialty Career Days for high school sophomores and juniors attending magnet schools. The Specialty Career Days allow participating students to attend 90-minute seminars designed to increase their knowledge of opportunities in various industries, and familiarize them with the academic rigors of the CTE/Technical fields. Specialty Career Days will be offered with the assistance of Perkins funds and the collaboration of Academic Affairs‘ Professors Dr. Warren Hioki and Dr. Mike Spangler and will focus on the following fields this year:

Alternative Fuels, Diesel Technology, Auto Body
Biomedical, Mechanical, and Electronic Engineering
Media Game and Graphic Design
Travel & Tourism
Forensic Science
Culinary Arts

Student Affairs has a new Online New Student Orientation Program designed to increase accessibility to students and reduce costs to CSN. Dr. Byrd says it is ready for implementation. CSN‘s Tutorial Services Program earned national recognition and certification from the College Reading and Language Certification Program. Veterans services will relocate to Charleston D-204 effective Fall 2010.

Dave Morgan highlighted news from the Administrative Faculty Assembly beginning with announcing the new AFA Chair-Elect, Vartouhi Asherian. Vartouhi officially begins her term in September at the AFA‘s first meeting for the new academic year. The AFA Employee of the month for March is Linda Chapman. There is a new representative from Student Affairs, Wayne Schultz. He replaces Iluminada Dioquino who retired. All bylaws changes were ratified at the December meeting and are now posted online at this link: http://www.csn.edu/PDFFiles/Administration/AFA/Files/AFABylawsRevisedJanuary2010.pdf

Dave also solicited feedback for legal counsel on the proposed 4/10 workweek and furlough/holiday issues being considered by the legislature. He will summarize the comments and questions. Patty Charlton reminded everyone that there is much to vet out and the final guidance will come from John Mueller when the issues particular to CSN are resolved. The next AFA General Meeting is Friday, March 26 at 1:00 pm in H-105 (Charleston campus).

Dr. Richards reminded everyone that any changes to the work schedules, benefits, etc. not only need much more review, but also require legislative action. He asked the group to wait for facts and not fuel any rumors of action.

Larry Mason announced Women‘s History Month is this month through April 2.

Meeting adjourned at 9:50 a.m.

Next meeting scheduled April 12, 2010.

Ripped from the CSN "All" email

2010-04-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

From: Richards, Mike
Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 2010 2:51 PM
To: '"all"@csn.edu'
Subject: Message and Reminder

Good afternoon,

I need to make to aware of two issues in advance of tomorrow’s town hall discussion:

1. I’m receiving many comments of anxiety, either personally or through email strings, regarding grant-in-aid, 4/10 work weeks, arbitrary closure of centers and campuses, and, most of all, worry about jobs and CSN’s future. Many of these issues are on my agenda for tomorrow afternoon’s meeting. However, what most of you are hearing is rumor and speculation. Many ideas are being circulated about our fiscal future as a state and system of higher education, and most have no traction. For example, grant-in-aid cuts have been discussed, but all institutions oppose changes in this benefit, and you may recall that the Governor vetoed the 4/10 idea. CSN’s response to the directive to cut budgets is unique to CSN’s circumstances. Our plan is not like Great Basin’s or UNLV’s. Come to tomorrow’s meeting and you’ll hear about it, but in the meantime, please stop the rumors and speculation.

2. We are working through two state/system mandates affecting information technology. Both directly impact you and the services you have come to expect. A new statute requires the encryption of data, and OTS is working with us to implement an approach that complies with State law, but is workable in our environment. Somewhat related is a new initiative by NSHE to protect information and network security through more frequent password changes and other measures. We are working with leaders of the Faculty Senate on a policy solution on this complex issue. While we may be testing some solutions this spring and through the summer, we won’t have full implementation until there can be more communication, training (as needed), and discussion in the fall.

See you tomorrow at 3:30,

Mike

Michael D. Richards, Ph.D.

President

College of Southern Nevada

702-651-5600

(fax) 702-651-5001

mike.richards@csn.edu

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to all! Have a wonderful day.

Today's Question: Sunday March 28

2010-03-27T10:17:00.000-07:00

"Mobility of population is death to localism."
Frederick Jackson Turner

Is Las Vegas's "mobility of population" the reason Las Vegas does not care deeply about higher (or lower) education?

Today's Question: Saturday, March 27

2010-03-26T18:36:00.000-07:00

1. With the results now in of the recent VPAA "search" has CSN hit yet another new low?

2. Are we simply doomed to also-ran caliber 'leadership' here?

3. Why aren't strong protests ever made of these sorts of goings-on at CSN?

Merry Mike's "surprise" VPAA appointment

2010-03-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

Ripped from the Wednesday March 25 CSN "All" email:

Colleagues,

I would like to thank all of you who participated in CSN’s search for a vice president of academic affairs over the past several months. The hours you put in to attend the forums and draft comments about the position and candidates demonstrate your commitment to CSN’s future. The members of the search committee and I listened to your many comments and feedback.

Today I am pleased to announce two appointments in the Division of Academic Affairs: Dr. Darren Divine as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dr. Hyla Winters as Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective April 5, 2010.

After conducting a national search and reviewing six highly qualified candidates for the VPAA position, CSN can be confident we have the right leader in Dr. Divine, who is dedicated to our mission and who has the insight and endurance to help us move forward with stability during these tough economic times.

Similarly, Dr. Winters is an excellent academic leader, committed to CSN and its students. I am confident that both will bolster the academic experience at CSN.

The position of vice president of academic affairs has been filled on an interim basis for more than 2½ years and is integral to the college’s efforts to plan ahead and implement changes that are necessary for CSN to adapt to the current economic climate.

As many of you know, Dr. Divine, a professor of biology, received his Ph.D. in biological science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a master’s in wildlife science from New Mexico State University and his bachelor’s from the University of New Mexico. An advocate for student-centered learning, Divine’s experience includes program assessment and community outreach. He previously served as associate vice president for academic affairs, department chair of biological science and as Faculty Senate chair at CSN.

Dr. Divine, who has served as interim vice president since spring 2008, will serve as the college's chief academic officer. His primary assignment is to work collaboratively with the faculty and other officers of the College to establish priorities and standards of learning quality for academic programs.

Dr. Winters, former dean of the Engelstad School of Health Sciences, has served as interim associate vice president for academic affairs since 2008. She was involved in the statewide initiative to double nursing enrollment and has been a leader in the development of outcomes assessment at CSN. She received her doctorate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, a master’s and M.H.C.A. from Texas Woman’s University, and her bachelor’s from the University of Illinois.

Working together with the faculty at a time of budget cutting and retrenchment will be a unique challenge over the next several years, and these two leaders are especially prepared to offer stability to a continuing process.

Thank you again for your participation in this process and for understanding its importance for our continued growth as an institution.

Sincerely,

Michael D. Richards, Ph.D.

President

College of Southern Nevada

702-651-5600

(fax) 702-651-5001

mike.richards@csn.edu

NFA Election results: A sign of voter apathy?

2010-03-22T10:47:00.000-07:00

Note from Taz

I glean from this email that only 58 total votes were cast (in the second category) and even fewer votes than that in all the others. Could it be that the week leading up to spring break and on into the first day of spring break was not the best time to hold this election?

From: NFA Board [aaupnfa@lvdi.net]
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 2:59 PM
To: aaupnfa@lvdi.net
Subject: CSN Election Results

CSN Officers Election results:

PRESIDENT
Sondra Cosgrove-31
Adrian Havas-24

FIRST VP-LEGAL DEFENSE

Matt Mahrt-41
Dr. Thill Raghu-17

SECOND VP-MEMBERSHIP
Brenda Talley-31
Shirley Johnston-24

THIRD VP-COLLECTIVE BARG.

Dorothy Chase-49

SECRETARY Nancy Webb-54

TREASURER Vartouhi Asherian-54

Dear CSN NFA Members,

Thank you to the election committee: Gayle Thomas and Evelyn Doody for
their work and diligence throughout this election.

Thank you to Mary Phillips for her assistance and work on this election on
behalf of all of CSN NFA members.

Thank you to the candidates who willingly stepped up to serve CSN.

Thank you to those who took the time to vote and be a part of the process.

Congratulations to our newly elected CSN NFA Officers.
PRESIDENT
Sondra Cosgrove

FIRST VP-LEGAL DEFENSE
Matt Mahrt

SECOND VP-MEMBERSHIP
Brenda Talley

THIRD VP-COLLECTIVE BARG.
Dorothy Chase

SECRETARY
Nancy Webb

TREASURER
Vartouhi Asherian

We look forward to seeing everyone Friday, March 26, 2010 at 12:30 pm to
2:00 pm for our next NFA Meeting.

NFA Meeting
Friday, March 26, 2010
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm (right before the Faculty Senate Meeting)
Henderson Campus, Room C-106
Lunch will be provided by CSN NFA.

Make sure to register for the CSN NFA meeting with CAPE so we have enough
chairs and food for all.

Thank you,
Shari

SUN: NSHE regent system a "brilliant" idea?

2010-03-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/20/regents-umbrella-will-help-shield-system/Regents umbrella will help shield higher education from budget cuts

Posted 20 Mar 2010

Oversight body has final say on budget cuts

By Emily Richmond
Saturday, March 20, 2010

Because the Silver State is unique in how it oversees public colleges and universities through the Nevada System of Higher Education, it is better positioned to respond to the budget crisis than other states.

The Nevada Constitution created the Board of Regents — a single, publicly elected and accountable body to oversee all higher education.
“That was brilliant,” Regent Mike Wixom said. “It was probably unintentional brilliance, but it was brilliant nonetheless.”

Especially compared to, say, California’s independent, three-tier higher ed system: the University of California, California State University and California Community Colleges, each with its own governing body.

Although such autonomy might be preferable when money is plentiful, during a time of fiscal crisis it can make it more difficult to respond quickly, make necessary adjustments and share resources.

Nevada’s Board of Regents “can look at shared resources, shared purchasing, shared personnel,” Wixom said. “The only positive thing out of this whole horrible process is that we’re one system.”

Whether appearing before the regents or their communities to discuss impending budget cuts, campus presidents have been careful not to cultivate an “us or them” mentality. But that doesn’t mean there still isn’t significant concern among faculty, staff and students that the scales used to measure the worth of “us” — the immediate campus — might instead tip the available funding in favor of “them” — the rest of the higher ed system.

After all, the decisions rest not with the presidents but with the regents, who must approve all budget-reduction plans.

There is heightened anxiety for Nevada State College in Henderson. When the campus opened eight years ago, it moved the state a step closer toward the regents’ goal of a three-tiered system. UNR and UNLV would burnish their research missions. The community college system would serve as the open-access entry level to higher ed for the broader community. And Nevada State College would fill the middle gap, as the sole option for students seeking four-year bachelor’s degrees who might not make the academic cutoff for entry to UNLV or UNR.

Because it’s the youngest branch on the higher ed tree, there are fears among students, staff and supporters that Nevada State College might be unfairly targeted for fiscal pruning.

Those fears were heightened in part when university system Chancellor Dan Klaich used the closing of the college as a possible scenario to illustrate the enormity of the fiscal crisis.

To be sure, the college is playing an important role, with enrollment up 20 percent over 2009, the fastest rate of growth of any campus in the system. Two-thirds of the students are in education or nursing programs. And about 90 percent of the college’s graduates remain in the state.

“We are producing fruit as expected,” President Fred Maryanski said.
At the April 2 regents’ meeting, Maryanski will present a plan for meeting the 6.9 percent reduction in state funding mandated by the Legislature during the recent special session. Nevada State College’s annual operating budget is about $16 million.
Most of the cuts will come from leaving faculty and staff positions vacant, he said, rather than cutting classes or raising fees.

“We’ll continue with some internal pain and hopefully not transfer that to our students,” Maryanski said.

Wixom says he’s fielded plenty of calls from constituents concerned about the college’s fate — and they shouldn’t worry.

“Am I still committed to a three-tier system?” he says. “You bet I am.”
Regent Kevin Page says it’s not a question of “open or closed,” but how the college’s landscape and mission will have to adjust to the new reality.
“I don’t think it’s fair to say, ‘Keep NSC open, don’t make any changes and cut the rest of the system,” Page said. “We have to look at this from a realistic perspective. None of the campuses is going to look exactly the same.”
There could be future opportunities for better synergy. In January, College of Southern Nevada began offering midnight classes to meet demand for popular core academic subjects. There might be opportunities for CSN to share facilities and even faculty with Nevada State College so that students could have more access to daytime classes, Page said.

Wixom echoed Page.
“We’re not looking at NSC in a silo,” Wixom said. “We see the college as just one of the important resources we have, in a system to meet the needs of students and the state.”

All the CSN news fit to read: Merry Mike's Monthly Chronicle

2010-03-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

Ripped from the Tuesday March 16, 2010 CSN "All" email:

The CSN Chronicle

Greetings to all! There is much activity on many fronts that I’d like you to know about.

Provost Position and Search

Six candidates were interviewed for the position of Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. As a result of the interviews and CSN’s circumstances, I determined that the provost title and supervisory assignments outside academics would be dropped from the position. All six candidates were notified of the change. At the same time, an executive search firm was retained to assess and provide input on the candidates. I have now completed a second round of interviews with two of the candidates. My timeline for closure has been mid-March, but I’ll save an announcement until spring break is over and we’re back to work. Concluding this search has been of primary importance to me over the past six weeks.

Meritas LLC approached CSN in the last few months about the potential acquisition of its Henderson International high school facility located at 1165 Sandy Ridge Ave. CSN briefly explored the site’s potential to help meet its expanding demand for services throughout Southern Nevada. But we have determined not to move forward in this direction at this time.

Budget Status

As the Special Session of the Legislature closed, it became clear that the operating budget cut would be reduced to about 7% and a four-ten work week would be implemented. We were grateful to the Legislature and to the governor that more extreme budget cuts were not required. Last week, the governor vetoed the bill requiring a four-ten work week—also to our collective relief. We are now moving forward with a plan to reduce the operating budget. We will cut nearly $2 million from the budget in this current fiscal year and about $6 million for the next fiscal year.

As we prepare to make these cuts, I want to step back for a moment to commend all of our employees—classified, administrative, and faculty—for your patience, advocacy, and long-suffering. We’ve been on a roller coaster of uncertainty. The ride is slowing, but it is not over. Media reports of open issues affecting the revised budget need resolution as we also plan for the next academic year. Thank you for sticking with us, sharing your concerns and stories with legislators, and helping students have a quality CSN experience. Of special note, too, were student efforts to save our budget and our school. Our student leaders were wonderful! We have the most passionate students in the state who truly understand the significance of an education and the opportunities it can provide.

We continue to watch statewide developments that may impact the close of this fiscal year and our planning for the next. We will share any new developments.

Now we’re going to move forward with a reduction plan that, again, preserves our mission to the fullest extent possible. The plan will be presented at a special meeting of the Board of Regents on April 16th. We will draw on our $1.2 million reserve as a starting point and build the plan from there. When drafted in final form, after consultation with our employee groups and budget reduction committees, we’ll post it on our Budget Issues site, located on our home page.

More difficult to address is the budget picture for FY 2011. I expect another mid-year budget cut and a very difficult Legislative session next spring. So, as has become our habit, we will involve faculty, staff and students in our deliberative processes, and we will focus on protecting our institutional mission. The plan for FY 2011 will take more time and input to detail, but we’ll start on the process.

Thanks to our facilities staff for monitoring our construction projects! A new access road is under construction on the West Charleston campus to move traffic more smoothly and safely into/out of parking areas. Work is proceeding on the fire station and the addition to the Engelstad Health Science Building. The additional parking area at the Henderson campus has been completed, relieving some pressures there, and the science lab project at Cheyenne is moving through the design process.
Questions from Faculty and Staff Members:

“How many students are enrolled this semester?”
Our official census date is March 15th, but the last numbers I saw—a day ago--showed 43,799 headcount (up 7.4% over the same time last year) and 22,295 FTE (up 6.4%).

“What is CSN’s response to the Governor’s plans for higher education?”
Conceptually, we are in favor of the proposals, but all will require public input and Legislative action. Institutions in NSHE have wanted more flexibility and autonomy for some time, and we have shared our concerns with leaders in both political parties. Particularly, we would like to retain revenue from tuition and registration fees. It’s important that those funds stay at the campus generating the revenue. Our experience with the State Public Works Board and staff, while cordial and professional, has resulted in increased costs for capital projects. We believe money can be saved if CSN controls the design, procurement and construction process.

Best regards to all.

--Mike Richards

NFA CSN Chapter Election Candidates and Statements

2010-03-12T21:20:00.000-08:00

NFA CSN Chapter Election Ballot

Vote for *One Person in each Category

President - The President shall serve as the Chapter’s representative on the State Executive Board. He/she shall serve as an ex-officio member of all standing committees.

Sondra Cosgrove 
NFA members, I have been a full time employee of CNS for seven years and have been a NFA member all of those years. One of my areas of interest as a historian is labor history, so I know and understand the power of the collective in protecting those without power. Without a watchdog on duty, those in positions of authority unfortunately can too easily become comfortable abusing that power. Even in academia, we cannot depend solely on the rule of law to maintain equity and equal protection under that law.

As NFA president my first goal would be to continue the political engagement out going President Shari Lyman has cultivated and nourished. Now more than ever we as NFA members must flex our political muscle and make our representatives understand that there will be a price to pay on election day if we are ignored. My second goal will be to support the move toward joining TMCC as a collective bargaining unit. Now is the time for CSN faculty to have the added protections of a collectively bargained contract. We need more than shared governance to protect our integrity as faculty and to ensure the highest quality of education we can provide.

As we are facing an onslaught of external attacks on tenure, workload, and a whole host of other assaults on our professional way of life, we can no longer afford to grant the benefit of the doubt to those who wish us harm.

I respect everyone who is running on this ballot and will work in concert with whomever becomes the next president. I only wish to serve my colleagues and hopefully continue the AAUP's tradition of promotion and protection of those who serve our students.

Adrian Havas 
Hello fellow NFA members and thanks for taking the time to read about my candidacy. I began here at CSN in 1995, as an adjunct instructor in English, and have proudly seen the institution grow in its size and value to the community. During this time, I served as faculty advisor to student media and as a member of the college-wide Salary and Benefits Committee, as well as department-specific committees. As a note, I hold masters degrees from University of Southern California and the London School of Economics.

However, in recent years, our growth has been accompanied by a kind of disconnect among the faculty: about what we value in higher education, how we treat each other as fellow colleagues, and what the direction of CSN is and will continue to be in the future.

These things have been devolved to a series of administrations that have seldom had our best interests at heart. The recent v.p.a.a. search debacle is a good example of this, and so is the imposition, with Faculty Senate assistance, of an administration-designed post-tenure evaluation policy that is just now being implemented. This evaluation policy was opposed by the AAUP, but several of our own NFA board members voted in favor of it at Faculty Senate.

I believe that NFA needs to take its future in its hands by organizing, and winning, a Card Count towards Collective Bargaining representation, in the same way that TMCC has. It is in this way that our faculty can regain its self-confidence, and be on a, more or less, equal footing with the Board of Regents and whatever administration happens to be in power. One need only look at the treatment of state K-12 teachers, who are unionized, before and during the recent special session of the Legislature, to see the value and logic of this kind of collective action.

I will also hold the administration more accountable, both in its treatment of individual faculty members and its stewardship of the college as a whole. I will work to improve legal representation of all faculty, whether part-time or tenured. I will also write a bi-monthly column outlining the current issues facing NFA and its members, and this will be broadly distributed to all faculty members. The continuing financial travail of our institution, among other NSHE institutions, speaks to the need for stronger NFA leadership, and I intend to provide it.

Thanks for your consideration.

First Vice President – Legal Defense - The First Vice-President shall chair the Legal Defense Committee,
which shall assist members in pursuing grievances and in resolving disputes with CSN administration. The Legal Defense
Committee shall also recommend to the Executive Committee whether certain issues should be considered by the NFA State
Executive Board. The First Vice-President shall nominate candidates for the Legal Defense Committee to the Executive
Committee. The First Vice President shall act in the absence of the President.

Matt Mahrt 
I have been a full time faculty member at CSN for two years, and have been serving as the VP Legal Defense since September 2009. In this time, I have dealt with a growing number of cases that involve significant violations of CSN policy and NSHE code.

Prior to obtaining my position at CSN, I was an adjunct faculty member at Oregon State University (OSU). While at OSU, I was the president and lead negotiator for the Coalition of Graduate Employees (CGE), a chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). This union covered graduate students employed by OSU as well as adjunct faculty members who received at least 3.0 FTE of their salary from the state. Fromm 2003 to 2004, I dealt with numerous grievances against the administration; and negotiated a contract that provided health insurance and fee relief for graduate employees. In late 2004, AFT sent to me The Ohio State University to help the graduate employees organize their own union. Thus, I have substantial experience dealing with labor disputes, as well as State and Federal labor law.

As the VP legal defense, I will continue to work toward preserving faculty rights, particularly when established procedures, policies, and/or NSHE code are violated. As mandated by the Chapter Bylaws, I will strive to solve all problems at the lowest possible level of engagement, and in the most harmonious fashion possible.

Dr. Thill T. Raghu 
I am a tenured Professor of Philosophy at CSN West Charleston campus. I have been full-time at CSN for six years now. I am currently serving on the NFA-CSN Legal Defense Committee. I recently helped to successfully resolve one potential legal defense case without any need for meetings, etc., by just focusing on getting the facts of the matter straight. I have served on departmental and college-wide committees for six years. This includes the budget committee, ethics committee, academic standards committee, and salary and benefits committee. I have also organized several panel discussion events at CSN addressing issues such as the budget crisis, student complaints, academic freedom, diversity and multiculturalism, and shared governance. These panel discussions included the participation of CSN faculty, student government, administration, NSHE regents, NSHE Chancellor, and Nevada legislators. I can bring a robust sense of the importance of the facts of the matter, policy and procedural details, integrity, and rationality and ethical standards in conflict resolution to the critical task of serving as your First VP Legal Defense. I look forward to a further opportunity to serve CSN faculty in these troubled times! Thank you for your support!

Second Vice President – Membership-The Second Vice-President shall serve as chair of the Membership
Committee shall act in the absence of the President and First Vice President. The Second Vice President shall nominate
candidates for and shall act in the absence of the President and First Vice President. The Membership Committee shall meet with
the NFA President or his/her designee at least once annually to coordinate membership enhancement efforts. The Membership
Committee shall issue a written report on its achievements in May of each year.

Shirley Johnston 
I’ve been an instructor at CSN for eight years - the last three full-time - in the Social Science Department. I became an NFA member because of my belief in the need for a faculty voice in Nevada’s political system. Watching our current NFA President and other NFA officers defend our issues for the last year confirmed to me that the NFA is instrumental to protecting the rights of faculty members.
I would be honored to serve as NFA Vice President of Membership, and hope to have the opportunity to work with other NFA members during the upcoming year.

Brenda Talley 
I have been employed at CSN for the past 15 years and have been actively participating in NFA for many years. Besides holding the position of 2nd VP in NFA, I have served the College in several other capacities. I was a charter officer for Administrative Faculty Assembly (AFA) and held several officer positions in AFA, including Chair. I was Chair of the Campus Environment Committee, Honors, Awards and several Selection Committees. I am a strong advocate for NFA believing we must be our own voice in order to make positive change. Standing united in that voice I feel is key. Academic Freedom and Shared Governance are principles I feel all faculty must involve themselves to defend and protect. I am a member of the College’s Legislative team involved with writing letters to the legislators during this last budget crisis. I am currently is the Director of the Performing Arts Center.

Third Vice President – Collective Bargaining -The Third Vice-President shall serve as chair of the Collective
Bargaining Council. The Third Vice-President shall nominate candidates for the Collective Bargaining Council to the Executive
Committee. The Collective Bargaining Council shall research, gather information, identify local and state issues and organize
bargaining positions. The Collective Bargaining Council may, with the approval of the Executive Committee, form study committees
to research specific issues. The Collective Bargaining Council shall nominate candidates for the negotiating team to the Executive
Committee.

Dorothy Chase 
During my many years at CSN (through its numerous name and presidential changes), NFA legal Defense has successfully mediated many member issues both within the college and with the help of an attorney. Yet each NFA Executive Board has known that many of those issues would not have arisen if there had been a clear delineation of roles, procedures, and guidelines for the college; in other words, using a written collective bargaining agreement between faculty and administration would have enabled everyone to know their boundaries and the consequences for overstepping them. Despite that knowledge, it was not the time to enter into collective bargaining with administration.

The Third Vice-President job description requires the formation of a Collective Bargaining Council. The council is charged to ‘research, gather information, identify local and state issues and organize bargaining positions’. I will see that the foregoing is done professionally and comprehensively to ascertain the will of the faculty since a collective bargaining agreement, if adopted, governs both NFA members and non-members alike. In addition, I will see that the information gained is widely disseminated. As in earlier times, this may not be the time to enter into a collective bargaining agreement with administration; however, NFA policy requires the study.

I will uphold the position of CSN’s Third Vice President professionally and honorably. I will recruit faculty from the various disciplines and departments who will be willing to serve on the Collective Bargaining Council. Together, we will work for the common good of CSN.

Secretary - The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of all meetings and furnish copies of all proceedings to the Executive
Committee. The Secretary shall chair the Communications Committee. This committee shall produce, edit, and disperse a
Newsletter for the Chapter. When requested, this committee will represent the Chapter in publications and other media. The
committee may also conduct surveys, polls, and/or canvass the faculty. This committee shall produce, edit, and disperse a
newsletter for the Chapter. When requested, this committee will represent the Chapter in publications and/or other media. When
requested, this committee will represent the Chapter in publications and/or other media. This committee may also conduct surveys,
polls, and/or canvass the faculty.

Nancy Webb 
I have been employed at CSN/eLearning since July 2004. I am currently an Instructional Designer with eLearning, and one of the Administrative Faculty Assembly representatives to Faculty Senate. I have been a Nevada Faculty Alliance member as of December 2009.

I received my Master’s in Education, Major Instructional Design from Wayne State University in Detroit MI. My professional experience includes adult education in the non-profit sector and corporate web-based training.

My reason for running for Secretary is to become a more active participant with NFA. The Secretary’s responsibility is to assist in communication with NFA members. That, at this critical time at CSN/NSHE, is something I wish to be a part of.

Thank you for your consideration.

Treasurer - The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining CCSN/NFA accounts and accurate, up-to-date financial
records. The Treasurer shall recommend an annual budget to the Executive Committee.

Vartouhi Asherian 
My name is Vartouhi Asherian and I am running for NFA treasurer. I have a B.S.in Biology, M.S. in Education Administration, Ed.S. Masters and currently am working on a Doctorate degree in Instructional Technology and Distance Education.
I have been at CSN for over 10 years. I have served CSN in many different positions:
• Computer Lab Manager
• Instructional Designer - eLearning Office
• Instructor (both on ground and online): Computer Information System, Education and Economics
I have also served in many college committees and helped in program development efforts.
I currently serve as the AFA chair elect and an active NFA member assisting the Chapter President and Executive Board as needed. I represented CSN and the State of Nevada at the AAUP Summer Leadership Institute. I learned about the process, policies, costs, and benefits of collective bargaining. I also learned about the significance of protecting academic freedom, due process, shared governance, and tenure with policies and procedures to minimize the abuse of power that may occur without contractual type policies. I believe my education and my experiences will make me a qualified treasurer. Thank you for your support.

Today's Questions: Saturday March 13

2010-03-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

1. What do you think of having a March 15 (during Spring Break) deadline for NFA ballots?

2. Has NFA been clear about how to vote and who is running for what?

Today's Questions: Wednesday March 10

2010-03-09T19:22:00.000-08:00

1. Is Dan Klaich a better chancellor than Jim Rogers?

2. What worries you most about today's NSHE leaders (e.g., chancellor; regents; presidents and their inner circles; and the faculty, staff and students who advise these people)?

Today's Questions: Tuesday March 9

2010-03-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

What will CSN and/or NSHE be like in 10 years if these budget cuts continue?

Do the higher education changes proposed by Governor Gibbons offer an adequate solution?

What other changes need to be made in order to properly and reliably fund higher education in Nevada?

Explanation

2010-03-09T09:30:00.000-08:00

I have had to delete comments from the thread immediately below this one because several contained a specific person's name without using information publicly available. For future reference, the only way you can use someone's name is if you cite an article that is or has been in the news and/or if you do not post anonymously.

Please remember that if you are merely posting an OPINION about how something happened, you CAN still post anonymously, but you MUST make it clear in your post that you are JUST posting an OPINION.

Taz

All the CSN news fit to read: February Cabinet Notes

2010-03-08T13:07:00.000-08:00

Source:
http://blog.csn.edu/?p=386

(Posted 8 Mar 2010)

February Cabinet Notes
February 08, 2010

Cabinet Members:

President Mike Richards
John Bearce, Interim Director of Institutional Research
K.C. Brekken, Communications Manager
Thomas Brown, Chief Campus Administrator, Cheyenne
Art Byrd, Vice President, Student Affairs
Patty Charlton, Senior Vice President for Finance & Facilities
Darren Divine, Interim Vice President, Academic Affairs
Richard Hinckley, General Counsel
Bill Kerney, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Penny McCollum, Campus Site Administrator, Henderson Campus
Joan McGee, Chief Campus Administrator, Charleston Campus
Larry Mason, Interim Vice President, Diversity & Cultural Affairs
Jacque Matthews, Executive Director, Foundation
Dave Morgan, Chair, Administrative Faculty Assembly
Mark Rauls, Faculty Senate Chair
Cat Maihen, President, Classified Council
Mugunth Vaithylingam, Chief Information Officer
Nathaniel Waugh, Student Government President
Anne Zemek de Dominguez, General Counsel
Guest: Dan Morris, Executive Director for Business Operations

The meeting was called to order by Dr. Richards at 9 a.m.

The notes of the January 11, 2010 cabinet meeting were approved.

Calendar items include February 15, President’s Day, March 4 & 5, Board of Regents meeting here on the Charleston Campus, and March 15-21, Spring Break.

Thomas Brown began with CSN’s Affirmative Action Program report. The comprehensive report was distributed to the cabinet members. Mr. Brown explained new reporting guidelines, supervisor responsibilities, and went over the results of the analysis. Overall CSN is in good shape, but there is room for improvement. He thanked Laura Yavitz for her assistance in compiling the data, and his assistant Nicholas Sheppard-Miller for his help assembling the report. As Mr. Brown went through the booklet with cabinet members, he highlighted some important areas including changes and additions in supervisory responsibilities, professional recruitment, grievance procedures and forms, Affirmative Action and Sexual Harassment training plans, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Affirmative Action definitions, ethnic categories and overall analyses. He will work with search committees also to inform members of any disparity in departments with open positions.

Mugunth Vaithylingam shared a presentation about some security issues and solutions in defending CSN’s electronic data. The solutions are still tentative, but OTS has investigated PGP software as one option. If implemented, the security measures would roll out in stages, and include widespread communication and detailed instructions for all users. The security improvements will help CSN to stay in compliance with NRS 205 and 597.

Darren Divine presented drafts of the academic calendars for 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. The reason for discussing the calendars is to secure a date for commencement at the Thomas & Mack as far in advance as possible. Doing so saves CSN a lot of money, because we can coordinate with UNLV’s graduation and save on time and fees for the auditorium set up. Also, Spring Break must be prior to the 10th week of instruction or coincide with CCSD or UNLV. Joan McGee pointed out some omissions and errors on the dates, then made a motion to approve the calendar with the corrections. The motion was seconded and passed. Annette Lord will communicate the corrections to Joe West.

Patty Charlton gave an update on CSN’s budget status according to the latest communications from legislators and the Board of Regents. K-12 and Higher Education in Nevada are expected to make required cuts of 10% from operating budgets, and a salary reduction is expected in addition to those cuts. The Governor will give the State of the State address tonight, and is expected to announce a Special Session. Dr. Richards will continue to address employee groups as more information is known. More town hall forums are a possibility as well.

Bill Kerney informed everyone of a Legislative Town Hall meeting at the Grant Sawyer Building on Saturday, February 13 at 9:00 am.

Richard Hinckley told the group that some amendments to the Higher Education Opportunity Act from fall of 2008 will require CSN to be in compliance by July 2010. A few of those requirements due on July 1 are:

New information for classes and textbooks
Emergency Event Communication
Crime reports
New area of emphasis on file sharing and non-violation of copyrights
Loan compliance
Background ID verification
Cost of attending CSN
On the General Counsel page of CSN’s Web site, there is a checklist of general information with regard to the requirements: http://www.csn.edu/pages/324.asp

Richard also encouraged everyone to communicate consistently with legislators. The communications should contain a good, strong message. Richard responded to questions about the candidates who are friends of CSN’s cause, but CSN cannot favor or endorse one candidate over the other.

Larry Mason reported many events were planned for Black History Month. The events are posted on CSN’s website and on the ICS screens at all campuses. Four advisory board meetings have taken place already and Larry thanked Dr. Byrd for presenting the recruitment and retention policies for under-represented students at the meetings. Each advisory board has individual goals and Larry is working with CCSD to help accomplish them.

Jacque Matthews updated the cabinet members about Foundation events and projects. The Dine-About card is about ready to be offered on the web page. The card will cost $20. All expenses are covered by sponsors, so there is no overhead for CSN. This means that all the money will go to CSN and the funds are unrestricted. The card offers discounts at various restaurants and as soon as it is ready, will be available for purchase through the Foundation page online. Jacque encouraged everyone to keep their eyes open and when the cards are ready, tell everyone they know to purchase one. The Legacy of Achievement Gala will take place at the “M” Resort on Saturday, April 24. The theme for the Gala this year will focus on celebrating CSN’s friends. The “Night of the Stars” Gala will feature five honorees, discount tickets for employees, and red carpet treatment for the friends of CSN and guests.

Penny McCollum reported 150 new parking spaces became available with the temporary parking lot behind building C. The additional spaces have helped a great deal, and CSN still has permission from Foothills High School to use available parking there when necessary. Henderson will be hosting Sociology Forums in March and April, and will continue to conduct monthly social gatherings. The first spring semester social gathering will be planned by the Social Committee in the near future. The Henderson campus has three projects in the works with Hinman Elementary School for this semester: Reading Week, Science Fair Judging, and organizing a Baseball Outing for Hinman classroom contest winners. Penny is continuing work with “Leadership Henderson,” and is involved in many events, projects and fundraisers associated with the eight-month program. She is also continuing work on the Campus Signage Master plan to provide input on the permanent signage project for all three main campuses.

The Boulder City Center hosted the BC Chamber Mixer on January 13. There was a nice turnout and Penny thanked Student Government for their sponsorship, Senator Dustin Rains and Henderson Senator Kristy Gildner for support and help in the organization of the event. Dr. Richards, Dr. Byrd and Dr. Joan McGee attended the event as well. The Boulder City Center has approximately 146 students attending classes this semester with all available classrooms occupied for the evening classes. Penny is working with DWED and partnering with Henderson Job Connect to bring intensive 1-2 week Job Search Workshops and Basic Workplace Skills computer classes to the BC Center for those individuals who are unemployed and/or recently displaced. For those who qualify, DETR will cover the cost of the course.

Joan McGee shared that the Strategic Planning Committee is considering all the forum feedback and survey results to determine goals and objectives consistent with the three core themes identified by last year’s committee. She encouraged everyone to participate when input is requested. Joan also gave updates on each of the Learning Centers, and said that all the sites are working to increase FTE and headcount on behalf of the budgets at CSN. The blood drive at the Charleston Campus was very successful. Contributions to the blood bank are vital as someone needs a transfusion every two seconds. She thanked everyone who donated and the Circle K Student Club for their support and assistance in soliciting donations. Leadership Las Vegas held Education Day at UNLV in January, but was focused mostly on K-12. When Joan brought that fact to the attention of the facilitators, they agreed and asked her to be on the committee to create and facilitate Education Day for next year’s class.

Meeting adjourned at 10:35 a.m.

Next meeting scheduled March 8, 2010.

Today's Question: Sunday March 7

2010-03-07T12:13:00.001-08:00

If you were personally in charge of the 6.9% NSHE and/or CSN budget cuts, what would you cut?

What should we make of this?

2010-03-07T12:12:00.000-08:00

Ripped from the CSN March 6, 2010 email:

Dear All CSN NFA Members,

CSN Faculty Senate Chair, Mark Rauls, and CSN NFA Chapter President, Shari
Lyman, have been in meetings over the month with the other Senate Chairs,
NFA leadership, and NSHE Counsel discussing possible code changes.

Mark and Shari have made it clear that CSN leadership will continue to
aggressively oppose this attack on higher education. Our position is
clear and has growing support from the other institutions' leadership,
though on a very limited scale.

The code changes are an attempt to avoid a declaration of financial
exigency while at the same time allowing the regents (I include the
legislators, governor, and public), to backfill the budget shortfall with
faculty salary cuts.

The code changes undermine the very foundations of quality higher education:
Academic Freedom, Due Process, Shared Governance, and Tenure.

By devaluing, degrading, and dismantling these fundamentals of higher
education, the system will be destroying the very foundation for faculty
to do their job with the innovation and professionalism we need.

It will be a grave and irreconcilable error to take away the security of
faculty salaries without the requirement of a declaration of financial
exigency.
Shari

SUN: Gibbons's 'new ideas' for higher education

2010-03-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

Source:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/06/gibbons-new-ideas-sound-familiar/
Posted 6 Mar 2010 at 10:56 A.M.
Thirteen (13) reader comments so far pasted below

Gibbons’ new ideas for education have a familiar ring to them
Nevada, Charleston campus Thursday, March 3, 2010.

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Saturday, March 6, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.

On Thursday, Gov. Jim Gibbons unveiled his plan for “an entirely new way of thinking” about how the state’s colleges and universities are funded — with the words italicized in the new release for emphasis.

But in fact, most of the planks in Gibbons’ platform are familiar wood to Nevada System of Higher Education officials, who say they’ve been advocating for similar changes for the better part of a decade.

“People have been talking about these things since the beginning of time,” said Jim Rogers, who retired as chancellor in July. “You don’t get credit for putting it all on one piece of paper.”

During a news conference at the Board of Regents’ meeting Thursday at College of Southern Nevada’s West Charleston Campus, Gibbons told higher ed officials it is his intent to give them “the flexibility and autonomy you’ve always sought ... If there ever was a silver lining to the dark cloud of an economic recession, it’s the reform that comes out (of it). The circumstances of the recession will literally drag some of us to change.”

Board Chairman James Dean Leavitt said the regents have expressed nearly all of the ideas in Gibbons’ plan in recent years and months, with an aim toward making the higher ed system more self-sufficient, effective and efficient.

“We’re glad the governor has a listening ear,” he said.

Gibbons’ plan seeks to:

- Let individual campuses keep control of increases in registration fees and out-of-state tuition.

- Integrate employees in nonteaching positions into the higher ed system and out of the state’s classified personnel system.

- Exempt higher ed capital projects from the control of the State Public Works Board.

- Give regents greater flexibility in spending state dollars, provided additional accountability measures are met.

- Allow the system to keep 25 percent of its unspent general funds each year, instead of having those dollars revert to the state.

- Create a policy in which the system is guaranteed a minimum appropriation to bring greater stability to the long-range planning process.

All of the changes would require approval by the 2011 Legislature.

Rogers told the Sun that changing the state’s tuition structure so that individual campuses retained their revenue was one of the first issues he tackled when he was named chancellor in 2005. He pushed the issue with both Gibbons and his predecessor, Gov. Kenny Guinn.

And he lobbied “damn near every legislator about getting Public Works off our back,” Rogers said. Being subject to the Public Works Board’s regulations significantly drives up the cost of capital projects, Rogers said.

During the recent special session, lawmakers cut education funding by 6.9 percent. The higher ed system’s presidents are preparing to eliminate programs, services and staff as a result.

Gibbons’ list won’t undo the damage that’s currently being done to higher ed, Rogers said, and compared the proposal to “someone beating your brains out and then giving you a napkin to wipe up the blood.”

Acknowledging the severity of the budget crisis, Gibbons told Thursday’s audience: “I would like to stand before you today as governor and tell you that I can and will increase funding to higher education, which I believe is critical to our future and our economy. Unfortunately, we simply do not have the revenue to allow me to make that promise.”

He pledged to work with the Legislature to at least maintain appropriation levels for higher ed, and push for a minimum guarantee on funding to make it easier for the system to do long-range financial planning.

Gibbons said he was in Congress (in 2006) when UNR President Milton Glick suggested to him that each higher ed campus be allowed to keep the student fees they generate, rather than having those dollars revert to the state’s general fund. He supported the idea at the time, and “those discussions many years ago led us to where we are today,” Gibbons said.

Glick said the four-year lag time between his conversations with Gibbons and Thursday’s announcement isn’t unreasonable. A fiscal study needs to be conducted to determine the potential effect to the state’s general fund, as well as whether some campuses might fare better financially under the current funding model, Glick said.

“It’s not as simple as, ‘Let’s just do it,’ ” Glick said Friday. “You have to make sure you don’t create more long-term financial problems. There’s a reason why major public institutions — the higher ed system, the Legislature — take time to change.”

But Leavitt said that if the higher ed system had been allowed to save its unspent general fund dollars, instead of having them revert to the state, it would have almost certainly blunted the effect of the past two years’ budget cuts.

“A rainy-day fund is a good idea for every public agency; it’s a good idea for every family,” Leavitt said. “It’s fiscal prudence.”

Regardless of the freshness of the some of the key concepts in the governor’s plan, “these are good proposals, there’s no question about that,” said UNLV professor John Filler, chairman of the Faculty Senate, who attended Thursday’s regents’ meeting. “But it’s going to take a lot of people working together over a long period of time to make this a reality. Until the Legislature supports these proposals, until the citizenry comes together, until the Board of Regents is able to make this a reality, we’re still at risk.”

Discussion: 13 comments so far…

By CJJames
March 6, 2010
2:39 a.m.
Suggest removal 90 days until his Republican prmary and Gibbons finally has an idea about higher education? This was another campaign speech at a campaign stop for someone who is so desperate and campaign-cash broke he will promise ANYTHING.

Don't trust him.
By environprotector
March 6, 2010
5:31 a.m.
Suggest removal This idiot Gibbons has no right, nor any invitation to discuss education. We are just waiting for election day to get rid of him, and that's it!!
By Houstonjac
March 6, 2010
6:16 a.m.
Suggest removal Gibbons again demonstrates that he is the governor to govern during the the present climate.Gibbons policies are the ones that will become the template for the times across America. Koolaid drinking,budget busting liberal whiners will be overwhelmed by the voice of the people in today's troubled financial times. Watch governors like Chis Christie and Gibbons lead the states through difficult times.
By environprotector
March 6, 2010
6:28 a.m.
Suggest removal Houstonjac :

Your kidding right?
By LastThroes
March 6, 2010
6:56 a.m.
Suggest removal Gibbons is the worst Nevada governor more than Bush was the worst US president. Or maybe it's a tie.
By Houstonjac
March 6, 2010
7:24 a.m.
Suggest removal environprotector--your username says it all!
Hug those trees. Spend money. Waste our financial resources--Too bad your user name isn't
"budgetprotector".Now there's a new idea.
By brst
March 6, 2010
8:04 a.m.
Suggest removal While the governor may be suggesting a lot of higher education's long-standing ideas, he still disagrees with the philosophy that higher education has a direct impact on the state economy. In Gibbons' mind, the economy is going to recover magically, like getting a royal flush in video poker.
By wizardofOz
March 6, 2010
8:17 a.m.
Suggest removal HOW ABOUT THIS NEW IDEA:

AUDIT.

AUDIT DOWN TO THE LAST PENNY ALL STATE EDUCATION FUNDS AND HOW THEY ARE SPENT.

AUDIT AUDIT AUDIT.

HERE'S A LIL' BEAUTY FROM KLAICH IN THE SUN IN OCTOBER OF '09:

"...Since April, nearly $205 million in federal stimulus money has poured into Nevada's public colleges and universities, supporting about 2,100 jobs, according to a report by Chancellor Dan Klaich...."

THAT WORKS OUT TO:

$97,619 PER JOB...??

AUDIT AUDIT AUDIT AUDIT AUDIT AUDIT AUDIT....

Here's the link, read it for yourself buried at the bottom of the page:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct...
By mred
March 6, 2010
9:34 a.m.
Suggest removal is the tea party party running a gov candidate? do they have a website?
By lvsreader
March 6, 2010
9:55 a.m.
Suggest removal Na Na Na Na, Na Na Na Na, Hey Hey-Ey GOODBYE!
By lib4ever
March 6, 2010
9:56 a.m.
Suggest removal Did the Gov.consult Sig Rouge-ich on this matter first...
By CarsonReader
March 6, 2010
9:57 a.m.
Suggest removal wizardofoz: Are you for real? Audits happen regularly and their information is available to the public. Of course, you already know this because people have been typing this for you as far back as I can remember. It would be beneficial if you actually focused on posting real problems and not just the ones that exist in fairy tale land.
By LastThroes
March 6, 2010
10:03 a.m.
Suggest removal Gibbons' political career is cooked.
Even that Armenian-Mormon-Teabagger candidate is likely to win more votes.

Ouch.

Today's Question: Saturday March 6

2010-03-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

What should happen with CSN's Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA)/Provost job search?

SUN: UNLV student rally against budget cuts

2010-03-05T16:08:00.000-08:00

Source:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/05/unlv-students-rally-stave-program-cuts/

Posted 5 Mar 2010 at 4:09 P.M.
(Nineteen (19) reader comments so far pasted below)

UNLV students rally to stave off program cuts
5 engineering majors could be eliminated as state deals with shortfall

By Tiffany Gibson (contact)

Friday, March 5, 2010 | 1:04 p.m.

Chants of “save our future” rang out at the UNLV Student Union on Friday as students, alumni, faculty, professors and community members rallied against the elimination of five programs within the College of Engineering.

The group met at the Thomas T. Beam Engineering Complex and walked to the student union to protest the proposed removal of civil and environmental engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and mechanical engineering majors, as well as the School of Computer Science and the School of Informatics.

During its recent special session, the Legislature cut education funding by 6.9 percent. The higher education system’s presidents are preparing to eliminate certain programs, services and staff as a result.

Eric Sandgren, dean of the College of Engineering, said the five programs could be on the cutting board because they are some of the most expensive programs on campus.

“There’s nothing we can sacrifice without damaging the university,” Sandgren said. “Changing the economy is going to come from the College of Engineering.”

Staff researcher Rick Hurt, who wore a “Save UNLV Engineering” T-shirt, said he has worked in the Center of Energy Research for four years.

He said the center has made advances in solar energy research and could further Nevada’s lead in alternative energy technology. Cutting programs in the College of Engineering could halt that research, he said.

Mechanical engineering freshman Jack Chaney, 18, said he’s angry that administrators are considering cutting his major. He said he applied to UNLV because the tuition was affordable and the university had a well-respected mechanical engineering program.

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Students, alumni and staff gather in the courtyard of the student union in support of the Engineering Department during a budget rally Friday, March 5, at the UNLV campus.
“I want to be loud and show people we care,” he said.

Alumna Doa Meade said she wanted to show her passion for the College of Engineering.

“I refuse to let my degree become a placemat on my dinner table,” she shouted.

Meade said alumni attended the rally because they have ties to the university and family members who are involved in the college.

Mark Newburn, 50, graduated from UNLV in 1981 with a degree in computer science. He said his son got his degree in computer science at UNLV in 2001.

UNLV’s research centers encourage companies to build around it so they can contact professors for technological problems, Newburn said. Sandgren, the college’s dean, said the programs are expensive but the university should take into consideration that the research centers bring in $1.50 for every $1 given to them.

To prevent losing research centers and forcing students to change their majors, administrators are considering a higher tuition for the five programs.

Discussion: 19 comments so far…

By Newcomer
March 5, 2010
1:19 p.m.
Suggest removal It's truly unfortunate that programs like this may be cut as a result of our state's inability to diversify its tax revenue stream and to appropriately manage government costs.

How many manufacturing and other high-tech companies are going to relocate to southern Nevada if we don't have highly-trained engineering graduates they can hire? (Answer: None!)

I'm a fiscal conservative and understand that some waste exists in education, but the bigger issue is a state that relies almost exclusively on tourists to pay for our young kids' education, our public safety, and our system of higher education. It's time Nevadans started paying for more of their own expenses.
By DouglasDemocrat
March 5, 2010
1:25 p.m.
Suggest removal Careful, Newcomer. If NVappleslices comes along, he'll say you're a dupe because the University is just looking for ink and would never ever cut these Engineering programs no matter how much they costs.

Again, if the cost of the program isn't justified by enrollment it's going to be a target of cuts. Does it make sense? No, but that's what it is.
By nevadaappleslices
March 5, 2010
1:32 p.m.
Suggest removal The dean mentions the main engineering programs, but what about ones like Informatics that have only been around for a few years? They would be less of an engineering college if they went back in time 4 or 5 years and only had the programs that they had then? How much would that save? In all fairness, we deserve more information before crying "unfair"! His quote is too black-and-white when there may be other things to cut 6.9%
By RPJ
March 5, 2010
2:01 p.m.
Suggest removal "the bigger issue is a state that relies almost exclusively on tourists to pay for our young kids' education, our public safety, and our system of higher education."

Yup, that's the way it is and always has been. The only reason it doesn't work now is because we have more takers than givers in Nevada. Oh, well, I'm sure some of you brainy "newcomers" will figure out how to reinvent the wheel you broke!
By DouglasDemocrat
March 5, 2010
2:11 p.m.
Suggest removal "The only reason it doesn't work now is because we have more takers than givers in Nevada."

No, the problem is that Nevada is no longer "unique" in what it offers.

Gambling? Throw a dart at a map of the United States. Chances are you'd hit a state with casinos. Why fly or drive here when you can go someplace closer to home for a lot less?
By RPJ
March 5, 2010
2:18 p.m.
Suggest removal Those talking points about the spread of gambling are tired. Las Vegas has the capability of distinguishing itself as a travel destination; a riverboat or a reservation casino does not.

Tourism has built Las Vegas for 100 years, and has done so at a very specific ratio of tourists to residents. The problem started when an unmanageable flood of people with unmanageable expectations moved here in the 1990s-2000s. They came to Las Vegas already disliking the place, but wanted to take advantage of its climate or its low taxes or whatever, and started making "demands" of what a "city like Las Vegas should provide" to its citizens.

Now, we're stuck with trying to feed those demands, and everyone is so entitled that they just keep turning to "taxes" and "governmment" to fix the problems they created.
By nez212
March 5, 2010
2:20 p.m.
Suggest removal As this is a Communist/Socialist action (check their website) shows that these people want to steal more of our money to promote the destruction of our country, I think that a 50% to 75% cut in funding for education is in order until the progressive agenda/indoctrination is removed permanently from all schools in the state.
By ChickenLittle
March 5, 2010
2:22 p.m.
Suggest removal I am glad I worked so hard to get my computer science degree...I will preface this biased rant with the fact I graduated from the College of Engineering with a Computer Science degree that I worked my tail off for... While everyone else could spend 2 hours studding for a criminal justice exam, I had 20+ hours worth of work to do for 1 measly homework assignment... That is why they are so expensive and do not exactly assembly line graduates...

Of all the Colleges to cut from, Engineering is the best target to choose?.... I am not trying to offend anyone here but do we really need the rampant amount of liberal arts programs that UNLV offers... The Engineering school produces highly skilled professionals... I am sorry but I don't want a bridge designed by a communications major... Or software developed by a phys ed graduate... Not to argue a slippery slope, but whats next, the Math department, the English department... Cutting from an Engineering program is just plain stupid... The Computer Science department has been in the top 30 programs in the Western US, that is some pretty exclusive company...

But here we go again with the geniuses that run our state... When are they going to realize that Nevada has hit the wall when it comes for getting something for nothing...It is time people step up to the plate, or don't do something stupid like chase Yucca Mountain away... I have lived here most my life (25 Years) and love my city, but really this idea of cutting higher education programs for the sake of saving a few bucks is beyond my comprehension... Who do they have doing the accounting an art school graduate?
By ChickenLittle
March 5, 2010
2:27 p.m.
Suggest removal And when I say step up to the plate, I mean it is time for taxes if we can't pay the bills for education... You want to truly send society into decay... Then creating uneducated masses is the right way to go...

I apologize for this rant, usually my posts are much more coherent in nature, but this one really makes me angry...
By DouglasDemocrat
March 5, 2010
2:33 p.m.
Suggest removal "Las Vegas has the capability of distinguishing itself as a travel destination; a riverboat or a reservation casino does not."

No, but when people are going for the "budget vacation" (and in this economy, that is what people do), whether a place is a travel destination or not is irrelevant. Where they can get the most bang for the buck is.
By notacon
March 5, 2010
2:41 p.m.
Suggest removal Some people on this site are paranoid and see communists/socialists behind everything...please get help!
By Cyrus992
March 5, 2010
2:42 p.m.
Suggest removal FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!

REMOVE PUBLIC AND TAXATION CONTROL OF THE EDUCATION SERVICES AND STOP ROBBING PEOPLE LIKE STEVE WYNN TO PAY FOR THESE PROGRAMS!!!

Privatize and DEREGULATE the system for COMPETITION, CHOICE, FLEXIBLITY, AND PROFIT DRIVEN INNOVATION!!!!

SOMEDAY THIS WILL HAPPEN HOPEFULLY AS 17 YEAR OLD FROM ORANGE COUNTY, CA WHEN I WILL START A MASSIVE REVOLUTION IN THE VALLEY!!!!
By nez212
March 5, 2010
2:51 p.m.
Suggest removal NOTACON: Just look at the organizations that are promoting this idiocy and tell me that I am wrong. Obama has already stated that he was a socialist.

I have lived in too many countries around the world to see this as anything else.
By DouglasDemocrat
March 5, 2010
2:56 p.m.
Suggest removal "Obama has already stated that he was a socialist."

He did?

Gee, you would have though that would have been a Page 1 splash the New York Post. I mean, considering it's not a part of that "liberal media"...
By Bertsos
March 5, 2010
3:18 p.m.
Suggest removal "Obama has already stated that he was a socialist."

That comment can only come for a poster who folows Sux news and the lies they put out every day.

Stupid people watch Sux News.
By jboggy
March 5, 2010
3:20 p.m.
Suggest removal when did it become my responsibilty to educate college students? get a job and pay your own way. what a bunch of lazy kids. the state taxes me gives outrageous salaries to teachers and administators then when the money runs dry someone has to pay. hey kids guess what.
By ChickenLittle
March 5, 2010
3:30 p.m.
Suggest removal Wow, boggy apparently you did not get a public education from where you were brought up or any education for that matter... As is obvious by you lack of basic English... You do know sentences start with capital letters...So I guess you have a reason for not wanting to pay for public educations... Cause by the looks of things you never gained any benefit from it...

Oh wait when you are looking for a doctor to help you at some point make sure you check to see if he was a "lazy kid", I am sure you will tell them the same thing you did just now... Or maybe you should give back the car you drive, because some "lazy kid" designed it... Those roads that you use on a daily basis, again some "lazy kid" did the material analysis on it and some "lazy kid" probably engineered the overpasses you use...Matter of fact some "lazy kid" engineered the PC you are using to type anger filled stupidity...

My point is you receive plenty of benefits from these so called "lazy kids" now do your part and commune...
By Sofakingbored
March 5, 2010
3:52 p.m.
Suggest removal Engineering is expensive and has a small student body. Next up, Physics! Not gonna need a degree in Real estate around here anytime soon, that can be cut. I'd say cut special ed, but Gibbons needs that so his advisers can help him. Do we really need military science at UNLV? How about senior adult theatre? Nuclear medicine has to be expensive with little student body. A BS in recreation is kinda funny. There's even a "Spanish for the Professions" degree (how is that different than Spanish?). Lets see what else...Geology? Why not combine it with Earth Science? Isnt that basically the same thing? Last but not least Public Administration because everyone seems to dislike administration in any office or capacity in this country.
By ChickenLittle
March 5, 2010
4 p.m.
Suggest removal ^^^ My point exactly... I really do not think any educational programs should be shut down, contrary to my little rant... The fact that education of any sort is even up for discussion in a state where education is already slashed to pieces just perplexes me...

And the beat goes on, the beat goes on....

Today's Question: Friday March 5

2010-03-05T15:31:00.001-08:00

What is going on with the CSN VPAA/Provost search?

' . . . [T]he integrity of the VPAA/Provost search process' . . .

2010-03-05T14:56:00.001-08:00

Ripped from the March 5, 2010 CSN email:

Hello NFA Members,

Dr. Richards is working to preserve the integrity of the VPAA/Provost
Search process.

He will provide more information to all faculty and staff later.

Shari

Today's Question: Thursday March 4: "Save Public Education" Day

2010-03-04T10:23:00.000-08:00

How can we best save public education?

THURSDAY MARCH 4, 2010 is 'SAVE PUBLIC EDUCATION' DAY

2010-03-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

What does public higher education mean to you?

What does it mean for the common good?

AAUP Call to Action

2010-03-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.aaup.org/AAUP/about/gensec/let/emarch.htm

Posted 3 Mar 2010 at 10:13 A.M. PST

This is a time of and for action. A time for faculty, students, and professionals in the academy to form common cause and to take the lead in reversing current patterns of policy and practice. A time to rebalance the academy and to refocus on the broad public purposes of higher education.

California faculty and higher education supporters have declared March 4—tomorrow—a day of action for higher education. Around the country, AAUP chapters and members are engaging in activities to support California colleagues and extend the day of action to their own states. Our members— faculty, academic professionals, and graduate students—are forming coalitions with other groups to convey a clear message about the public value of higher education. The American Association of University Professors endorses those actions and encourages our members and their colleagues to make the coming weeks and months a time of action and education. We must take the lead in charting the future.

First, our challenge is to reverse public policies that are further privatizing higher education. Costs are being shifted to students and families in what amounts to an excise tax on education. Colleges and universities are increasingly focused on serving an ever-narrower band of private interests. Too many universities and colleges are focusing more on organizational self-interest in the form of aspired-to rankings and revenues, and less on serving broad academic, educational, social, and cultural purposes.

Second, our challenge is to reverse patterns of resource allocation within institutions. Over several decades, institutions have increased their relative investment in administrative positions and expenditures, and decreased their relative investment in educational positions and expenditures. At the heart of that shift has been a restructuring of the academic workforce from a largely full-time tenure-track faculty to one that is overwhelmingly contingent on managerial discretion and whim. We are depleting our intellectual capital, the faculty and professionals who serve our students. We are charging students more for less even as more prospective students have fewer economic resources. And our investment in serving our communities is diminished.

The AAUP strongly supports the right of faculty to exercise an independent voice in shared governance, without fear of discipline or punishment by the institution. Academic freedom in teaching, research, extramural speech, and speech about institutional matters is at the core of higher education’s quality, of sound governance, and of engagement with the external world. It is at the core of the public mission and dimensions of higher education.

It is time to rebalance and recognize that higher education is a public good worthy of investment and is essential to our nation’s future. We salute our colleagues in California who have undertaken this day of action to raise awareness about the crisis in public education and the need to fully fund our schools, colleges and universities, as well as colleagues nationally who are undertaking their own coordinated actions. We salute the students who have most aggressively taken the lead in establishing and coordinating these state and nationwide activities. We hope that the California day of action, and its corollaries nationally serve as a clarion call to all who care about the not-for-profit, public missions and functions of higher education and to all who are concerned about the academy’s current direction. It is time for us to take the lead to define a more promising set of possibilities for the future.

Gary Rhoades
General Secretary

Las Vegas Business Press: 'Higher education system weighs reorganization amid budget crisis'

2010-03-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

Source:
http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2010/03/01/news/iq_34458361.txt

Monday, March 01, 2010

'This will allow us to exist'
Higher education system weighs reorganization amid budget crisis
BY VALERIE MILLER

The Nevada System of Higher Education may declare a state of financial emergency for the first time in its existence. The severity of pending budget cuts could force the drastic move to void staff contracts and lay off tenured faculty.

Budget cuts on top of budget cuts could prove too much for the state's colleges and universities to meet their financial obligations, Regent Mark Alden said. He has proposed the system declare "financial exigency," which basically means the system cannot pay all its contractual obligations.

The measure would allow the system to lay off faculty without paying out their contracts, and amounts to a reorganization of the system, Alden said.

An exigency declaration's passage would result in a shuffling of power in the system, giving individual college presidents more discretion to choose what people and programs to cut.

The historic step would likely cause the higher education system's bond rating to plummet, Alden said.

"It is probably at about the highest rating now, and it would go to junk status. But property values are so low, we can't bond now anyway," he said. "There is no downside."

A vote on the option may come as soon as this week's Board of Regents meeting, scheduled for March 4 and 5 at the College of Southern Nevada's West Charleston campus. Higher Education Chancellor Dan Klaich and the majority of the system's college and university presidents would have to recommend the declaration.

But depending on what the Nevada Legislature passes in its special session, there may be no other choice, said Alden, who is also a full-time accountant.

"If we don't have the funding from the state we need, we will have to close the schools," he said. "This will allow us to exist."

The Nevada Legislature met at press time to decide what should be cut to make up an $887 million budget shortfall. Going into the session, Gov. Jim Gibbons had proposed a 10-percent cut to higher education's budget, which UNLV President Neal Smatresk equated to $10 million to $13 million in lost funding for the university.

"We are in uncharted territory in the discussion of declaring exigency. If we have to eliminate departments, and salaries of tenured faculty, we have to declare exigency," Smatresk said.

Alden sees the declaration of financial emergency as a way to keep the doors open at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; College of Southern Nevada; Nevada State College; the University of Nevada, Reno; and other Nevada colleges.

"This involves contracts paid out of the general fund. It is going after the tenured contracts," the regent said.

Vendors and employees would still be paid in the event the emergency is declared, and self-supporting programs would not be affected, Alden added.

The topic was first discussed as one option in the February regents meeting. More Higher Education system officials now confirm the declaration of financial emergency is a very real possibility.

"It would be necessary if the Legislature made the starting point of the cuts effective immediately, because we wouldn't be paying out contracts or giving the required notice if there is a declaration of exigency," said Bart Patterson, the system's vice chancellor of administrative and legal affairs.

Nontenured faculty normally require a certain notice period if their contract will not be renewed, but any state mandate to cut immediately would allow no time for that. Tenured faculty has the right to renew their contracts.

In both instances, a declaration of financial emergency would free the university system of buying out those contracts and should protect it from lawsuits, Patterson said.

"If you are going to cut faculty in the broader sense, this is the only way to do it," he said.

If the legislative session goes on for more than a week, regents might have to address the declaration of financial emergency at its April meeting. And an emergency board meeting might be needed if budget cuts are effective immediately, Patterson explained.

No Nevada university system has ever declared exigency. The idea was last seriously considered in the early 1980s -- during another recession. University systems in Arizona and California have declared states of financial emergency in the last few years, Patterson added.

However, the system's legal counsel saw such a move in Nevada as more significant.

"There were salary reductions there. But there are terminations here. This is more serious," Patterson said.

The University of Georgia System also contemplated declaring "a state of exigency" a year ago. In an interview with the newspaper Red and Black, Georgia Board of Regents spokesman John Millsap called the possible move "a very serious step akin to a company declaring bankruptcy."

But Nevada law prohibits a state-run entity -- such as a university system or municipality -- from actually declaring bankruptcy or going through bankruptcy court, Gordon Silver Attorney Gerald Gordon said.

Patterson maintained exigency is not like a bankruptcy. Nevertheless, he called the possibility "a drastic" step.

"There will be issues with retaining good faculty," he said. "It is not an easy road to go down."

Contact reporter Valerie Miller at vmiller@lvbusinesspress.com or 702-387-5286.

A missive from CSN's 'Great Communicator'

2010-03-01T15:09:00.001-08:00

Ripped from the March 1, 2010 CSN "All" email:

CSN Colleagues:

Since the beginning of the year, we have been engaged in an intensive effort on multiple fronts to address recurring and shifting financial challenges as Nevada continues its chronic fiscal crisis. The crisis has affected all of our employees and students, and our work to address the problem has required the energy and commitment of many of our faculty and staff. To all of you I express my appreciation for your advocacy of education, your thoughtful consideration of solutions, and your patience as this crisis seems to repeat itself year after year.

What began as a 6-8 percent budget cut grew within weeks to 20-22 percent. Thankfully, as a result of the special session of the Legislature, the operating reduction has settled at 6.9 percent. This represents about $ 1.9 million for the rest of this fiscal year and $5.7 million for the next for CSN. We will continue to use our budget reduction, Faculty Senate budget and program evaluation committees to finalize the reduction plans and to help us prepare for the next biennium.

Legislation regarding a 4/10 work schedule is still under review by legal staff at system and institutional levels. We need the results of the legal interpretation to determine how the program might impact CSN and NSHE. We will know more following the Board of Regents meeting, taking place at the Charleston campus, on Thursday and Friday. I encourage you to attend as the budget and other issues will be extensively discussed. If you cannot attend in person, a link will be available on our home page to watch the meeting live online.

The latest situation facing us for the remainder of this biennium and into the next is on a scale unmatched in recent memory. The Legislature used a combination of operating cuts, salary reductions, furloughs, and revenue increases to balance the state budget—for now. Moreover, looking ahead to the next biennium, the fiscal challenge for the state is daunting, as we anticipate a deficit the size of half the state’s budget. One time funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will no longer supplement the state operating budget in 2011. As a result, the next three to four years will see major financial difficulties for Nevada and CSN.

Priorities during past budget cuts have served us well: preserve jobs, protect the core mission of access and instructional quality, and prepare for a more strategic future for CSN. The magnitude of the current crisis will test our ability to hold to these priorities. The plan we are in the process of developing includes bold actions to advance our mission with more long-term decisions, guided by student demand and community needs.

Our budget planning will meet the state requirement for budget cuts and also leverages important initiatives for our future. Our goal is not just to achieve cost savings, but to build a culture of continuous improvement, institutional strength and viability, and provide support for our academic mission more efficiently.

Strategic Planning and Positioning

Concurrent with our budget planning, our strategic planning continues to move forward. We expect the draft phase of our strategic updating to be completed by the end of March, at which point we will open the draft for input from the college community. As you may know, we launched a Strategic Planning Process, with extensive faculty, staff and student participation across the institution, to ensure that CSN is well positioned to maintain its unique standing in the greater Las Vegas community.

Reorganization and Restructuring

Finally, among the committees looking at CSN, we have launched an organizational review committee so that CSN can function more effectively and become more viable in the future. In the past, we have initiated best practices in facilities management and finance. We will build on these efforts, by rethinking how other aspects of the College are organized to improve student success and will be sharing more details in the coming weeks.

As always, if you have questions, please let me know.

Regards to all,

Mike

Michael D. Richards, Ph.D.
President
College of Southern Nevada
702-651-5600
(fax) 702-651-5001
mike.richards@csn.edu

Today's Question: Friday February 26

2010-02-25T22:53:00.000-08:00

Based on merit and credentials, which candidate so far is best for CSN Vice President of Academic Affairs?

LOL!

2010-02-25T10:00:00.000-08:00

Ripped from the Thursday February 25 CSN "All" email:

Hello All,

Tomorrow, Thu. 02-25-2010 is another forum for the VPAA/Provost Position.
Then on Mon. 03-01-2010 is another forum.

We need to be an active part in the CSN VPAA/Provost Search Process.

Make sure to attend if possible.

#1 Dr. Darren Divine
College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nv.
Thursday, February 25th from 10 a.m.. – 11:30 a.m.., Charleston Campus, I-108
(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson
Campus, C-224)

#2 Dr. John Garmon
Las Vegas, Nv.
Monday, March 1 from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Charleston, Campus I-108
(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson
Campus, C-224)

Note: CSN reserves the right to augment the list of interviewees from the
established pool of qualified applicants as circumstances may require.

Today's Question: Wednesday February 24

2010-02-24T11:44:00.001-08:00

Given the way CSN's VPAA job search seems now to be going, should CSN search committees be given more than just advisory power in order to better prevent this kind of thing?

Merry Mike gives new cause for CSN cynicism

2010-02-23T22:01:00.000-08:00

Ripped from the Tuesday Feb. 23 CSN "All" email

From: Richards, Mike
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 10:00 AM
To: All
Subject: Provost and VPAA Interviews

Colleagues,

You may recall that we reserved the right to augment the list of interviewees from the established pool of qualified applicants as circumstances may require. I am returning to the candidate pool to interview two additional applicants in a process consistent with what was done last week . An announcement about the forum times and locations, as well as other information appropriate to the search, will be forthcoming.

Thanx

Mike

Michael D. Richards, Ph.D.
President
College of Southern Nevada
702-651-5600
(fax) 702-651-5001
mike.richards@csn.edu

SUN: 'To what degree does college help the public?'

2010-02-21T14:50:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/21/what-degree-does-college-help-public/

Posted 21 Feb 2010 at 2:52 PST
(Fifty (50) reader comments so far pasted below)

HIGHER EDUCATION:

To what degree does college help the public?

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Sunday, Feb. 21, 2010 | 2 a.m.

Dan Klaich faces a huge marketing challenge as chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

He’s trying to persuade the Legislature to protect public colleges and universities from the worst of the cuts being proposed by Gov. Jim Gibbons, and convince Nevadans that his organization is essential to the state’s future.

At first blush, it wouldn’t seem to be a difficult task. What’s not to appreciate about higher education?

John Immerwahr, a philosophy professor at Pennsylvania’s Villanova University who co-wrote a recent study of Americans’ perceptions of higher education, says there’s plenty of evidence that people see value in an advanced degree.

But ...

“When you start to ask questions about who should pay for it, that’s where the controversy comes in,” says Immerwahr, also a senior research fellow at Public Agenda, a national nonprofit organization. “People see higher education as an individual good — something you need for yourself.”

That’s a familiar refrain to Klaich, and one he refuses to accept.

“Every fiber in my being is absolutely opposed to that philosophy,” Klaich says. “That assumes there is no public good in an educated populace.”

He lays out the facts to support his argument: the more educated the population, the less reliance on social services. Such people are more involved in their communities. And they tend to be more highly paid.

Klaich knows it. He assumes the 63 members of Nevada’s Legislature know it.

But so far, the state’s populace has yet “to embrace the transformative value of higher education in a way that could bubble up to those 63 people,” Klaich says. “That’s partly our fault, and it’s partly a reflection of who we are as a state.”

Although Klaich says he hears from lawmakers that they want to support higher ed, especially going into the special session, he knows there is harsh political reality, as well.

“How can someone expect to get elected and continue to get re-elected to office if they’re not reflecting the underlying values of the electorate?” Klaich says.

Sen. Joyce Woodhouse, D-Henderson, chairwoman of the Legislative Education Committee, said Klaich is effectively pushing his message by defining “the system” as, in fact, thousands of individuals — students, faculty and staff — who will bear the brunt of the fallout.

“We have students counting on us to get their degrees and move ahead with their lives. We have people who have lost their jobs who need access to community college programs to retool their skills,” Woodhouse said. “We’re talking about their future, and our future.”

Nationally, higher education is perceived as a business more worried about the bottom line than about students, and that a better job could be done managing the money it already receives, Immerwahr said. Even as college presidents argue that funding shortages will mean less access and deteriorating quality, “the public isn’t buying that and a lot of legislators aren’t buying that,” Immerwahr says. “They believe higher ed will find a way.”

The system’s funding has been cut by 13.4 percent — $91.3 million — from what was authorized by the Legislature. Klaich has been told by Gibbons to prepare for funding cuts of up to 22 percent on top of that — more than

$110 million. Those figures are likely to change, and could even increase, following the Legislature’s special session this week to address a revenue deficit of $887 million.

The proposed cuts are another blow to an education system that by many measures is struggling:

• Compared with other states, Nevada ranks poorly in high school graduation and dropout rates, college completion rates and overall funding for public education.

• In its most recent report card, the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education gave Nevada dismal marks in key areas including preparation, participation, affordability and completion.

• Nevada ranks 45th in the nation for the percentage of its population (older than 25) who have at least a bachelor’s degree.

For the better part of the decade, Southern Nevada led the nation in population growth, attracting millions of people for relatively well-paying jobs that did not require much more than a high school education. Now, some of the same factors that made the boom so lucrative — such as tourism and construction — are making the bust even more pronounced.

“They were the engines of the growth, and now they’re the brakes,” says Robert Lang, director of Brookings Mountain West, a research and policy initiative partnership between the nonpartisan think tank and UNLV.

Brookings has identified Las Vegas, Phoenix and Boise as three of the most economically troubled metropolitan areas in the nation. At the same time, cities with more educated workforces — such as Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo. — have weathered the recession “significantly better than other Mountain metros on almost every measure,” according to the December Brookings report.

It won’t be easy for Nevada to recast itself, Lang said. But higher education could become a key growth industry, particularly if UNLV builds on its recent successes in expanding its research base.

Green energy, biotechnology and health care are targets in Nevada’s efforts to diversify. To attract those employers, Nevada will need a bigger carrot than a business-friendly tax structure, says Patrick Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, a Washington-based nonpartisan think tank.

When governors travel to other states to recruit businesses, “the talk quickly turns to education,” Callan says. “It used to be low taxes were used to try and persuade employers to relocate and offer good jobs. Now it’s, ‘Do you have people who have the knowledge to do the work we need?’ That means going beyond high school to two- and four-year degrees.”

That doesn’t mean Nevada has to abandon its roots, Callan says.

“Certainly we all hope construction and gaming get back on their feet,” Callan says. “But the new jobs, and the jobs that are going to pay well, are going to come from the knowledge-based industries.”

Numerous states are coming to similar conclusions, including several that appear to be moving more quickly than Nevada.

“It may well be that the places that are a little hungrier are going to succeed more than the ones that wait for it to come to them,” Callan says.

Indeed, it’s a challenge that pits not just state against state, but the nation against the world.

“The whole country is going to have to figure out if we’re ready for the highly competitive global environment,” Callan says. “Americans don’t have the entitlement to most of the good jobs or most of the prosperity. Eight or nine other countries are overtaking us when it comes to college access. We used to be first in every area you could measure.”

And into this fray steps Klaich, who at this point isn’t sure whether he’ll be able to keep open all of higher ed’s doors, let alone diversify its programs and services to meet the challenges that await.

He meets regularly with presidents of the system’s colleges and universities to discuss the latest budget cut estimates and what those numbers might mean for individual campuses. He testifies before legislative committees about the effects of further cuts. He attends town-hall meetings and student-organized protest rallies. And last week he introduced a new page to the higher education system’s Web site, with the biting title “Building a New Nevada — Destroying Dreams, Deferring Futures,” in which students recount the difference higher education has made in their lives and just how much they — and Nevada — stand to lose.

“I’m supposed to be running this system and managing it through this crisis, but everything I’m doing is making the state’s problems worse,” Klaich says.

“We should be producing more graduates ready for high-paying jobs. We should be helping to diversify the state’s economic base. Instead, we’re going the opposite way. The cure is worse than the disease.”

Discussion: 50 comments so far…

By NoMore
Feb. 21, 2010
3:26 a.m.
Suggest removal More money is not the cure. Professors should be in the classrooms every day. If there are not enough students to fill those classrooms, eliminate the courses. Students should be chosen as assistants. Campus Police departments are not necessary; Metro is large enough to handle the campus problems. Remove all disruptive students. Unions of any kind should not be allowed in any education facility. Students needing remedial courses should get them from a private source at their own expense. We have already paid for their education. Colleges and Universities are businesses. Run them as such. If t does not perform, close it.
By dhvincent1
Feb. 21, 2010
3:49 a.m.
Suggest removal Colleges are important, but are they more important than health care? Is it more important than K-12 education? Is more important than public safety. Of course, the answer is no and that is why their budgets need to be cut.
They have the ability to raise money for their colleges through endowments and raise their tution.
By RyMan
Feb. 21, 2010
3:54 a.m.
Suggest removal Very poignant article. This is one of the serious issues in sustaining Las Vegas as a city. I noticed very quickly that Las Vegas is culturally quite anti-intellectual. Unfortunately, that translates into a disregard for higher education. Disliking snobs shouldn't affect funding for education.

I agree with the assertion that we cannot rely on the previous economic choices, but we can integrate new industries into our economy. Most of those are going to take citizens with the highly developed set of skills that college provides. One of the prime issues is that the pay for tech jobs is abysmal in Las Vegas, so even when students get engineering, computer science or similar degrees they frequently leave the state for places that appreciate those skills. So we are continually left with a city of cooks, waiters, valets and construction workers, all difficult and honorable jobs, but not requiring or appreciative of education.

I'm not sure that @NoMore quite understands how universities work. Most of those suggestions are pretty silly. I do expect more responses like that though. Within a few posts this will become some weird free market, libertarian debate...
By RyMan
Feb. 21, 2010
4:03 a.m.
Suggest removal @dhvincent1-I agree with you about health care. But "They have the ability to raise money for their colleges through endowments and raise their tuition." I would change ability to potential. UNLV is pretty poorly endowed for a major state university. I suspect it has a lot to do with the lack of a stationary population that values higher education. I mean we only have two universities!

Raising tuition is a good idea to a certain point, but at what point does college become inaccessible to the majority of the population? How much personal debt should one incur to get an education? And if we as a state and city continue to disregard higher education then aren't we just reinforcing (or even regressing from) the status quo that helped us arrive at our current issues?
The brain drain will continue and las vegas will end up as bad as or worse than Detroit after the car industry took a hit.
I guess it'd be nice to buy a house for 20k though...
By education_is_drowning
Feb. 21, 2010
4:08 a.m.
Suggest removal @NoMore - Wow, you seem so bitter and defensive? And yet, I bet YOU went to college? (Or, am I giving you too much credit?)

You talk of unions and such. Just goes to show what you DO NOT KNOW. The Nevada System of Higher Education is NOT unionized, no school in the system has a bonafide union, and there is no representation of any kind for those in the system. Period.

Next, let's talk about professors being "in the classroom every day". First, you're assuming a professor is a 3rd grade teacher... Get up, teach some math. Get up, teach some English. Get up, teach some... whatever. That isn't how college works (and so now, I'm thinking perhaps you're angry because you DIDN'T make it in college)? Many professors are lab scientists, researchers and the like. They don't trod down to class, talk for an hour, and then go home. The good professors not only do life-saving research on things YOU might need in the future, like medications, cancers, the air you breath, AND they teach classes, AND they write articles and publish, AND they mentor students, AND on and on. Yes, as in ANY profession, there may be some sucky profs, but they are NOT the majority. And, especially at the Community College level, teaching IS the rule of the day, and MOST instructors are indeed in class EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. Do your homework, man!

"If there's not enough students to fill those classrooms..." Well, once again, you are completely off the mark. Indeed, the OPPOSITE is true. There are FAR more students than there are spaces for them in any given classroom at the schools I attended, and indeed in the colleges (especially CSN) here in Nevada. A class that won't cut it, DOES GET CUT. Again, homework?

You're right about the policing. Schools do need security, clearly (eg - Virginia Tech, Columbine, etc). However, a full-on "police chief" who is pocketing more much more pay than any prof on campus makes, well... that's gotta go. Not necessary, so let's move on from that mumbo-jumbo.

Finally, @ dhvincent1 - is college more important than health care? This, my friend, is a false dichotomy. The question could be reversed, and it's just as ludicrous. Let me give you one point as to why education is AT LEAST as important as health care. The more educated you are, the better your health is (as a general rule), and the better you take care of yourself. The better you take care of yourself, the less you need large quantities of healthcare, and thus, you burden the system less. To recap: SMARTER/EDUCATED=BETTER HEALTH=LOWER COSTS. Check it... http://www.webmd.com/news/20090506/more-...
By its2hot
Feb. 21, 2010
4:11 a.m.
Suggest removal Depends on who is paying for their degree.

Those who pay for their own education appreciate it more and more than likely will put that degree to good use and be a productive member of society. Just wait and see this next bailout; who will be paying for college loans that aren't paid back?

The ones who've ruined for many are the ones who didn't work for it and everything was given to them on a silver platter. They've succumbed to freeloading policies and blame everyone else for their problems that have occurred in their life, it's a liberal way of life.

Teachers don't care for the most part, they've succumbed to the liberal polices and have no accountability for their classrooms and have enabled the educational system to erode to liberal policies. America can't afford liberal policies in our educational system and what these colleges have produced over the years is just about the most worthless group of young adults.

These graduates jump from job to job, demand instant success, whine and complain about hard work, they want their mommy or daddy, expect the world without working for it, and believe they're entitled to everything for nothing. They're getting exactly what has been boiling over for years, they're just rewards for being little whining cry babies, we're sick and tired of paying for programs that are useless and haven't produced anything meaningful. America was founded upon positive results, not the results the liberal have produced, a cesspool of freeloading whining complaining babies blaming the world for their choices.

Even many parents are in denial, they think their kids are the greatest yet deep down inside they know their kids are worthless lazy young adults but they openly deny what really occurred, they want the taxpayers to pay for their poor parenting choices just to save a buck for themselves. They have what most call, look at me; I'm holier than though, I'm living beyond my means. You know the type, they boast how good their kids are, they think happiness is a material object, they're sucking us dry and we're done paying for it.

Any doubts, your president is the leader of the pack and he blames republicans for what is occurring today, the truth is smacking him in the head, liberals have desecrated America and he's still in denial and blaming everyone but his party.
By Jackov
Feb. 21, 2010
4:20 a.m.
Suggest removal Colleges should threaten to end their semi-pro football and baseball programs.

Online offshore schools can replace the academic programs of expensive US schools.
Chia University in China has online US professors, and charges $5K for MBAs.
By education_is_drowning
Feb. 21, 2010
4:22 a.m. Comment removed by staff. Comment contained vulgar language.
By nednougat
Feb. 21, 2010
4:29 a.m.
Suggest removal Remember, it's easy to make 'em, a lot harder to raise them. If the parent(s) in this desert sh*thole take the lead in their child's education, they will succeed. Otherwise, it's valet and cocktail waitress time.

My best friend here has 3 kids doing great, one with a Millenium scholarship. Where are the parents from? Connecticut and New York. Sorry, stupid is as stupid does. And our day care centers, also known as the Clark County School District, will do nothing to help your dropout kids...
By education_is_drowning
Feb. 21, 2010
4:56 a.m.
Suggest removal Wow, I put the *s* word with a "Z" in a comment, it gets cut. But putting s-hole in a comment, that's ok? What are we, 5 years old? Really?
By education_is_drowning
Feb. 21, 2010
5 a.m.
Suggest removal So now... let me repost my "comment" to Jackov in a more "appropriate" fashion...

Do you really think any Fortune 500 companies are going to be chomping at the bit for people with MBA's from a no-name, Chinese degree factory? Really? That' really hard to believe...
By FromBellevilleCanada
Feb. 21, 2010
6:31 a.m.
Suggest removal I agree that university education is wonderful. It is like going from little league (public and high school) with most curricula very standardized so less room for original thinking, up to the big leagues (university) where memorization alone will not permit one to excel, and where creativity can be fostered. University for most who attend is the greatest experience of one's life and expands the mind, the self-image, and the social conscience, not to mention tends to lead to greater lifetime earnings.
However, higher education must also be ready, willing and EAGER to share the burden of the huge government deficits. They of all people should realize that not to share the pain of spending cuts would send entirely the wrong message to the rest of society.
Therefore, Mr. Klaich, I would urge you to embrace the suggested cuts to your budget, not try to weasel out of them by claiming that education trumps all other aspects of society.
By Superbad
Feb. 21, 2010
6:43 a.m.
Suggest removal I think Klaich brings up some good points. I also know that the cost to go to college has gotten out of hand nationally. It is still pretty cheap in Nevada, and the NSHE has the ability to raise tuition and cut the fat of the organization to offset the funding from the State. State schools are established for the citizens of the State and thus should receive a significant reduction of cost, but at this time until we have a steady stream of tax revenue, we just don't have the money.

Nevadans cannot continue to expect drunk tourists to pay for our services. Nevada needs to grow up and be a big boy state.
By DMCVegas
Feb. 21, 2010
7:07 a.m.
Suggest removal You know, higher education is in fact important, yes. But the problem is that it should be important to an individual for the purpose of bettering themselves. Far too often students who go to college don't actually study anything. They just memorize the answers in order to pass their exams and take nothing to heart.

Proof? Take a look at most job postings placed on corporations' web sites. Unless you're talking a job that requires actual critical know-how of a subject, like specific laboratory work, or Accounting, you'll find that employers no longer are interested in candidates having a degree. You can always see this whit those magic little words, "...or equivalent experience."

Employers now know that College Degrees are no longer guarantees that a person who has received one is actually qualified to work in the field that their degree is related too. Many times in the past some college grad gets hired in for a position they're supposed to be able to do. Then as it turns out the person is no where near ready to hit the ground running as they say, and the company has to waste thousands of dollars on training this person in order to bring them up to the level of their peers who were already there and knew how to do the job in the first place. In today's economy the business world can't afford to hire unqualified people. They need employees that are ready to do their job and keep profitability. Most college students don't have any real-world job experience in their field, let alone in the workplace environment to know how to act properly. So in many cases now it's safe to say that a degree can be more of a liability than an advantage.

Let's face the facts. College is unfortunately quickly becoming a dead-end proposition for our country. Not many college degrees are going to deliver a good enough "Return On Investment" for students to even consider enrollment. Sure you have b . etter potential to increase your income, but your disposable income level drops even further because of the loans that you have to pay back. And that's sad that we punish people for continuing their education.
By davidcurtis
Feb. 21, 2010
8:15 a.m.
Suggest removal I was lucky to attend CSN,UNLV and the Ohio State University. I have a B.S. in Architecture from Ohio State. The training I received there has been a tremendous resource for me.

To pay for my public education, my parents both worked, I also worked while a student, and I obtained student loans that took many years to pay down.

If I had it to do over, I wouldn't change a thing. I am very happy with the education I received at Ohio State.

One of the primary reasons I transferred to OSU was: in 1984, I could not receive a comparable education in Nevada...this is no longer the case.

CSN, UNLV and UNR have grown into fine schools, and they need to be supported even more now and into the future if we are to succeed as a State.
By NoMore
Feb. 21, 2010
8:20 a.m.
Suggest removal @education_is_drowning

FYI.. I as speaking about the student unions and the waste of tax dollars allowing them to have a student union building. It should be used for education.
By Purgatory
Feb. 21, 2010
8:38 a.m.
Suggest removal Very simply put, it is neither my responsibility nor do I get any 'public good' for using my portion of tax dollars to pay for someone else's education...education is not any more important than housing, food, clothing, transportation, etc...regardless of my opinion, the fact is there is very little evidence to persuade me that 'public' education provides any value to the general population...actually, there is ever increasing evidence that the entire (unaccountable) public system should be abandoned in favor of an (accountable) all private system...
By NoMore
Feb. 21, 2010
8:41 a.m.
Suggest removal @RyMan

I have a BS in Chemistry and a MBA in business. There are always cuts that can be made in education that will not affect the quality. When I attended the university, students were used as aides. Professors, not assistants, were always in the classrooms. There was no such thing as remedial courses. You go to a trade school if you do not meet the entrance qualifications.
By Jackov
Feb. 21, 2010
8:44 a.m.
Suggest removal To "Education is drowning":
No, but Corp America will not be hiring traditional college grads for at least a decade either.
Since individuals can now market their services globally, online grads are better off using their education to make money in their own businesses online (as I do).
By PierreBeauRegard
Feb. 21, 2010
8:50 a.m.
Suggest removal If you don't get a background in science, or any professional discipline like law, medicine, etc.. or even engineering, you have wasted your time and my taxes. Colleges are producing idiots at a 70% rate. That's why American business is outsourcing them.
By gmag39
Feb. 21, 2010
8:50 a.m.
Suggest removal Las Vegas is a gathering place for the country's uneducated Carny's, and we raise Carny's-to-be, right here under the Big-Top!
We are ground zero for just about every societal ill in the United States.
Is there a correlation?
You Betcha!
By gmag39
Feb. 21, 2010
8:57 a.m.
Suggest removal And Purgatory rather succinctly highlights why We will stay an uneducated Burgh.
By MichaelGreen
Feb. 21, 2010
9:30 a.m.
Suggest removal NoMore, many professors are in the classroom every day. But how do you define classroom? I teach some of my courses online. If you want me teaching 9-5, that would reduce the hours I spend on my work, and I would love that.

Further, those of us at CSN are not required to do research in our fields, but many of us do because it makes us more aware of what's new--whether it's history, which I teach, or auto technology. We aren't standing in the classroom when we study those things, so there are some lamebrains--and that is what they are--who think we work only when we ARE in the classroom. If that were true, I wouldn't be grading papers at 11 at night, as so many of us do, or reading the latest journals or poring over research material at that hour, as many of us are.

As for running higher education like a business, well, the customer is always right, so everybody gets an A. That IS business thinking, right? Furthermore, which business do you propose we imitate? Enron?

Purgatory, you may think you get no benefit from paying for someone else's education. I guess no one trained in public schools ever came up with a medical advance or made a discovery that improved people's lives. Furthermore, if you don't pay for public education, you will pay more for publicly-run prisons. An overgeneralization, but it really is almost that simple. As to the wisdom of private enterprise ... have you ever heard of AIG?
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 21, 2010
9:43 a.m.
Suggest removal UNR spends over $30,000 per pupil - that is more than the University of Texas which is considered one of the best research universities in the nation. UNR also spends far more than its regional competitors including the University of Utah which someone on here touted as being so special and Arizona State which Dr. Lang at the Brookings Institution suggested we emulate.

UNLV spends over $16,000 per pupil.

Neither school can graduate half of its students within 6 years.

http://www.writeonnevada.com/2010/02/hig...
By elorampaik
Feb. 21, 2010
9:44 a.m.
Suggest removal It is surely refreshing to read all the sides of this critical discussion. I am glad so many care.

I am a native Las Vegan, completed my undergraduate work at UNLV working full-time, paid for my own online nationally accredited MBA. After 17 years in MIS with a private company, I left to raise a child. When I went back to work I chose my alma mater. I took a 25% cut in pay at the top of the bubble to work in the education sector I was raised on.

My husband left 25 in computer science to go back to school at UNLV to teach. He is now a middle school math teacher at an at-risk school teaching children that, for so many reasons, are still struggling with basic math concepts.

My son is now attending the first of its kind Montessori Charter school in Henderson. He is getting a world-class education. Even though the charter school was approved it DID NOT ANY, previously anticipated, startup funds from the state. The directors and parents raised thousands of dollars to get the door open by the first day of school.

So where does this full disclosure go? This "is education important?" question is a critical. However, when you have to cut a 1M from 6M. You have to make hard choices.

You have to ask, whether you let prisoners out early? We have to ask, 'Should someone's grandpa and grandma continue to get state aid for diapers, dentures, and dialysis (sp?)?

We have to ask 'Do we fund the educations of our smallest, most vulnerable when their minds are the most ready to receive knowledge - 4 yrs (preschool) or wait until 7 yrs (first grade)?

Do we fund higher education to give ALL young adult equal opportunity to outstanding educations past high school so that they can be even more productive additions to our growing populations?

Whatever the hard choices are - they point of this article is not to share this question with you. But for you to get on the phone, email, snail-mail or attend the last interim finance committee meetings tomorrow to make you voice known!

It is a safe and convenient place to post your thoughts online. But do as I did the last two weeks, write to every legislature in your district, every congress-person state and federal, write to the president of the united states if it feels right. Heck if your downright bored, write to your governor! This is a government of the people, by the people and you bet these people believe THEIR state funded educations were important in their lives.
By JLouise
Feb. 21, 2010
9:46 a.m.
Suggest removal I think DMCVegas made some excellent points.

Actually, this is a very good forum of comments. I can see multiple viewpoints, all valid to some extent.

One wonders if the university system, like the entire economy, will have to re-set: Will we return to a time when the affluent were the ones who went to college, and everyone else either went to trade school or went to work?

I have a liberal arts degree from the mid 1980's, and I went to college for the sake of getting an education as opposed to getting a career. The cost of college has gone up so much, I could not do that today if I were young. I would probably be going to trade school instead. And frankly, I'm considering going to a trade school at some point!

Excellent comments all around.
By wizardofOz
Feb. 21, 2010
9:50 a.m.
Suggest removal HOLY HELL.

Klaich said in an article here in the SUN on Oct 31, 2009 that

"...Since April, nearly $205 million in federal stimulus money has poured into Nevada's public colleges and universities, supporting about 2,100 jobs, according to a report by Chancellor Dan Klaich...."

THAT WORKS OUT TO OVER $97,000 PER JOB.

WHAT...?

$97,000 PER JOB...?

Read it for yourself where the SUN buried it at the bottom an article titled 'Math teacher posted numbers for championship football team': (make sure you scroll all the way to the bottom because that's where the article is)

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/oct...
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 21, 2010
9:51 a.m.
Suggest removal When a government service fails, why do some people always say "spend more money"?

Would you go to a restaurant if it consistently burnt your food every time? Would you then think to yourself "maybe if I offer them more money they'll stop burning my food?"

Why do we hold the private sector to a higher standard? If they don't deliver us the best service at the best price, we take our money elsewhere, we don't give them more. Why do you want to give government more money when it consistently fails to produce results?
By davidwayneosedach
Feb. 21, 2010
9:51 a.m.
Suggest removal Look at the more educated states like Washington State, and Colorado. They have less unemployment.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 21, 2010
9:55 a.m.
Suggest removal PS, Klaich isn't being entirely forthcoming. The cuts to higher education amount to a fraction of a fraction of a fraction.

The general fund gives a fraction of all state appropriations to higher education. State appropriations to higher education are about half of all revenue for higher education.

When you break it down and look just at state appropriations - which was approved at $1.6 billion for the biennium, the recommended cuts amount to less than 5% of the state appropriations. From what I've learned, UNR and UNLV both have self sustaining budgets that account for half their revenues and expenditures.

Ms. Richmond, next time you write a piece on the value of higher education I suggest you interview Dr. Murray author of Real Education or Dr. Richard Vedder who has found a strong correlation between higher ed spending and weak economic growth.
By Teaser
Feb. 21, 2010
10:13 a.m.
Suggest removal "There is nothing which better deserves our patronage than the promotion of science and literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness." - George Washington, Address to Congress, Jan. 8, 1790
By gmag39
Feb. 21, 2010
10:18 a.m.
Suggest removal Patrick is working overtime down there in the muck and mire of his "Think Tank," busily bashing away @ the dad burn Guv'mint thieves!
I hope Sheldon Adelson takes some of those Asian bucks he's starting to haul in and buys Pat a decent Air-Exchange Unit, so he can get some fresh air mixed in with all of that Methane gas!
By speedstream
Feb. 21, 2010
10:37 a.m.
Suggest removal From the State to the East: 20 new companies from the U of U alone. From k-12 to Universities- this is how the money comes back to the taxpayer. Whatever your political ideology, Utah and Massachusetts have outstanding research centers and it looks like it is paying off with JOBS and TAXES and payback for the investment. Boo hoo to you- Patrick!

SALT LAKE CITY -- Much of the research being done at the University of Utah is spun out into newfound companies, resulting in ongoing revenue for the school. For the past two years, the U. has rivaled the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the number of start-ups it produces. This year, however, the Utes moved into a tie with the research giant, surpassing major players along the way.

Twenty new companies were formed during the 2008 fiscal year, ranking the U. first among other research institutions nationwide.
By SgtRock
Feb. 21, 2010
10:41 a.m.
Suggest removal Ok....I call speedstream's bluff and raise him.

Name 10 companies in SLC that have more than 100 people on staff that were born out of the research from the Univ of Utah.
By dazedandconfused
Feb. 21, 2010
11:09 a.m.
Suggest removal "More than 180 Utah companies were founded on University of Utah technologies over the past twenty years, and over 120 are prospering in Utah, including major employers like Myriad Genetics, Cephalon, ARUP, TheraTech (acquired by Watson Laboratories), Sarcos, Idaho Technology and Evans & Sutherland."-http://www.ustar.utah.edu/
By Harley
Feb. 21, 2010
11:24 a.m.
Suggest removal How do non-degreed members (the majority) of society benefit by being forced to subsidize the education of those they compete with in the workforce?

All mandates which force the public to fund educational services should be prohibited not because educational services aren't important but because there are plenty of alternatives in which individuals can obtain knowledge without forcing financial penalties upon others.

: {
By quixotic59
Feb. 21, 2010
11:30 a.m.
Suggest removal To all the anti-education geniuses: More power to you. I have my master's degree that I paid for with my own money, as does my wife. As such, we have been able to weather many economic downturns over the years as a result of our ability to change and adapt. We have always paid our taxes, never collected any kind of subsidy, and contributed to our community. Our educations saved our butts repeatedly. So I say to you, neo-morons, cut all the education you want. It's your taxes that will subsidize all the Wii, Xbox, and Playstation geniuses your ideas will create. Unless of course your butt is unemployed! OOps!
By SgtRock
Feb. 21, 2010
11:32 a.m.
Suggest removal Cephalon was not founded on University of Utah technologies.

ARUP is a very old company was founded and going strong way before UU was conducting research.

TheraTech is mainly a Chicago company.
By GeorgeWashington
Feb. 21, 2010
11:37 a.m.
Suggest removal What kind of stupid story is this? Only in Nevada a state that does not value education could this be possible. I guess if we had jobs that required brain power then it would be a valid question. Valet, where are my keys, or bellman where is my luggage says it all. In my day, education was valued!
By dazedandconfused
Feb. 21, 2010
11:54 a.m.
Suggest removal "Cephalon entered Utah when it acquired Salt Lake-based Anesta Corp. in 2000. Anesta's hallmark product was Actiq, a cancer-pain product resulting from technology developed at the University of Utah. Since the 2000 acquisition, Cephalon has paid more than $50 million royalties to the U. "This has been a very, very good, strong corporate citizen to the state of Utah," said Jerry Oldroyd, chairman of the board's incentives committee, during the board meeting."-http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700250978/State-tax-credit-spurs-Cephalon-to-expand-its-Salt-Lake-City-operations.html

Without U of Utah research, Cephalon would not be in Utah. See also, http://www.techventures.utah.edu/Documen... for more background.

ARUP Labs is owned and was founded by the U of Utah-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARUP_Laboratories. You are thinking of the consulting firm Arup.

Theratech Equipment is in Chicago. Theratech, the biotechnology company, is in Utah. Theratech is now owned by Waston labs. One supplies medical devices; the other is a biotech company.
By Purgatory
Feb. 21, 2010
12:06 p.m.
Suggest removal MichaelGreen, Gmag39, fellows and ladies...since you made it 'almost that simple' -- how is it that we are paying ever more money for schools/education and we are paying ever more money for an increased prison population?...that fact alone would seem to defeat your argument...respectively, my suggestion is stop thinking statically and think dynamically...there are always going to be problems that need solutions...solving dynamic problems with static solutions is why we are where we are...good luck...methinks we agree on more than we disagree...
By gmag39
Feb. 21, 2010
12:07 p.m.
Suggest removal GW...
Good God, Man!
You've had a brief moment of lucidity!
Good Show, old chap!
You've nailed it there, old bean!
By CynicalObserver
Feb. 21, 2010
12:54 p.m.
Suggest removal What is needed is a complete restructuring of the price of attending Nevada's public colleges.

Though it will never happen, because of the power of the Democrat/education lobby, the tuition and fees to attend ANY public institution should be increased to be the same as the tuition and fees to attend the private college in our state: "Sierra Nevada College". There should be no State subsidy, whatsoever, to any of the State owned colleges and universities.

Instead, the elitist, unconstitutional and violative of the Equal Protection Clause Millenium Scholarship Program should be abolished. There should be small grants to ALL Nevada residents who want to attend college, in equal dollar amounts, regardless of what college they want to attend. Obviously, the first semester's grant would have to be unconditional, but beyond that the grant would have to be tied to successful academic progress. As an additional component of the student bearing the COST of his/her college education, each student should be required to pay for the balance of his/her tuition OUT OF POCKET, either in cash or by way of student loans.

I believe that what we would see, without a state subsidy to support a massive, disfunctional faculty at UNLV and UNR, would be the practical academic programs (e.g. teaching, nursing, gaming management, business) being economically supported by student choice, whereas programs not meaningfully job related would fall by the wayside, if students were forced to bear the cost/benefit decision of what they chose to study.

If these spoiled, whining brats at UNLV we see on television were forced to pay for the TRUE COST of their college educations, what we would see is the b.s. academic majors and the college employee infrastructure to support them, fall by the wayside. That would rid the State's colleges of tenured professors who contribute nothing to the employability of the state's students.

It is not the job of the public, especially the working class and poor, through sales taxes, vehicle registrations and other taxes to pay the State of Nevada, to subsidize elitist, useless academic majors and programs or to pay for the education of upper middle class students who have had the requisite advantages in life to allow them to qualify to attend UNLV and UNR at the cost of the working class and poor.

The bottom line is that requiring all State colleges and universities to "break even" based upon student choice of what they are willing to pay for, out of their own pockets, is the more appropriate litertarian way for this state to operate its colleges and universities.
By MysterMr
Feb. 21, 2010
12:59 p.m.
Suggest removal Once again, I find myself in 100% agreement with this Patrick Gibbons guy.

Sometimes sense makes sense.
By happylanelv
Feb. 21, 2010
1 p.m.
Suggest removal When all the public universities are closed, the colleges left will be open only to the kids from wealthy families. When there is no one to visit the hotels, gamble and buy the ridiclously priced union produced goods, maybe you'll get the message.
By education_is_drowning
Feb. 21, 2010
1:20 p.m.
Suggest removal @cynicalobserver... You gave yourself away there at the end with your "Libertarian" ranting.

I guess no one here in Nevada seems to understand that sometimes there is a small price to pay for the overall public good? Our forefathers are rolling over in their grave, watching our system of education, and the public apportionment of such, withering away to NOTHING.

I realize keeping people dumb, fat and "happy" might work in your world view... but for many of us, educated, healthy and wise is a MUCH better alternative.

1787 December 20. (to James Madison) "Above all things I hope the education on the common people will be attended to; convinced that on their good sense we may rely with the most security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty."

1822 October 21. (to C.C. Blatchly) "I look to the diffusion of light and education as the resource to be relied on for ameliorating the condition, promoting the virtue, and advancing the happiness of man."
By education_is_drowning
Feb. 21, 2010
1:24 p.m.
Suggest removal Oh, and PS -- That's Big TOM JEFFERSON, I quoted there. Not a "whiney lib", eyh??
By rhpobbar
Feb. 21, 2010
1:46 p.m.
Suggest removal Texas-LasVegas-European Student Exchange program.
By SgtRock
Feb. 21, 2010
2:30 p.m.
Suggest removal "Our forefathers are rolling over in their grave, watching our system of education, and the public apportionment of such, withering away to NOTHING."

I can see that you must have skip history or something.

Public education in the US did not start until the middle 1800's.

So, I doubt our forefathers would have rolled their eyes over the funding of public education.

I am sure they rolling in their graves at the government waste in the public school system and the high taxes that we pay on a combined state and federal level.

I am sure they are not happy that our Fed government had to nearly borrow or print out thin-air some $2 trillion in one year to fund the government.
« Previous TenNext Ten »

Today's Question: Monday February 15

2010-02-15T15:11:00.001-08:00

Should they close Nevada State College?

SUN: CSN police chief Sandy Seda hired by UNLV

2010-02-15T13:57:00.000-08:00

Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/15/csn-police-chief-taking-post-unlv/

Posted 15 Feb 2010 at 2:04 P.M. PST
Twenty (20) comments so far pasted below.

CSN police chief at helm during theft probe taking UNLV post
By Emily Richmond (contact)

Monday, Feb. 15, 2010 | 2 a.m.

At a time when UNLV is braced for deep budget cuts and potential layoffs, the campus police chief has hired a former colleague to become his deputy assistant, a post that pays $103,000 annually.

The job went to Sandy Seda, the police chief at the College of Southern Nevada.

During Seda’s tenure at CSN, his department’s investigation into allegations of theft against CSN construction chief Bob Gilbert was characterized as “slipshod” by a District Court judge in 2009.

Seda spent six weeks on paid administrative leave as the college dealt with fallout from the criminal investigation, triggered by a Las Vegas Sun story about the theft of construction materials from CSN. At the time, CSN President Michael Richards said the decision to place Seda on leave temporarily was not directly related to the attorney general’s criminal investigation.

Four CSN employees — including Gilbert — face theft charges related to the alleged misuse of CSN property. During a hearing on the matter, a District Court judge last year questioned the intensity of the CSN police department investigation into Gilbert.

Seda said the college’s internal investigation “clearly vindicated me of any wrongdoing.”

He said he views his move to UNLV as a step up for his career, as he will be responsible for homeland security and all emergency response services and planning for the university.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity I didn’t want to pass up,” Seda said.

Seda’s hiring at UNLV comes as Gov. Jim Gibbons is calling for steep reductions in funding for higher education, which could result in forced furloughs and layoffs. The university is holding more than 200 positions vacant, including nearly 70 faculty spots. The assistant deputy police chief position was not part of the freeze.

The university’s 50-person police department includes a chief, an assistant chief and a deputy assistant chief overseeing 28 officers, five sergeants, two lieutenants and 12 office personnel.

Chief Jose Elique said that despite the budget crisis, he did not consider leaving the deputy assistant chief spot unfilled.

“If I lost this position I’d have one less cop,” Elique said. “We need more campus police officers, not less.”

Elique said the ratio of three upper-level supervisors to 47 rank-and-file employees has been a successful managerial structure for several years, helping UNLV develop its strong “service-oriented community policing operations.”

The No. 3 position has been open since the fall, when Dustin Olson left UNLV to become chief of police for the University of California, Santa Barbara.

To replace Olson, UNLV launched a national search handled by an outside firm. There were 97 applicants, and five finalists were selected for telephone interviews. From that group three individuals — including Seda — were invited to campus. Elique made the final selection.

More than a decade ago, when Elique was director of public safety for the 20 campuses in the City University of New York system, Seda was a lieutenant in the same headquarters. Later, Seda was named police chief of one of the campuses.

Elique said he was “very familiar” with Seda’s background, including his recent administrative leave at CSN.

“I am absolutely certain no basis for wrongdoing was cited,” Elique said.

Seda was in good standing with CSN when he left for the UNLV job.

He “dedicated himself to the college for the last eight years, helped create and build the CSN Police Department and has had a lasting impact,” CSN spokeswoman K.C. Brekken said in a written statement.

His familiarity with Southern Nevada and the state higher ed system means he can “hit the ground running” at UNLV, Elique said.

“I’m very glad to have him,” he said. “I have full confidence in his abilities.”

Investigation into theft

Seda was hired as CSN’s police chief in September 2002, and earned $121,704 annually.

Gilbert faces theft charges for allegedly using college equipment, materials and employees to build his Mount Charleston estate. Three CSN facilities employees also face related charges. The matter is scheduled for trial this summer.

At a May 2009 hearing, District Court Judge Donald Mosley called the CSN campus police investigation “slipshod” and said it appeared as if the college’s primary aim had been to contain fallout from a Las Vegas Sun story.

Seda sent his deputy chief and a sergeant to inspect Gilbert’s 4.26-acre estate several days after the March 26, 2007, newspaper story raised questions about the construction work taking place.

“These people went up there to do a little damage control,” Mosley told defense attorneys during the hearing. “It was a rather self-serving investigation.”

In his interview with the Sun, Seda said didn’t think Mosley’s comment was a fair assessment.

“There were a lot of things that occurred during that investigation that he was not aware of,” Seda said. “However, he’s entitled to his opinion.”

Discussion: 20 comments so far…

By dhvincent1
Feb. 15, 2010
2:33 a.m.
Suggest removal 9 supervisors out of about 50 emplyees? And there is no fat in the UNLV budget.
I am sure Sandy selda is a quality cop but another supevisor of cops at UNV is just plain wrong.

By yourrightlasvegas
Feb. 15, 2010
2:44 a.m.
Suggest removal "If I lost this position I'd have one less cop...We need more campus police officers, not less".

COP Elique refuses to investigate white collar crime on the UNLV campus. We filed our police report months ago and to date, COP Elique has not investigated.

This despite civil lawsuits naming UNLV Police have been court ordered settled for liability policy maximums.

By GregoryBrown
Feb. 15, 2010
4:46 a.m.
Suggest removal "We need more campus police officers, not less".
What we need is more academic faculty members, not fewer.

We've got >100 faculty positions open, over 250 classified and professional staff positions open, and a hiring freeze. We're facing the prospect of layoffs.

This decision really deserves an explanation.

By yourrightlasvegas
Feb. 15, 2010
5:39 a.m.
Suggest removal Sun - 6 comments are reported, but only 3 are posted.

By SgtRock
Feb. 15, 2010
7:19 a.m.
Suggest removal What has happen to Gilbert?

He is still on paid adminstrative leave?

I believe that means he has been paid for almost 3 or 4 years for doing absolutely nothing.

How come the CSN does not fire him?

There is plenty of evidence that he stoled.....more than enough to indict him.

He has been convicted of stealing from governments before.

I guess CSN is flush with cash. It seems to be a good place to cut, cut, cut.

By Longtimevegan
Feb. 15, 2010
7:42 a.m.
Suggest removal On the surface it appears UNLV Chief Jose Elique has given us a "dog and pony show" on the selection process to hire a deputy assistant a UNLV. If the facts are indeed facts, Chief Jose Elique has damaged the integrity of the UNLV Police department, look for disgruntle employees and complaints to follow from the rank and file. The Hiring of Sandy Seda show us that power in the control of an idiot is dangerous. Chief Jose will have to do an about-face on this one to keep his job.

What a corrupt system we have in this State. From the Governor to the mayor, to the District Attorney....out and out blatant actions from individuals in power, power that is unchecked! Chief Jose is just following the (leaders)!

By doubledown_deadender
Feb. 15, 2010
7:54 a.m.
Suggest removal Allow me to boil this down:

A 50 person police department translates to 3 x 8 hr. shifts with about 13 officers/2 supervisors per shift, (4 slots for vacation/sick leave).

The 33 (or so) off-duty officers do not require supervision at home do they?

The size of the on-duty shift is the number that should be used for determining the amount of administration and supervision needed.

This department can put 2 more officers on the campus-beat for the price of one marginally qualified Deputy Assistant.

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 15, 2010
8:14 a.m.
Suggest removal At least he didn't spend $500,000 like Smatresk did a few months ago: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov...

By tslennon
Feb. 15, 2010
8:34 a.m.
Suggest removal Is this guy doing the hiring retarded? This is political corruption at its best. "You are my buddy so I'll make sure you make the big bucks even though the State is out of money" The kids at UNLV should be livid over this one. Its things like this that drive up the costs of education enormously.

By tslennon
Feb. 15, 2010
8:41 a.m.
Suggest removal These "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" should hang their heads in shame.

By perry161492
Feb. 15, 2010
8:49 a.m.
Suggest removal 9 super. i thought there is only 3 8 hour shift that means 3 super not 9 get rid of 6

By reallyoldvegas
Feb. 15, 2010
9:20 a.m.
Suggest removal They gave out $500,000 in raises.
They gave Ashley's staff cushy new jobs (another $500,000).
They hire this new police person.
They are interviewing people for a new associate vice president position this week.

Don't they understand anything about either fiscal responsibility or even simple shared sacrifice with their staff?

By Journey
Feb. 15, 2010
10:26 a.m.
Suggest removal It always helps to have friends in high places. :)

By dhvincent1
Feb. 15, 2010
1:36 p.m.
Suggest removal Typical liberal speak: "He said he views his move to UNLV as a step up for his career, as he will be responsible for homeland security and all emergency response services and planning for the university.
"It's a wonderful opportunity I didn't want to pass up," Seda said."

Ripped from the 12 Feb 2010 CSN "All" email

2010-02-12T14:22:00.000-08:00

For your information, in regards to the upcoming public forums, the following individuals served on the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs search committee.

Mark Rauls – Chair

Thomas Brown

Billy Duke

Cat Maihen

Clarissa Cota

Won Ha

Mary Kaye Bailey

Laura McBride

Pat Zozaya

CSN is especially grateful for their time and effort and we should all thank them for their service to the college.

Finalists for Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Campus Forum Schedule
February 12, 16 and 19

Dr. Leticia Suarez
Long Beach City College - Long Beach, CA
Friday, February 12th from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Charleston Campus, I-108
(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)

Dr. Peter Johnstone
University of North Texas at Dallas – Dallas, TX
Tuesday, February 16th from 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m., Charleston Campus, I-108
(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)
Dr. Kathleen Brock
Ridgewater College - Willmar, MN
Friday, February 19th from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Charleston, Campus I-108
(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)

Dr. Jeanne Clerc
Western Illinois University – Macomb, IL
Friday, February 19th from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Charleston Campus I-108
(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)

Note: CSN reserves the right to augment the list of interviewees from the established pool of qualified applicants as circumstances may require.

Today's Question: Thursday February 11

2010-02-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

What is the best way to get the NSHE/CSN message about not cutting the budget across to the legislature?

SUN: NSHE Regent: Low tax rates are counterproductive

2010-02-10T18:30:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/10/low-tax-rates-are-counterproductive/

Posted 10 Feb 2010 6:31 P.M. PST
(Eight (8) reader comments so far pasted below)

Low tax rates are counterproductive
Michael B. Wixom

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010 | 2 a.m.

Last week the Board of Regents heard from our chancellor the devastating impacts of the governor’s proposed budget cuts (which, based on the information we have now, amount to $37 million for the current fiscal year and $110 million for the next). Those cuts are on top of the large cuts we took last year. The rhetorical excess following the governor’s announcement has become exhausting. Still, we can make some logical conclusions.

First, assumptions about taxes and economic growth have been absolutely wrong. For decades we have heard the same argument — our low taxes will attract good jobs, ensure growth and prosperity, diversify our economy, and protect our future. In fact, the past several years have been a classic case study demonstrating the fallacy of that argument.

Our taxes are low, some of the lowest in the nation. However, these tax rates have not attracted businesses as we were promised. Nevada’s 13 percent unemployment rate, one of the highest in the nation, demonstrates that the types of business attracted by such low tax rates do not provide permanent high-wage jobs. By and large they have been cyclical industries, and the jobs provided have evaporated. In fact, economists tell us that Nevada’s economy is probably even less diverse than it was 30 years ago.

Second, we have ignored the needs of businesses emerging in our rapidly changing economy — the businesses that are the key to diversifying our economy and ensuring economic growth. As explained by a recent article in Forbes, the primary concern of the businesses that we want to attract (technology and information-based businesses) is not taxes — it is education, both secondary and post-secondary.

That is why states such as Virginia, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, which have much higher tax rates than Nevada, nonetheless attract new industries — they have invested in their educational infrastructure. On the other hand, in Nevada, while we have made some progress, we have failed to adequately invest in our educational infrastructure.

Third, these additional and extreme budget cuts exacerbate the problem — they are not the solution. We will be dismantling much of what we have built, primarily for the sake of keeping tax rates low — the low tax rates that have been an illusory promise of prosperity.

No one likes to pay taxes, and there is justifiable frustration and anger with national budget deficits and profligate federal spending. However, we often forget that in Nevada, while not always a model of perfect efficiency, spending on state services per capita is very low, nearly the lowest in the nation. If we are to sensibly discuss the issues we face, we must not let our frustration with national taxing and spending issues cause us to lose sight of the much different issues that we face here.

While the cuts seem so inevitable that it is easy to be pessimistic, this discussion must continue. Moreover, we should not allow it to be dominated by extreme positions or by vitriolic rhetoric. For the sake of our children’s future, and that of our state, it can’t be over.

Michael B. Wixom is a member of the Nevada Board of Regents, which governs the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Discussion: 8 comments so far…

By SgtRock
Feb. 10, 2010
3:10 a.m.
Suggest removal Wixom is wrong on few points.

Nevada had the fasting growing economy in the nation for over two decades.

I believe that fact throws a big monkey wrench into his letter.

Also, there are more high tax states that are hurting in this recession than low tax states.

There are tons of states that have the so-called diverisified economy that greatly suffering, too.

Those points are monkey wrenches that gets thrown into his letter.

Nevada has one of the highest per income per capita (many good blue collar paying jobs on the strip) in the nation.

The only industries that are earning a good profit in this economy are export driven ones like oil and precious metals mining.

Gaming is the ultimate form of diversification for its based on the health of the entire national economy. If just one part of national economy is suffering then gaming OK. It is only when entire nation is suffering then gaming suffers too. That is why gaming does not suffer due to regional recessions.

Nevada state tution rates are still far far below the national average.

Perhaps Wixom should focus on that revenue stream.
By nez212
Feb. 10, 2010
6:18 a.m.
Suggest removal "Michael B. Wixom is a member of the Nevada Board of Regents, which governs the Nevada System of Higher Education."

Government of the Government for the Government and and by the Government?
By enteaser
Feb. 10, 2010
6:22 a.m.
Suggest removal What the letter writer is implying, but not directly saying, is that we should increase taxes in NV. All in favor say "AYE". NAY!!!
By Turrialba
Feb. 10, 2010
7:58 a.m.
Suggest removal As a state, either we decide to do higher education right or we should not do it at all. To pony up or not to pony up?

There are a couple of questions to consider:

If we close them down, everyone can tranfer to one of the commercial (for profit) colleges like Phoenix or one of the others and/or go elsewhere. There are limited alternatives. Is that the right model for Nevada?

If cuts are made, what programs should be disolved and where?

As for tuition rates compared to other states, are the services provided here equivelent?

The colleges are also provided a critical service in terms of bringing students up to entry college levels skills in writing and math. Here and elsewhere around the country, colleges are left to do what wasn't done in the public schools for too many students.
By HBergson
Feb. 10, 2010
10:02 a.m.
Suggest removal Thank you Mr. Wixom for having the courage to say the right thing.
By FromBellevilleCanada
Feb. 10, 2010
12:54 p.m.
Suggest removal As a foreigner I agree with the headline of the article, and with that portion of the article which argues that low tax rates are not good for Nevada. Your local, state and federal governments desperately need more revenue, and raising taxes quickly and substantially would appear to be the only way to get fast money. Waiting for the general economy to improve enough to the extent that "a rising tide lifts all ships" will take far too long, if indeed that approach has ever been proven to work.
However, I disagree with that portion of the article which advocates spending more money on education. In Ontario, Canada where I live, teachers are paid about double what they earn in Nevada, and work a shorter school year. Unfortunately, the quality of our education system does not appear to reflect the huge extra money expended on it. Perhaps today's kids are doomed because their parents as a rule don't read to them early, or teach them ethics or religion. For whatever reason, Canada's youth seem generally to be poorly educated and so lackadaisical as to be almost ungovernable. The old-fashioned American work ethic has not been imparted to most of the youngsters of today in Canada or in the USA. I suspect it is the fault of the parents rather than the teachers, but by the time the teachers get their hands on the kids, it is too late to instill basic values. Throwing more money at the education system is not the answer.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 10, 2010
2:16 p.m.
Suggest removal Not to worry, the $110 million tax cut to higher education is

A) double what the Governor has requested

and

B) just 13.5 percent of all state appropriations to higher education, which turns out to be just half of all revenues for higher education.

Furthermore, how can higher education grow 7.9 percent per year from 2001-2008 and not have room to cut? You can't grow that fast and not be a little chunky as a result.
By MWixom
Feb. 10, 2010
4:38 p.m.
Suggest removal I have had some feedback today questioning my figures and analysis. The basis for my analysis is as follows:

First, as to taxes, taking tax burdens as a whole, on a state by state basis, and including sales, property and income tax (I know we don't pay an income tax here, but I need to include it for purposes of comparisons to other states that do have an income tax), our total state-local tax burden per capita was 6.6% of per capita income in 2008 and ranked us 49 of 50. Since 1977 when the data starts, Nevada has always been 48, 49 or 50. The national average has been between 9.5% and 10.2% for state-local tax burden since 1977.

Second, as to education funding, with respect to per capita spending on education: the New York State Public Policy Institute did a study in 2006 and ranked us 44th of 50 for all education, and 49th for Higher Ed. The figures are $2055 per capita per annum for all education and $470 per capita per annum for Higher Ed.

Third, as to diversification, I know that manny think that we should leave the last two years out of the calculus, but the last two years are precisely the point. Our economy did grow over the past ten or fifteen years, but it was primarily based on construction related jobs and businesses, and as I pointed out in my piece, those jobs have evaporated and they are not the types of jobs we need in Nevada for the long term--we need knowledge based employment and we cannot get knowledge based jobs without higher education.

SUN editorial: 'The Gibbons Fallacy'

2010-02-10T18:20:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/10/gibbons-fallacy/

Posted 10 Feb 2010 6:22 P.M. PST
(Thirty (30) comments so far pasted below)

The Gibbons fallacy
Governor’s talk not backed up by the facts, and cuts will have serious effect
Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010 | 2:07 a.m.

All of the spin and rhetoric in the State of the State speech Gov. Jim Gibbons delivered Monday sought to cloud the very clear facts about the state’s budget situation. The reality is that people are going to suffer because it will take harsh cuts to make up a deficit of nearly $900 million.

In his speech, Gibbons paid little attention to the severity of the cuts that will come, but he pledged that he would “protect programs that protect our youngest and most vulnerable citizens.” As David McGrath Schwartz reported in Tuesday’s Las Vegas Sun, proposed cuts would also affect the vulnerable, including the young, old and mentally ill. For example, a list of proposed cuts presented to a legislative hearing Tuesday included:

-- A 10 percent cut in child welfare and protective services in Clark and Washoe counties would leave thousands of children vulnerable to abuse and neglect.

-- A reduction in the number of beds at the state’s mental health facility in Clark County would result in more crowding in emergency rooms. The state added beds to the facility a few years ago to reduce the problem in hospital ERs. Cuts to a program that helps the mentally ill find housing would mean more people going homeless.

-- Trimming or eliminating Medicaid payments for prescription eyeglasses, hearing aids, hearing tests and a variety of services for the elderly.

Those are the realities of the situation, but as we noted Tuesday, Gibbons preferred to make his speech political. He said the recession offered “an opportunity to reinvent our state’s government,” adding that Nevada should “quit throwing money at programs that don’t work.”

Instead of providing any specifics, Gibbons offered false assertions, like blaming the Legislature for the economic crisis; bad ideology, such as proclaiming that no new taxes “is not a cliché ... it is a plan;” and a share of stunning statements, including saying that people should “stop whining that education in Nevada doesn’t work because of a lack of funding.”

The truth is that Nevada has never had a big state government nor does it have a wealth of services. And the money never has been there to provide an adequate school system.

Simple logic would dictate that if the state really had a “spending problem,” as Gibbons says, cutting the budget would be easy. But even Gibbons and his staff have found it difficult — they’ve only offered plans that would cover about half of the deficit.

The Reno Gazette-Journal reported Tuesday that, in a news conference after Monday’s speech, Gibbons was asked why, if he believes that state spending is “bloated,” the deficit couldn’t be made up with cuts in the operating budget. He said it was impossible because, “you’d take every program and throw it out the window.”

So much for Nevada’s “spending problem” or its “big” government.

The bottom line is that Gibbons is taking this crisis as an “opportunity” to gut government and the services people rely upon.

That might work for Gibbons’ few supporters, but it won’t, as he likes to say, create a government that works for Nevadans.

Discussion: 30 comments so far…Feb. 10, 2010

2:51 a.m.
Suggest removal I have a new baby about to be born, likely in the next week or two. I feel I have let her down living in a state that has this monstrosity for a governor. I cannot remember anyone so thoroughly jaded, conniving, and utterly useless to its citizenry as this unremarkable blight on our state.

The only cliche that stands up to the true meaning of the word is this political hack. He is the most cliche'd politician there is in America today. He was invented in a dime store novel, and isn't worth a penny in todays money.
By judgesmales
Feb. 10, 2010
3:09 a.m.
Suggest removal What part of the state's insolvency does the Sun not understand? We need to make up $900 million just to balance the budget, and that is based on tax revenue projections that are going to fall way short because so many businesses are failing.

Earth to the Sun: There will be pain. There must be pain. It's a sad fact, but we can't continue to fund every pet program. During fat times, it's great to fund this program (let's say, to combat teen pregnancy) or that program (to fund hearing tests for seniors). No one is saying they are not worthy pursuits.

What Gibbons is saying -- and what the Sun would here, if it would take its fingers out of its ears -- is that we can no longer afford every worthy program. Some things have to be cut, and that's a sad fact.

So shut up and get out of the way. We're not going to vote for tax increases in Nevada just to make Brian Greenspun happy. It will NEVER HAPPEN, do you hear me? So quit wasting your breath every week bleating that we need to "fix our broken tax system." It's just fine, it's the budget that's out of whack.

Start hacking away, Governor. I'm with you.
By neiman1
Feb. 10, 2010
3:56 a.m.
Suggest removal The different philosophies are apparent. This editorial worries about what the government can do for people and the rest of us are worried about what the government can do TO us.
By yourrightlasvegas
Feb. 10, 2010
4:23 a.m.
Suggest removal Gov. Gibbons "...pledged that he would 'protect programs that protect our youngest and most vulnerable citizens'".

Really? Then why has he let the State of Nevada Dept. of Health and Human Services record a 300% increase in Clark County child fatalities due to abuse and neglect and do nothing about it?

The problem is not his cutting funding for child abuse. The problem is he never staffed appropriately regarding child abuse when he had the funding.
By Future
Feb. 10, 2010
4:28 a.m.
Suggest removal "The reality is that people are going to suffer because it will take harsh cuts to make up a deficit of nearly $900 million"

----------------------------

So what is the LV Sun plan to CUT
By teacher
Feb. 10, 2010
6:18 a.m.
Suggest removal "He was invented in a dime store novel, and isn't worth a penny in todays money."

I just said to somebody yesterday, "He's like a cartoon character."

Who voted for this...this...I can't call him a "man," but I can't call him what I'd like. You know who I mean.
By mschaffer
Feb. 10, 2010
6:32 a.m.
Suggest removal teacher,
You ask "Who voter for this...". All you have to do is look above your post to see some examples of the truly babbling D students dumb enough to have voted for this sociopath.
By jlb101
Feb. 10, 2010
6:44 a.m.
Suggest removal If JeffFromVegas is having a baby soon and doesn't like the State cutting services, I think it is safe to assume that he needs the government to help him take care of the new child. The next obvious question is, if he is having a child he cannot afford, why is he having that child? That is the exact reason there are too many children living in poverty and extracting a huge burden from honest taxpayers.
By fosimmons
Feb. 10, 2010
6:47 a.m.
Suggest removal Comrads, Socialists, Central Committee Members and BlockEyeBallers !

The days of compassion and generosity and decency have vanished like the baton of Copperfield under this MindlessGovenor Gibbons.

Can anyone imagine cutting eyeglasses and hearing aides from the Medicade budget that helps the old folks have a decent day? No. Only an ingrate and sociolpath is capable of such.

As to education, Nevada is so low on the Totem Pole is can only go down more until the kids get bused to California.

When reality sets in, and your mothers and your grandmothers are lying in the streets deaf and blind and starving you Republicans and conservatives will start screaming and yelling that this was not what was intended. i.e. former Sen. Phil Graham, now a million dollar a year lobbyist and liar of the highest order.

Great societies vanish as the greed and warmongering of leaders take over. AWOLBush is now being asked to talk with UK officials about his war crimes and soon, lets all hope that Spanish Magistrate who got Pinochet will then get AWOLBush and his henchmen of torture, murder, illegal war and warrantless wiretaps. Pray this happens.

Welcome to the world of hate.

FarmersCommitteeForTheCommonGood

Merci !
By mred
Feb. 10, 2010
7:58 a.m.
Suggest removal Heck, all we need is a couple of dump trucks to haul of the dead to the dump like in Haiti. Let's rollback regulations on business, such as getting rid of the expensive rebar requirement for new construction. (I stole that idea from Rush)
By ghostcommander
Feb. 10, 2010
8:03 a.m.
Suggest removal All Fascists try to destroy government from within when they achieve power. The Fake republicans are no different with their no-bid and inflated contracts to their criminal business cronies.No, they do not raise taxes but they do borrow, borrow, and borrow so much that it takes decades to pay off that borrowing. Who do they borrow money from? Would you believe that they borrow money and float bonds with the same people that created the economic mess we are in. They want to destroy our education system with their vouchers, and give contracts to their cronies to run charter schools. They do not want your children to have an education, but they want their children to have a quality education. They do not want the citizens and their children to have affordable health care, but they want quality health care for themselves and their children. They want wars so that their criminal crony war profiteers can make tons of money while your sons and daughters get killed or become totally disabled. Do not listen to the Nazi "Big Lie" propaganda that came straight from the propaganda manuals of herr Hitler and herr Goebbels. They should be despised, not praised for their criminal conduct. Just watch their actions and disregard their words.
By Turrialba
Feb. 10, 2010
8:05 a.m.
Suggest removal Terrific image mred. The new Haiti of the desert can be our new slogan.

In terms of what is coming down on the budget , let's hope "what happens here stays here".
By Just_Me
Feb. 10, 2010
8:26 a.m.
Suggest removal Isn't America a wonderful place? If you don't like the social services provided by one state (i.e. Nevada), you have the choice to live in a state with a broader safety net.

Isn't choice grand!
By Blueberry
Feb. 10, 2010
9:34 a.m.
Suggest removal "Isn't America a wonderful place? If you don't like the social services provided by one state (i.e. Nevada), you have the choice to live in a state with a broader safety net."

Yes it is! And likewise, we can move to improve Nevada and make it into a place where people really want to live with good schools, lively cultural events and real jobs... and people who think the way you think can make a choice to live elsewhere.

Isn't choice grand!
By LarryVegas
Feb. 10, 2010
9:37 a.m.
Suggest removal Dear Jeff from Vegas...

The highways are all open and clear of snow, so you can pack up your belongings and move to California if you like. You won't be missed.

The LV SUN is showing it's political side again this morning...
By worstnightmere
Feb. 10, 2010
10 a.m.
Suggest removal Well all I can say, we only have to put up with this spineless monster Gibbons for another few months, and he is out of commission. The people of the State Of Nevada will not re-elect Gibbons, Gibbons will drop out as soon as the primary takes off.. Governor Quinn, was a good Governor, so was Governor Bob Miller, this guy is the most corrupt politician this Great State has ever had to endure.. Good riddens to this slimy pathetic human-being...
By LarryVegas
Feb. 10, 2010
11:24 a.m.
Suggest removal Does worstnightmere not like Governor Gibbons or does he just like to name call?
By JeffFromVegas
Feb. 10, 2010
11:45 a.m.
Suggest removal In response to Jib101:

Your assumption is typical of the right/libertarian mindset. One of my biggest responsibilities to this baby will be explaining how to deal with the selfishness and ignorance in the world, and keeping someone like you from infecting her brain with moronic statements like you just made.

I will teach her to know of what she speaks, not to make assumptions based upon an ideology that favors one point of view over the other.

Have a nice day.
By JeffFromVegas
Feb. 10, 2010
11:52 a.m.
Suggest removal to LarryVegas:

If you re-elect Governor Potato Head, if you have a moving company, I'll be happy to hire you to do the move.

I love having neocons do my dirty work.
By LarryVegas
Feb. 10, 2010
12:15 p.m.
Suggest removal Adios there Jeff...
By jlb101
Feb. 10, 2010
1:02 p.m.
Suggest removal Blueberry- Why don't you pay for it if you want all these glorious and wonderful things. I don't wsnt them and don't give a damned about any of them. You are obviously one of the parasite class who want to feed off those better than you are.
By jlb101
Feb. 10, 2010
1:10 p.m.
Suggest removal Hey Jeff-yor biggest responsibility is to feed and clothe that baby. I could care less how many lies you indoctrinate her with. Why is it selfish for me to work and make money and not want to share it with people like you who want things for free? Go earn them like I did.
By FromBellevilleCanada
Feb. 10, 2010
1:23 p.m.
Suggest removal I shouldn't spew my opinion about a State matter given that I am a foreigner who just happens to enjoy visiting Las Vegas and reading the Las Vegas Sun. LarryVegas and jlb101 might hurt themselves in their haste to jump on their keyboards to call me out as a nosy idiot.
Spending cuts in government do not save money fast enough, and the expected savings rarely work out in the short or long run because of other issues like breach of contract or severance pay.
Nevada (as well as municipal and federal governments) must raise taxes fast and furiously if they hope to get quick revenue.
No politician likes to raise taxes in a recession, but gutting government instead will likely harm America permanently.
As a Canadian who pays taxes in ways America has never even heard of, take my advice. Taxes are the price of a just society.
By nobull
Feb. 10, 2010
1:58 p.m.
Suggest removal My God LV Sun, where do you think the money is going to come from? ALL cost reduction options are going to be painful to one aspect or another of our state services. You report as if this is a dream come true for a meany Governor. This state does not have enough to pay its bills to the tune of $881 Million dollars. You report as if the Governor caused this problem. We'll see what your Democratically controlled legislature comes up with and how you treat those solutions.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 10, 2010
2:06 p.m.
Suggest removal I'm sure the editors at the Las Vegas Sun wonder how anyone got by in "Stone Age" Nevada circa 2002...
By jlb101
Feb. 10, 2010
2:33 p.m.
Suggest removal FromBellville canada-I'm sure being from Canada you do not understand the politics or the dynamics of Nevada. Many here, including myself, moved here from California because we were tired of the bloated and overreaching government and the resultant outrageously high taxes in that state. We came to Nevada, because when we did, it was a low service and low tax state. Before I moved I read the RJ &Sun for a long period and the fact that Nevada was on the bottom of lists that some consider important, I was elated that I would not have to be burdened with paying high taxes to support these programs. There are hundreds of thousands of Nevadans just like me. You notice even Assemblyman Horsefood said no new taxes. That is because this is an election year and he knows a little about Nevada.

Very few government employees get severance pay, only a thirty days notice. As far as I know the state is able to lay off people as they choose as long as proper senority rules are followed. Savings would begin to accrue as soon as the employees are out the door although they would get unemployment isurance.

We see the much bigger mess that California, New Jersey, New York and many other states are facing because of all the unnecessary and wasteful programs that have been enacted to buy votes from constituent groups. We did not have these in the 50s and 60s and I don't remember people starving in the streets. At that time it was a disgrace to be on "relief" and what you had to give up was substantial in order to qualify.

Personally, I believe the nation's economy is going to colapse just as Europe's is on the verge of right now. Greece, Spain and Portugal are right there now. The cause? government trying to do too much and spending too much. If I leave Nevada it will be for Central America. They have economic freedom there and I can live real well with the United States government not having any idea how much I am making or even where I am to send me a tax bill.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 10, 2010
3:23 p.m.
Suggest removal http://www.writeonnevada.com/2010/02/com...

Here are some facts, government run monopolies produce bad results for high costs.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 10, 2010
3:37 p.m.
Suggest removal The private sector has already paid its fair share in lost income and jobs: http://npri.org/publications/wait--you-s...
By Jenlv
Feb. 10, 2010
4:24 p.m.
Suggest removal Why doesn't anyone offer ideas on how to raise money instead of cutting what we can't afford to cut...

Why don't we have a State Lottery? If the casino's don't like it, then fine - let them make up for it by raising their taxes.

I'm sorry Jeff, anyone who has one ounce of compassion for their fellow human being, or who cares about education in this State is immediately labeled as "wanting something for free" around here.

We need to diversify our economy, that much I think everyone can agree on, right? Businesses won't relocate here if we don't have a decent educational system. Period - we cannot diversify by chopping education any more. We need to invest in our future, not create yet another generation of career cocktail waitresses.
By r4akese
Feb. 10, 2010
5:53 p.m.
Suggest removal Wow. I'm always amazed that some people are passionately interested in spending other peoples' money on people and projects they deem worthy, but never give any of their own money to charity.

The budget busting projects the Dems added in the last session have come home to roost and the increased payroll tax that was to "pay" for the spending has forced more businesses to close. Stop with the revenue "enhancements" and economize like the rest of us. Help your neighbor; don't steal the few dollars he has left to feed your conscience.

SUN: UNLV students protest budget cuts

2010-02-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/09/hundreds-rally-protest-governors-proposed-budget-c/

Posted 9 Feb 2010 at 4:54 P.M. PST
(Thirty-three (33) comments so far pasted below)

Hundreds rally to protest governor’s proposed budget cuts
University official: Students should tell lawmakers how cuts would affect them

UNLV students protest about proposed budget cuts outside the Grant Sawyer Building Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010, after staging a campus walkout.

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Published Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010 | 12:37 p.m.

Cloudy skies and a chilly drizzle did little to dampen the enthusiasm of the estimated 700 UNLV students who turned out for a campus rally today to protest proposed budget cuts to higher education.

Organizers of the rally had urged students to walk out of class at 10 a.m. to demonstrate their dissatisfaction with Gov. Jim Gibbons’ proposed budget, which calls for steep reductions in funding for both higher education and K-12 schools.

John Goldman, the university’s campus life director, told the students they needed to take the proposed cuts personally. He urged them to write letters to lawmakers and tell them exactly how a hike in student fees, or requiring faculty to take an additional five furlough days per month – both possible scenarios – would affect them.

The rally participants, many holding signs and banners, piled into two chartered buses for the 15-minute trip to the Sawyer Building, where the protest was carried over to the Legislature’s Interim Finance Committee meeting. Other students followed in their own vehicles.

The turnout was impressive, said UNLV President Neal Smatresk, who stood in the crowd with university system Chancellor Dan Klaich and James Dean Leavitt, chairman of the Board of Regents. Students gathered around Smatresk and posed for pictures, many snapped with cell phones.

“It means a lot, you being here,” one young woman told Smatresk. “You’re like the head of the whole place.”

Smatresk shook her hand, telling her, “You’re being here means even more.”

There were some faculty members scattered in the crowd, as well, including John Naccarato, an associate affiliate professor of journalism at UNLV, who said he supported his students’ decision to skip class today. Naccarato said he was a student at Kent State University, the site of a Vietman War protest that turned deadly when National Guardsmen fired on the crowd.

“This is my first protest since 1970,” Naccarato said. “That’s how important this is.”

Discussion: 33 comments so far…

By environprotector
Feb. 9, 2010
12:53 p.m.
Suggest removal The best way for the people to excercise their discontent and power is in the voting booth. Next time around we will vote this clown out of office. In the meantime rallies will do nothing except raise your blood pressure, and expose you to the elements..
By sos89123
Feb. 9, 2010
1:01 p.m.
Suggest removal You've got to be kidding environprotector! Have you seen what's been voted into office over the past ten years? Our government is a JOKE! They are all about lining their pockets at the people's expense. Look at Congress for goodness sake. Do they care about the welfare of the people? No, they are more interested in political posturing. Look at the state legislature. It's a bunch of uneducated dummies wandering in circles with their thumbs in their nether regions. Look at the average voter ... they haven't a clue about thoughtful analysis, just knee jerk reaction. We're in the midst of the fall of the American empire and the politicians led the way.
By randomrider
Feb. 9, 2010
1:03 p.m.
Suggest removal The People get the government that they deserve. We elected the SOBs.
By wolf85023
Feb. 9, 2010
1:03 p.m.
Suggest removal You do not cut cost on schools,I thought the United States is above this,Education is everything to the world.United State is the leader of education.I feel they should go back to there office and rethink what they are doing.
By wizardofOz
Feb. 9, 2010
1:16 p.m.
Suggest removal What are these cry-baby dumbells whinin' about..?

UNLV has one of the LOWEST in state tuition rates.

Morons, get back into class and get an education.

This reminds me of the ILLEGAL aliens who demonstrate for their 'rights'....
By Braedo
Feb. 9, 2010
1:19 p.m.
Suggest removal It just shows that students do not understand business and how the United States works. But Hitler was a great Austrian, that took over Education and the Air Waves and promised them the promise land. I think that the tuition should be raised more so that the students can have their classes and professor's then.
By Sherwin
Feb. 9, 2010
1:27 p.m.
Suggest removal Wolf85023 I wish USA was a leader in education - http://newsbird.wordpress.com/2009/09/08.... Unfortunately for such a rich country, the education system in this country is fairly poor. Personally I wouldn't do a Master's Degree at UNLV. The quality of education there isn't that great and obviously cutting funds isn't going to help ...
By debate_now
Feb. 9, 2010
1:32 p.m.
Suggest removal If one wanted to keep a population uninformed and subservient, the first thing that has to be done is reduce the education system to rubble. In history and in some countries, professors and educated leaders disappear and may never be seen again. Books are quietly removed from access. Classes are discontinued or outright forbidden. People are told how to think (and vote). The second thing is to outlaw free speech. The third thing is to prohibit assembly. Let's see, Gibbons wants to dismantle the education system, he told us how to think last night, we ought to expect him to bark about someone disagreeing with his speech, and next he will be whining about student demonstrations. Expect him to restrict the legislature to the things he will allow them to discuss. Any body take history classes in school? What comes next?
By adrianhu
Feb. 9, 2010
1:33 p.m.
Suggest removal the article is solely about tuition, university departments and services are impacted which will affect the students directly.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 9, 2010
2 p.m.
Suggest removal http://www.writeonnevada.com/2010/02/it-...

Remember last year? Jim Rogers claimed tuition would increase by 225 percent if the then-proposed budget cuts were implemented. That never happened. The claim was a strategy to tick off students, and it seems the latest round of doomsday scenarios was ripped right out of Rogers' playbook.
By mycroft6
Feb. 9, 2010
2:20 p.m.
Suggest removal They look more like class skippers then protesters.
By goingbust
Feb. 9, 2010
2:29 p.m.
Suggest removal HAR HAR HAR.

Snotnosed kids PWNED.
By texexnv
Feb. 9, 2010
2:34 p.m.
Suggest removal WAY TO GO KIDS! Seems like you're the only ones in this state that have a conscience and a voice of protest.

Too bad the Medicaid victims of this budget holocaust can't protest. They're going to lose their eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures, incontinent pads, and anaesthesia.

At least Big Gambling and Big Mining is safe.
By environprotector
Feb. 9, 2010
2:45 p.m.
Suggest removal Sos89123 :
I don't disagree with your opinions here, In fact I believe in everything you are saying, however this rally is a waste of time. The effort should be put into getting people to vote thoughtfully and carefully. When we get the proper leaders in place, then change can be effected.
By debate_now
Feb. 9, 2010
2:57 p.m.
Suggest removal So, Gibbons is slicing away at those who can least defend themselves, those most in need, the elderly, the young kids in school, the underprivileged, the poor, and the helpless. That is democracy in action for ya!! Way to go big brave gov!!!
By SgtRock
Feb. 9, 2010
3:03 p.m.
Suggest removal "So, Gibbons is slicing away at those who can least defend themselves"

Gibbons can't cut one dime of the money.

Only the legislature can cut the money that goes to the Board of Regents and the Board of Regents gets to decide how the money is divided and spent.

So you should direct your anger at the Democratic control Legislature.

Demand them to raise taxes by the billions.
By captainamerica
Feb. 9, 2010
3:12 p.m.
Suggest removal your right mycroft6. They are just pikers compared to the 60s. Hundreds of protesters?
Should hav been thousands on an important issue like this.
By rejco100
Feb. 9, 2010
3:27 p.m.
Suggest removal No problem STUDENTS; in addition to cutting out poor Grannies & Grandpa's diapers, we'll also cut out their food, that way they won't need their diapers!
By LarryVegas
Feb. 9, 2010
3:28 p.m.
Suggest removal When I first saw the photograph at the top of this discussion, I thought it was just another Tea Party rally.

But after trying to read the misspelled signs, I discovered it was a group of high school dropouts...
By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 9, 2010
3:37 p.m.
Suggest removal The university is just using students. Sadly students aren't paying so much for their education as they've been paying for nice amenities, big buildings, research they won't learn from, and jobs for adults.

Klaich made suggests of serious budget cuts that he never seriously considered -- he did so to tick off students. That was an irresponsible move right out of the playbook of Jim Rogers.
By tvegas
Feb. 9, 2010
3:43 p.m.
Suggest removal Sorry kiddies you have got to learn there is no free lunch.
By neiman1
Feb. 9, 2010
3:43 p.m.
Suggest removal University officials rally hundreds(not thousands) of their students to try and save the officials salaries and expense accounts.

If University officials cared about the students a 15% reduction in salaries and benefits would cover all the cuts.
By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 9, 2010
3:44 p.m.
Suggest removal I have no respect for these students. If your education was important to you, you wouldn't organize a day to skip class. You are going to pay for education one way or another - pay a few years tuition, or pay higher taxes. Get over it.
By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 9, 2010
3:47 p.m.
Suggest removal I also have to add that these students are dumb pawns. If they were smart, they would make a list of things to cut and start a petition for the university to make those cuts instead of raising tuition. As someone mentioned above, petition to cut positions and salaries.
By Tito254
Feb. 9, 2010
3:47 p.m.
Suggest removal at wizard of oz: youre a freakin bigot ... you are freakin out of touch ... all you dumb old farts stuck in your ways and consistently voting along party lines are a freakin detriment to the children and young people in our community... as a student at unlv im glad im graduating before it gets worse but when kids that bust there ass, go to school, and still hustle a part time job cant get all the classes THEY need to graduate then theres a freakin problem... this is all a waterfall thats gonna get worse ... legislature needs to quit acting delusional and concentrate on what education NEEDS ... we NEED good teachers and we NEED all our prerequisites to graduate ... UNLV and CSN can be wonderful institutions if funds are spent effectively and wisely - the youth has so much more information and material they need to learn then old geezers did in their day and they dont need old farts like wizardofoz slowing them down
By dsm249
Feb. 9, 2010
3:54 p.m.
Suggest removal Are you kidding me??? Students: W-A-K-E U-P. University presidents and their cadre of (unnecessary) mid-level management could care less about you; they are solely concerned with furthering their own careers and filling their personal pockets with dollars. They are using you as pawns. They don't have your "best interests" in mind. Anymore, universities are run just as corporations.

If you really wanted to protest students, you would turn your back on the university and its emphasis on "credentialism," and show them that you can become self-reliant and self-sufficient. You don;t need to become indentured servants with student loans up to your neck to have a good, meaningful life.

As if universities truly care about the quality of undergraduate education . . . they exploit graduate students and non-tenured-faculty to do the bulk of undergraduate teaching.

Wake up, folks . . .
By RyMan
Feb. 9, 2010
3:55 p.m.
Suggest removal Glad to see the typical vegas anti-intellectualism out in full force on the vegas sun boards...
There are so many wrong assumptions being portrayed here about what it means to go to college, who goes and how it's funded.
If anyone wants to understand why things like education take a hit first in this state, one need only read the comments section of any article written about them.
By gmag39
Feb. 9, 2010
4:06 p.m.
Suggest removal The "WHIZ" is out with another loony diatribe:
"What are these cry-baby dumbells whinin' about..?
"This reminds me of the ILLEGAL aliens who demonstrate for their 'rights'...."
Of course, neither of these rants make any sense, nor are they fair to the student protesters; hey, this is part of the American process, right?
They have every RIGHT, perhaps even an obligation to themselves to get out there and be heard. I applaud those @ UNLV who participated in today's walkout. Stand up for what you believe!
By nobull
Feb. 9, 2010
4:26 p.m.
Suggest removal Instead of all your moronic grousing about that meany Governor dismantling our education system you should catch up on your government 101, it is the legislature that is being called into a special session to deal with the $881 Million deficit, the Governor's office has suggested ways to reduce the deficit but it's a statewide problem that both the Governor and the Democratically controlled legislature must solve. I suggest you think about what not having enough money to run state government really means! Do you want to have people dying in the streets because there are no state government services to help them or do you want to pat a couple bucks more for your education? I thought students were supposed to be smart.
By SgtRock
Feb. 9, 2010
4:28 p.m.
Suggest removal Hey, Gmag....you should get on your team and get them to demand billions in tax increases.

Go for it!!!

Not really sure what you or the UNLV student's solution to the problem is.

Does the UNLV students want to cut k-12 even more to make up the difference?

The proposed mining tax will only raise about $200 million a year. The deficit is $1 billion.

Silly me....I am asking tough questions.

I live in real world did not have the privilege of skipping class.
By nez212
Feb. 9, 2010
4:31 p.m.
Suggest removal If they dont want to go to school, shut it down for a year to save money

SUN: Raggio gets one thing right: Gibbons's speech was 'strictly political'

2010-02-09T16:39:00.000-08:00

Source:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/09/raggio-fellow-republican-calls-gibbons-speech-stri/

Posted 9 Feb 2010 at 4:43 P.M. PST
(One (1) reader comment so far pasted below)

Raggio, a fellow Republican, calls Gibbons’ speech ‘strictly political’
By David McGrath Schwartz (contact)

Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2010 | 3:32 p.m.

CARSON CITY — Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, criticized today Gov. Jim Gibbons' State of the State speech, saying it amounted to finger pointing and was "strictly political."

"I don't think it was helpful, hearing the governor's speech last night, to point fingers," said Raggio, the state's longest-serving senator. "To blame the Legislature - to say the Legislature caused the problems? It's an incredulous, if not a strictly political, statement."

Raggio noted that 30 other states are facing budget shortfalls, and noted that the governor didn't suggest repealing the temporary tax increases passed in 2009. "If he did that, we would have twice the budget hole we see today," he said.

Gibbons used the Monday evening speech to address the state's $881 million budget gap and in the process ripped the Legislature for raising $1 billion in taxes.

"They made the wrong call," Gibbons said. "I thought it was wrong then. I know it's wrong now. I planned responsibly. They gambled on new taxes and we all lost."

Raggio, who has had a rocky relationship with Gibbons, pushed back today, as legislators began hearing about proposals to cut the budget for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Raggio said the Legislature's tax increase "was able to delay some of the impacts on the lives of a lot of Nevadans who need services. If you look at the quality of services in the state, it's certainly at the low end."

"I think partisan and political stuff, whether it's coming from the Legislature or governor, is not helping us get through a difficult time in the state's existence," he said.

He noted the state was looking at rationing diapers for incontinent adults.

"Anyone involved in this process, whether the governors office or Legislature, should have heavy concerns," Raggio said. "It's a very distasteful process, and disheartening."

Discussion: 1 comment so far…

By fearNloathingNV
Feb. 9, 2010
4:31 p.m.
Suggest removal "They made the wrong call."
Funny, I said that about you Gibbons when you were elected and I'm a Republican...who didn't vote for you. Your "state of the state" politically motivated speech mostly contained information we already knew. With your head firmly in the sand, or somewhere else, you defiantly ignore the polls that say this is your only term. You've had your one shot, now try to be a grown-up and work the problems. Leave the finger pointing to the motorist.

All the CSN news fit to read: January Cabinet Notes

2010-02-09T12:17:00.000-08:00

Ripped from Merry Mike's blog at:

http://blog.csn.edu/?p=349

January Cabinet Minutes
January 11, 2010

Cabinet Members:

President Mike Richards
John Bearce, Interim Director of Institutional Research – absent
K.C. Brekken, Communications Manager
Thomas Brown, Chief Campus Administrator, Cheyenne
Art Byrd, Vice President, Student Affairs
Patty Charlton, Senior Vice President for Finance & Facilities
Darren Divine, Interim Vice President, Academic Affairs
Richard Hinckley, General Counsel
Bill Kerney, Faculty Senate Chair-Elect
Penny McCollum, Campus Site Administrator, Henderson Campus
Joan McGee, Chief Campus Administrator, Charleston Campus
Larry Mason, Interim Vice President, Diversity & Cultural Affairs
Jacque Matthews, Executive Director, Foundation
Dave Morgan, Chair, Administrative Faculty Assembly
Mark Rauls, Faculty Senate Chair
Cat Maihen, President, Classified Council
Mugunth Vaithylingam, Chief Information Officer
Nathaniel Waugh, Student Government President – absent
Anne Zemek de Dominguez, General Counsel

The meeting was called to order by Dr. Richards at 9 a.m.

The notes of the December 14, 2009 cabinet meeting were approved.

Dr. Richards reminded everyone to take advantage of the workshops offered this week for convocation, and that next Monday, January 18 is the Martin Luther King holiday; then spring semester begins the following day.

Patty Charlton began with an update on budget planning. Governor Gibbons has requested all state agencies to provide plans to make cuts from General Fund sources of between 6% and 10%–for the fiscal year we are in currently (2010). An 8% reduction would mean approximately $2.2M for CSN (March 2010 – June 30, 2010), and $6.5M in FY 2011. Plans are currently in draft form and will be discussed further through the Chancellor and the Board of Regents. The Budget Reduction Committee was re-instated and strategies are being discussed should the reductions be imposed. It is an all-college committee and through this committee information will be shared, more strategies will be developed, and the College Community will be engaged. The Budget Reduction Committee members are listed below:

Mary Kaye Bailey, Lisa Bakke, Patty Charlton, Chemene Crawford, Bill Kerney, Cat Maihen, Dave Morgan, Mark Rauls, Judy Stewart, Dale Warby, Nate Waugh, Hyla Winters and Anne Zemek de Dominguez

There will be a special meeting of the Board of Regents on February 2 to delve further into how an 8% reduction would impact and be implemented at each of the NSHE Institutions in both FY 2010 and FY 2011. For the current fiscal year, the initial operating budget for CSN included a projected shortfall, as we were concerned about the timeliness of Nevada’s economic recovery, but those funds alone will not be enough to cover an 8% cut, and operating reductions will be necessary if the cut is imposed. For the next FY, the impact will be a greater challenge. We will require input from faculty, staff, and students to develop the skeletal strategy for FY2011. We are not anticipating any additional increases to the Student Surcharge. The Offices of the President and Sr. Vice President for Finance and Facilities will keep faculty, staff and students apprised of the developments. There is speculation of the need for a Special Session.

Dr. Richards spoke about the Northwest Campus and its importance in CSN’s strategic plan. Although the current state of the economy would seem to dictate holding off on the development of the Northwest Campus, there are many reasons to proceed. We can’t be short-sighted and need to look at CSN’s future. Right now construction costs are low, the opportunities for local employment would be helped, and we have worked very hard in getting the land grant. CSN does not currently have a presence in the northwest part of the valley, and that area is growing rapidly.

Dr. Richards also reported that Chancellor Klaich and some key staff members went to Maryland to learn more about that system’s Efficiency and Effectiveness initiative.

Cat Maihen updated the group on Classified Council activities. The bake sale raised $580; at the Classified Council meeting member accountability was the focus, and other fund-raising options. Cat said the Classified In-Service days went fairly well. Participation was down in some areas, but among the better-attended classes was one in self-defense. That will be offered again in the future.

Mark Rauls had little to report, since he just reported last month. He expressed his appreciation that faculty is included in the budgeting process ad-hoc committee to review programs.

Mugunth Vaithylingam distributed the convocation schedule for the tech booths at the Cheyenne campus. The programs for convocation will include workshops, discussions, and raffle prizes provided by vendors. In other news form OTS, Dr. Richards attended employee recognition; a new computer refresh schedule is being developed; and a student manage-print solution is being tested this semester.

Anne Zemek said there has been an increase in the number of unhappy/disgruntled students. It is important that employees in all areas know their department’s policies and procedures and follow them. Students should get the same information from everyone in the department. She reported also on the Sexual Harassment policy being expanded to clarify several things with regard to supervisor duties and responsibilities.

Larry Mason told Cabinet that CSN has a convertible car in the Martin Luther King parade and encouraged everyone to attend.

Dave Morgan said there would be welcome back events at each of the campuses on January 19, 20 & 21.

Meeting adjourned at 10 a.m.

Next meeting scheduled February 8, 2010.

Today's Question: Tuesday February 9

2010-02-08T22:35:00.001-08:00

Has anyone ever heard a worse political speech than the one Gibbons gave tonight?

Ripped from the CSN 'All" email: VPAA Finalist Campus Forum Schedule

2010-02-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

Finalists for Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Campus Forum Schedule

February 12 and 19

Dr. Peter Johnstone

University of North Texas at Dallas – Dallas, TX

Friday, February 12th from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Charleston Campus, I-108

(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)

Dr. Leticia Suarez

Long Beach City College - Long Beach, CA

Friday, February 12th from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Charleston Campus, I-108

(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)

Dr. Kathleen Brock

Ridgewater College - Willmar, MN

Friday, February 19th from 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., Charleston, Campus I-108

(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)

Dr. Jeanne Clerc

Western Illinois University – Macomb, IL

Friday, February 19th from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Charleston Campus I-108

(Via closed circuit TV to Cheyenne Campus, Conference Room B and Henderson Campus, C-224)

Note: CSN reserves the right to augment the list of interviewees from the established pool of qualified applicants as circumstances may require.

CSN VPAA/Provost Forums announced: Is the job search real?

2010-02-08T11:16:00.000-08:00

Sent to Arts and Letters faculty Monday Feb. 8 on the CSN email:

The search committee has made its recommendations to Dr. Richards for the VPAA/Provost position. There will be four candidates coming to town to spend a day at CSN, and to participate in public discussions with all staff and faculty. The names of the candidates and the specific room numbers will be announced by HR this week, but I can give you the run down on how the public forums will work. I really encourage everyone to participate in the forums, and to fill out comment cards afterward. This is the best way to ensure that all of your voices are heard.

The public forums will take place on Charleston campus, with live feed into a large conference room on Cheyenne and Henderson. Folks watching the feed on Cheyenne and Henderson will be able to ask questions, and will also be seen by the candidates. You will only be able to access the feed from one of the conference rooms.

Friday, February 12

Candidate #1 10 - 11:30 am
Candidate #2 2 - 3:30 pm

Friday, February 19

Candidate #3 10 - 11:30 am
Candidate #4 2 - 3:30 pm

These are times in which leadership makes an enormous difference. I hope everyone will participate in the process!

SUN: What to expect from Gibbons's speech tomorrow

2010-02-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/07/speech-will-spell-out-states-finances/

Posted 7 Feb 2010 3:00 P.M.
(Ten (10) reader comments so far pasted below)

POLITICAL MEMO:

Governor’s speech will lay out state’s budget problems
By David McGrath Schwartz (contact)

Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 | 2 a.m.

Carson City — With the rapid pace of recent developments in Carson City, perhaps it’s time to answer some questions about the state’s troubled finances on the eve of Gov. Jim Gibbons’ rare even-year State of the State address.

Why is Gibbons giving a State of the State address?

Gibbons will deliver the speech to lay out the state’s budget problems and explain why cuts need to be made. Gibbons is expected to call a special session of the Legislature to balance the budget.

How big are these fiscal problems?

Two weeks ago, an outside panel of business leaders met and offered new projections on how much tax revenue state government would receive. The statefaces an $881 million general fund deficit between now and June 2011.

It’s a huge number that would require a 20 percent cut in government operations to address if the cuts took effect March 1.

What’s being done about it?

Gibbons met with Democratic and Republican legislators last week to discuss how to balance the budget. On Wednesday, his staff presented to legislators a list of cuts totaling $328 million. With some other fiscal maneuvers, the governor’s staff says the cuts total $418 million.

That is less than half of the total budget hole that must be filled, according to the constitution. Legislative sources say financial maneuvering could bring the size of the remaining hole to $300 million. On Friday’s “Face to Face With Jon Ralston,” the Gibbons’ administration put the budget gap yet to be filled at $250 million.

What are some of the specific cuts being proposed?

The Nevada System of Higher Education and school districts each face at least a 10 percent cut. Clark County School District officials said a cut of that magnitude would mean teacher layoffs and increased class sizes, or pay reductions for teachers and other school district employees.

There would also be 235 layoffs, most of those coming from the Corrections Department with the closure of a prison in Carson City. Also proposed are 10 percent cuts in child protective services and the foster care system in Clark and Washoe counties. State reimbursements to hospitals would be cut. Programs to place mentally ill in housing would be capped.

How will they fill the rest of the budget hole?

That’s the big question, and where any battle between the governor and Legislature will be waged. Some ideas are floating around. They include:

• Taking a portion of $4 billion in funding that local governments have earmarked for public work projects.

• Fee increases.

• Salary cuts for state workers, teachers and university employees.

• Having mining prepay some of its taxes.

Gibbons’ staff have hinted at plans to raise additional revenue but have declined so far to reveal them.

Wait, the governor and lawmakers are meeting without histrionics involved?

They are working together, so far. Lawmakers said they have not signed off on any of the cuts Gibbons’ presented Wednesday, but they also did not dismiss any of them outright.

What about taxes?

No one — no one with a vote, to be more precise — is talking about raising taxes. Democrats and Republicans, who insisted during last year’s session that they cut all they could without harming “essential services,” now say that in this prolonged recession, businesses and people can’t afford to pay more taxes.

Last week you scolded elected leaders for promising transparency and never delivering. Have these budget talks been as secretive as ever?

Robin Reedy, Gibbons’ chief of staff, on Wednesday night shared with reporters a detailed list of the cuts being considered. It was, and still is, early enough in the process for the public to look at the list, review and react.

Discussion: 10 comments so far…
By orientalobserver
Feb. 7, 2010
6:05 a.m.
Suggest removal Cut salaries for all govennment workers making over $100,000. Don't cut income at the families who can least afford it.

By lipton
Feb. 7, 2010
6:12 a.m.
Suggest removal "fee increase" that is another name for "taxes" which he has already raised, and I can't believe gibbie supporters don't realize fee means tax by another name.Just say raise sales tax already.All this is costing more money than if he just said, I must raise the sales tax to get us out of this and it will sunset once we recover.

By neiman1
Feb. 7, 2010
7:30 a.m.
Suggest removal The Governor recommended large cuts last year the Democrats in the legislature would have no part of. The Governor warned them it would lead to massive budget deficits they couldn't close on HOPE.

Now reality is the Governor was right all along. Maybe Gibbons has been a much better administrator than the Democrats want to admit.

By scottie0605
Feb. 7, 2010
8:56 a.m.
Suggest removal That's typical crap from the governor. Where is the specific plan for evening out salary for cops, firefighters and teachers? What about all the administration niche jobs in CCSD that don't have anything to do with students on a daily basis? I've worked with CCSD for nine years and we couldn't even get a sniff of a decent living wage when the boom was happening. Now we are going to get screwed by the city again and cops and firefighters will get a little slap on the hand and the teachers will get railroaded. I still like LV and love my job but I wish we had real leaders who would stop dumping on teachers. I'm 33, have a Masters plus 16 graduate credits and now make as much as a police cadet with a GED. Is there something I'm missing? And for all you education haters since you know my head is not in the sand...
1. There needs to be a lot more empowerment schools so bad teachers can be weeded out and money can be used more efficiently.
2. There needs to be more vocational training for non college-bound students so they stay in school to graduate.
3. There needs to be a serious look at how efficient classes are run since many parents drop off their kids who are unprepared for school. These kids need a babysitter and have no academic or behavioral standards from home and expect us to waive a wand and they will magically start to complete assignments, not disrupt others around them, etc. These students don't really care about their grades since parents didn't care about their education either
4. We need more technology in the classroom to assist educators and pique interests from our good students

By lipton
Feb. 7, 2010
9:12 a.m.
Suggest removal neiman, The governor, for 3 years has known the budget was in for trouble----so he said, and what has he done to raise revenue, or create new revenue sources for this state? nil, nothing,nada,nein,neit. He has done nothing but focus on reducing govt spending, which is all fine, except, where he is cutting is not where the problem is.Or the other half of his time has been in and focused on court, from several lawsuits to divorce.How does it feel scottie? state workers got reamed the first go round and no one batted an eye. I could write you a book on what we haven't recieved over the years, and what has been taken away. Not much sympathy here.

By johnmanrules
Feb. 7, 2010
10:36 a.m.
Suggest removal Hey Scottie,

There are no firefighters working for the state. As a teacher, I would assume you would look up your facts before posting. If you are talking about state police like Highway Patrol, Parole and Probation and Capitol Police, we have already taken a pay cut (4.6 percent furlough). We have also lost our step increases and our retirement contribution was raised by almost two percent. What have you lost so far? Oh, was that answer nothing? Did you also say that you are going to get screwed by the city again? What city do teachers work for? Do you have any facts correct? So the way I see it, teachers have not even received a slap on the hand yet while state workers have been railroaded.

By bremskraft
Feb. 7, 2010
12:14 p.m.
Suggest removal "...in this prolonged recession, businesses and people can't afford to pay more taxes."

But college students and their parents can?

And state workers can afford to have their pay cut?

I guess students and teachers aren't people?

By didactic
Feb. 7, 2010
2:11 p.m.
Suggest removal johnmanrules: I am sure it is a surprise to the Nevada Divison of Foresty that they have no firefighters, no fire engines, and no fire stations.

By its2hot
Feb. 7, 2010
2:22 p.m.
Suggest removal We're so sick and tired of hearing about budget problems when the obvious is smacking American's upside the head.

Quit funding the freeloaders and illegal immigrants and all elected officials stop wasting our money. Quit your weekend trips, quit paying yourselves wages you don't deserve, and quit working in the interest of special interest groups. When you follow these simple guidelines, budget problem solved and American's would be working and we surly wouldn't be having a financial meltdown.

By GeorgeWashington
Feb. 7, 2010
2:26 p.m.
Suggest removal Why hasnt the Nevada Legislature, Rory Reid, Harry Reid, Sandoval, Titus, Raggio, Buckley or any of the other inept morons puppets running Nevada move to impeach Gibbons for all of his malfeasance? They were all silent..

Today's Question: Saturday February 6

2010-02-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

How can CSN and Nevada higher education come out of this budget crisis with the least damage?

Make-up of 'unenviable' CSN 'Ad Hoc Program Evaluation Committee'!!

2010-02-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Ripped from the 5 February 2010 CSN "All" email:

CSN Faculty & Staff,

I wanted to contact the CSN community regarding the Faculty Senate's Ad Hoc Program Evaluation Committee. To begin with, I must emphasize that there have been no decisions made by this committee, Faculty Senate or CSN Administration to discontinue any program. Yet as previously discussed at CSN's budget townhall and in Faculty Senate, we must prepare for all possibilities in light of the projected shortfall. Faculty Senate is committed to the principle that faculty must be deeply involved in such decisions. In the coming weeks, this group will be asking for input from all areas of the College in fulfilling its charge. They have an unenviable task, and I want to thank them for their service.

Fred Jackson, committee chair – Math & Science
DeAnna Beachley – EBSS
Janice Glasper – Health Science
Sonny Lyerly – Bus. Hospitality & Public Safety
Tom Finneran – Applied Tech.
Lee Barnes – Arts & Letters
Ken Schott – Library
Vartouhi Asherian – AFA & DE Office
Bill Kerney – Senate Chair-elect
N. Mark Rauls – Senate Chair

The committee’s initial charge will be:
To develop a process and specify criteria by which programs may be recommended for reduction, suspension or discontinuation in response to CSN’s current budget crisis. The process and criteria must take into account relevant protections and procedures in the Code, Handbook, etc. and coordinate with other CSN budget initiatives (e.g., Budget Reduction Committee).

Please contact myself or your school's committee representative if you have questions or suggestions.

Thanks,
-NMR
______________________________________________

N. Mark Rauls
Chair, CSN Faculty Senate 2009-2010
Prof. of Philosophy & Women's Studies
Faculty Senate Office
Sort Code: W32E
6375 W. Charleston Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89146
702.651.7330 [office]
702.651.5857 [fax]
norman.rauls@csn.edu

Today's Question: Friday February 5

2010-02-05T14:27:00.000-08:00

Can NSHE avoid financial exigency and the resulting permanent blow to its future that declaring financial exigency would bring?

Ripped from the February 5, 2010 CSN "All" email

2010-02-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

Colleagues,

As you may know from meetings of the Board of Regents, hearings at the Nevada Legislature, and media reports, the State of Nevada is considering budget reductions to all state agencies, including public and higher education to balance the state budget. Many percentages and dollar amounts are being discussed, and it’s easy to be distracted by the testimony, proposals, and rhetoric. It’s easy to think the issues are not as serious as first thought or that CSN has “dodged a bullet.” I caution you to read the “fine print” and to not become lulled to thinking all is well. It is not!

We know that the budget hole is in the range of $850 million, just under $1 billion. We know that plans to address the hole must be completed by the end of the fiscal year. CSN and other institutions have been working on plans for a 20-22% budget cut that may be mitigated with some new state revenues. Your advocacy and communication to legislators in still needed!

There is talk of a 10% cut to education, but don’t stop there with a sigh of relief. That’s only the operating budget. The balance of the hole will be filled through combinations of other state operating reductions and probably pay and benefit reductions, or a combination of the two. And we still have the 4.6% compensation reduction represented in the state furlough plan.

Monday night is the Governor’s “State of the State” speech and call for a special session of the Legislature. We are all watching, listening and waiting for the Legislature to adopt a final budget plan. Your communication to members of the Legislature will help higher education and CSN emerge with the best plan possible.

Best,

Mike

Michael D. Richards, Ph.D.

President

College of Southern Nevada

702-651-5600

(fax) 702-651-5001

mike.richards@csn.edu

SUN: Nevada needs to support higher education

2010-02-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/04/canary-coal-mine/

Posted 4 Feb 2010 9:51 PM PST
(Twenty-nine (29) reader comments so far pasted below)

SUN EDITORIAL:

A canary in a coal mine

Potential higher education cuts signal that Nevada is in need of a new vision

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2010 | 2:07 a.m.

Dan Klaich, chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, made a sobering presentation Tuesday to the Board of Regents, laying out potential budget cuts facing the state’s colleges and universities.

Klaich said the $900 million budget deficit could mean a 22 percent reduction in general-fund revenue for the state’s colleges and universities. That would translate to a loss of $37 million this fiscal year and $110 million next fiscal year.

To make up that much money, the system would have to take drastic action. To demonstrate, Klaich presented several different scenarios, including:

• Closing colleges. He laid out three options that would close various campuses and programs — one plan would close the doors at the College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College, another plan would shut down the law and dental schools at UNLV and the medical school at UNR.

• Reducing payroll. The system could cut employee pay by 20 percent or force employees to take another five days off a month unpaid or lay off 1,290 employees.

• Raising student tuition and fees by nearly 50 percent.

There are those who would say a college education is a luxury and students should pay the full cost of their own education, which would undoubtedly make a college education unaffordable for most people. In an editorial board meeting Wednesday with the Las Vegas Sun, Klaich noted that such thinking “assumes there is no public good in an educated populace.”

Public education provides a great benefit to society as a whole. Studies have shown that regions that have higher education levels do better economically than other areas of the country. Businesses go to those areas because the workforces are better trained and the people there often have more money to spend because they have better jobs. Good colleges and universities have proved to be economic engines for their communities, and they are vital to citizens.

In today’s world, it takes a college degree to qualify for many jobs, and this economy has sent many workers back to school, particularly community colleges, to gain skills for new careers.

Given this economy and the deficit, the best the state may be able to do is make careful cuts to avoid decimating education, not to mention other necessary government services. But Klaich’s presentation should be a wake-up call for Nevadans, showing yet again the long-standing problem with the way the state funds schools, roads and necessary government services. “At some point in this state, we’ve got to define what we value and be prepared to pay for it,” Klaich said.

It has been clear for years that the tax system is broken, but we don’t expect that to come up in the special session Gov. Jim Gibbons is expected to call to deal with the deficit. Gibbons, by law, gets to set the agenda. However, the governor and lawmakers will have to deal with the ramifications of their cuts.

Some of Nevada’s leaders have been caught in an intellectually lazy ideology that despises taxes of any kind and then decries a lack of services, blaming problems on government waste and bureaucracy. That may play well with some voters, but it ignores the facts. Nevada has a low tax burden and, thus, a corresponding low level of services.

Despite that, the state’s colleges and universities have made great strides in the past decade or so, but budget cuts could wipe out those gains. Klaich said the system could revert to the level of funding it received in 2002 — when it had 20,000 fewer students.

The bottom line is state leaders can’t cut a quarter of the university system’s budget in the name of “belt tightening” and expect Nevada to have a bright future.

Discussion: 29 comments so far…

By robert_lv
Feb. 4, 2010
5:30 a.m.
Suggest removal "A Canary in a Coal Mine" = State Income Tax.

Why doesn't anyone at the Sun have the 'nads to write what they are really proposing?

By neiman1
Feb. 4, 2010
5:48 a.m.
Suggest removal How about the University fulfill what taxpayers view of its primary mission. To teach students. Drop the drive to be world class in research and publishing and just teach the students.

Review the cost of college professors that teach little and seem to think they are immune from cost cutting and payroll reductions. The University is NOT a world unto itself but an arm of the state and subject to the taxpayers ability to fund.

By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 4, 2010
6:10 a.m.
Suggest removal Those actually aren't very big cuts all things considered. Last year's 50% cut in the general fund appropriations turned out to be about a 15% cut in UNLV and UNR's total budget.

Yes education benefits society, but only if it is producing results. Just spending more money and getting the same results hurts society - that money could be spent elsewhere and produce something of benefit.

We need a major overhaul of education, not hyperbole demanding we keep funding the status quo.

PS, from 2001-2008 NSHE saw its budget grow 7.9 percent per year, a rate that was 3 times higher than inflation over that period. I'll also note that this was more than enough to keep up with student growth.

By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 4, 2010
6:12 a.m.
Suggest removal PS, Jim Rogers threatened a 225% increase in tuition if last years budget cuts went through. That massive tuition increase didn't come through. So I doubt this much smaller cut would result in a 50% tuition increase.

By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 4, 2010
6:14 a.m.
Suggest removal Oh yeah, only about 30% of the jobs on the market require a college degree.

As far as intellectually lazy is concerned, I think its lazy to just say "raise taxes" so you can throw money at systems that have been failing for years. It takes intellect to think outside the box and come up with new solutions.

How about becoming part of the solution for once Las Vegas Sun, instead of pandering to what you think your readers want to hear?

By fosimmons
Feb. 4, 2010
6:35 a.m.
Suggest removal Comrads !

No degree means no education. No education means a low level of life in the business community and the social world, in general. Preposterous, to say the least.

Funding Solutions - property tax rates, gas and fuels tax rates and retail sales of cigs and liquors can and will take care of the budget short fall. I am willing to pay a modicum more if the state can substantiate proper accounting of the collected revenues. Let the owners of the retail complain.

The students trust the state to provide them the opportunity for an education and they are right. Man the felt cloth tables, toss the dice, buy your cigarettes and your half gallon vodkas and feel happy about it in your support of the student body. Perhaps they will be able, then, to understand the difference between Duke University and Duke Ellington, Dresden and Berlin and Leningrade and St. Petersburg.

Arm to Arm, Shoulder to Shoulder We March !

By longun45
Feb. 4, 2010
6:45 a.m.
Suggest removal Cutting down those 160K salaries for teaching only one class would be a start. A quick look at the organizational chart shows a fair amount of duplication. There are 22 deans and about 25percent could be absorbed and the positions eliminated with out affecting any courses. I suspect the rest of the school has similar overpopulation in other departments. Yes the school can be made leaner just like a private corporation.

To claim that there is no place to cut is preposterous. Please do not assail our ears with falsehoods when the scandals that have plagued the institution have made people scratch their heads and wonder what planet you are actually living on.

By SgtRock
Feb. 4, 2010
7:06 a.m.
Suggest removal The Sun should repeating these words at the top every single editorial article:

"We are full massive tax increases every year (expect for any tax that is on one our businesses because we are big time hypocrites.)

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 4, 2010
7:39 a.m.
Suggest removal I agree with everyone above. The university needs to make cuts and focus on educating students and doesn't need to spend $100k+ on so many professors.

By Bergson2009
Feb. 4, 2010
8:38 a.m.
Suggest removal Longun states "the school can be made leaner just like a private corporation."

One solution is to let the schools be more like a private corporation. Let them keep their tuition (it goes to the state) and let them save it during good times so they can use it during tough times. As it stands now, they cannot save money from year to year.

Keep in mind, it would take time to implement something like this, and the cuts will be in effect very quickly.

By Turrialba
Feb. 4, 2010
9:50 a.m.
Suggest removal There is one point that should be made: that for many students the college experience involves a year or so reaching freshman levels in reading, writing and mathmatics. Only then do students "start" with higher education. So when someone says that many jobs do not require a college degree, remember that the colleges spend resources bringing people up to high school levels.

The fact is that the community colleges and universities here and elsewhere are strapped with the costs of doing in a year what public education didn't do in 12 years. Without getting into a debate about what ails the public schools, higher education in this state gets the job done. If you cut the colleges, you will harm those individuals who seek what they should have learned in High School. It is the best fix we have right now for the failing public schools.

By Nevada_Scandalmonger
Feb. 4, 2010
9:54 a.m.
Suggest removal Huh. Which corporation should they be like? General Motors? AIG? Goldman Sachs?

By the way, the idea of giving the most "talented" people in an organization huge salaries and benefits mainly for screwing up is one of those private sector ideas.

Yep, what a stale idea. Running things like a corrupt, greedy multinational. Do you Nevada Policy Research Institute guys, pulling your salaries from those very corporations to spend you days typing in the Sun comments column, ever come up with something new?

By Bergson2009
Feb. 4, 2010
10:09 a.m.
Suggest removal Nevada_Scandalmonger,

I'm not one of those Nevada Policy Research Institute guys, and I didn't mean to sound like one. The thing is, I think schools are realizing that Nevada citizens have a hard time believing in education, one reason why we are next to last or dead last in every educational survey.

Let me repeat that. We are last. The absolute bottom. Every once in a while, we beat Mississippi. But most of the time, Mississippi actually cares more and edges us out for the 49th spot.

All I was suggesting is that schools will benefit from being able to generate income (through tuition) and save that income. At this point, tuition goes to the state and funds cannot be saved year to year. The state will benefit as well because the schools could be more self-reliant.

By T-4-2
Feb. 4, 2010
11:11 a.m.
Suggest removal First, I am an associate professor at U.N.L.V., so that is information is fairly disclosed. Second, I appreciate the fact that citizens are keeping up with the news related to higher ed. What is a little disturbing is the uneducated commentary and half-truths or completely false assertions in the above. It is true that there are faculty that have high salaries (100+ k), but the reality is those are mostly professors at the level of Full Professor - not Assistant or Associate professors. But , don't take my word for it, go see yourself (http://hr.unlv.edu/) as all U.N.L.V. salaries are public info. under the Employee Salary List. So, from the commentary above the question appears to be "do they deserve such high salaries?" Well, I suggest that you go to each faculty vita and determine that for yourself. And how would judge or make that determination (i.e., criteria)? Perhaps trying do what we do ...

By T-4-2
Feb. 4, 2010
11:12 a.m.
Suggest removal let's start with you replicating or conducting your own research study: a) come with a scientific research question, b) develop a sound methodology to test the hypothesis and get it approved through I.R.B., c) seek external grant funding for your proposal (after you write it up and cite the professional literature - typically 100+ other related research studies), d) if you are funded (typically 1-2 year process), begin collecting data, analyze the data, and then write it up, e) now see if you can get it published in a timely fashion. Most research projects take 3-5 years (depending on the discipline) and hundreds of hours of labor. Now, try to conduct 3-5 of these research studies per year, present your data at national research symposiums, teach your classes, advise students, participate in faculty governance, provide service to the community, etc. Once you have done all of that for a couple of years (20+), then you might have grounds to make an accurate determination of whether or not those high salaries are "earned" or deserved. Remember, U.N.L.V. & U.N.R. are NOT community colleges where there is NO research requirement; that is the major difference between a university and college - they don't spend hundreds of hours conducting research each year - discovering new knowledge - they teach what WE discover. Take a look at faculty vitae and see for yourself what new discoveries, new knowledge, etc. we are producing and how it is benefiting NV and elsewhere. One of my research studies on schizophrenia and major depression showed that as individuals in psychotic state became aware of their disease they subsequently became suicidal - which is now changing the treatment regime for these disorders (rather than the psycho-education approach of educating them in an active psychotic state, such is done when they come out of psychosis) and reducing the number suicide attempts and completions - and the folks at community colleges are now teaching this new information to students. My research has saved hundreds of lives ... Now, I know most of you would never be able to do what we do in terms of research ... you simply don't have the knowledge how to conduct research, or the statistics, etc. so you really have no grounds to make the assertions about faculty salary. Further, once you get your doctorate or equivalent disciplined degree after 5+ years of intensive study, maybe then you can continue the conversation here ... in the mean time, with all due respect, please keep your ignorant comments to yourself. Thank you.

By Turrialba
Feb. 4, 2010
11:23 a.m.
Suggest removal @T-2-4:

That is the type of elitist attitude that cultivates misunderstanding and resentment among the readers. We as taxpayers support UNLV and UNR and make your work possible. One would conclude that the unwashed masses are not competent to comment on your support, but are expected to support it. Show some respect for us.

By Turrialba
Feb. 4, 2010
11:39 a.m.
Suggest removal Oops a couple of typos to correct-sorry

@T-2-4:

That is the type of elitist attitude that cultivates misunderstanding and resentment among the readers. We as taxpayers support UNLV and UNR and make your work possible. One would conclude that the unwashed masses are not competent to comment on the support UNLV receives, but are expected to support it. Show some respect for us.

By T-4-2
Feb. 4, 2010
11:53 a.m.
Suggest removal Turr-

What said was out of respect. One of points I was making is the lack of respect for higher ed based on the un-educated comments. I only ask that folks get the facts before making assertions - those end being the beliefs perpetuated in society; unfortunately many are not true. In my 10+ years as a prof I've never worked less than a 40 hour week, most often 60+ hours to get my research done - like many assisstant and associate profs do. I do appreciate the fact that you and others are involved in the converstation, it just hurts my feeling and upsets me when I read these comments that just simply not applicable to many of us. And please know that I was not being disrespectful, just simply asking for people to get the facts ... :-)

Also, I pay the same taxes you do.

By behappy
Feb. 4, 2010
11:55 a.m.
Suggest removal Are you people even listening to yourselves? Your attacking education? You're attacking researchers? Do you even understand what research across this country does? Medical breakthroughs, new energy forms, improving technology, understanding mental illness and how to counsel addictions, creating entrepreneurship and new business! You're ridiculous!

Do you think the forward movement of mankind is a fluke? Do you think the research triangle in North Carolina or cities like Austin, TX, are some of the most sought after locations in the country for Fortune 100 business for their weather? They have MAJOR universities producing an educated workforce and providing vital research. Are you truly happy maintaining a state that pumps out dealers, bartenders, and valets by giving them a rock bottom K-12 education and no opportunities beyond that?

Professors make higher salaries because they went without salaries for years getting their Masters and Ph.D.s to better communities and societies.

And before everyone screams I'm a professor - I'm not.

Nevada has got to change their mindset. That's what this article is referring too. Higher education is willing to make cuts - they're willing to streamline. The Chancellor hasn't said they're not nor has he denied that things can be done better. Every entity on Earth, public or private can always do better.

What NSHE is not willing to do is be the fall guy for a state government unwilling to make the long term decisions Nevada needs. And it's just not higher education, cutting prisons, cutting mental health services - it's all ridiculous! No one should stand for any of it. You reap what you sow. You get back what you put in.

Everyone references how companies streamline... well they also increase revenue too during restructure. You can stay stagnant on your income and just slash and burn to meet a bottom line! When bills are tight, don't people find 2nd jobs? They're increasing their INCOME!! Not solely pushing their refrigerator off a mountain so they don't have to buy groceries any more... But maybe if some of you went to college and studied Economics and Accounting, you'd get it.

By Turrialba
Feb. 4, 2010
12:22 p.m.
Suggest removal @T-2-4:

I feel your frustration.

The point I think you are trying to make is that UNLV is a research university and people may not know that this is not an ivory tower where most sit idle and pontificate. Rather you and most others are required to work long hours under pressure as do many of us.

In this environment there is great deal lot of work necessary to obtain funding (probably not just state $$) for your research and then to publish this work. In addition to your research you probably have to teach, advise students, serve on disseration committees and participate on faculty and other university committees.

There is a tremendous value to research and teaching institutions. We should think hard before making cuts.

By hss46
Feb. 4, 2010
4:44 p.m.
Suggest removal behappy:

You left out the fact taht this is a tourist state and the principal source of management bench strength comes from the Hotel school at UNLV. Without the research it does, the graduates the school generates and the consulting of the faculty, our tourism industry would slip into second rate status from its perch as number one in the world. CAn you imagine what that would do to the tax base and local employment as Harrah's and MGM decide to look elsewhere to invest in new properties?

By hss46
Feb. 4, 2010
4:51 p.m.
Suggest removal btw, for every dollar spent directly on research, the school gets an additional $.025 to $0.35 or more to apply against its overhead. So the more research that is done, the more those grant dollars act as a subsidy of the cost of maintaining the university.

The problem here isn't whether research univerities are necessary or critical, the problem is that there is a vocal minority of the electorate that scares the media into believing that everyone is rabidly anti tax. We are the lowest tax state and the 2nd or third worst in terms of giving our corporations a free ride. And yet most of the nation (including the ones with high business taxes) are in recovery and we are foundering with a one horse enconomy that makes us the envy of most 3rd world countries.

By airweare
Feb. 4, 2010
5:39 p.m.
Suggest removal They're already dumping their investment money elsewhere, Macau for example. Why? Profits. Why fight the sliding trends here? No jobs, too much competition and likely rising taxes from ~7%.

49 stars and a black hole.

For want of a nail...

No schools, no new business, no gambling or mining tax, no income tax, no legal pot to tax, teachers leave, roads crumble, black hole. with crabs

By gmag39
Feb. 4, 2010
6:25 p.m.
Suggest removal Patrick;
Conversely, isn't it just as lazy to keep saying
"tighten the old belt another couple o' notches, folks... we seem to be out of cash again, and we don't have a clue how to figure this out."
More funds for education is NOT the only answer; but it IS an essential ingredient.

By gmag39
Feb. 4, 2010
6:27 p.m.
Suggest removal Fosimmons, you da' french man!

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 4, 2010
7:13 p.m.
Suggest removal T-2-4, You embarrass me as a fellow professor. Unfortunately, many professors seem to think that it is acceptable to call others "uneducated" and therefore unable to comprehend how valuable professors are. People like you do not deserve your six figure salary when you think that you are above others. Students deserve respect.

Further, you post the link to the salary list: hr.unlv.edu. Most professors DO make more than $100k/year. If someone downloads the spreadsheet and sorts the data around and computes the average salary, it is high. So do your research instead of posting a bogus claim.

Finally, there are many people that can do your job. There are thousands of professors in U.S. and the world. You are not a rare, elite breed. Get over yourself.

Finally, IMO, the majority of UNLV research sucks and that is backed up by national rankings!

Get over yourself. You aren't doing UNLV a favor by posting here.

By gmag39
Feb. 4, 2010
7:27 p.m.
Suggest removal nevadaappleslices,
Please, illucidate as to your department and functions as a UNLV Professor.

By ghostcommander
Feb. 4, 2010
7:38 p.m.
Suggest removal If 2300 teachers get the ax there will be more foreclosures, teachers will leave, families will leave and more employees will be laid off, and they too will leave. This could keep spiraling down, and down until Nevada finds itself in a full fledged depression. Do what is necessary to keep these teachers--have bake sales, garage sales,have the citizens of Nevada pre-buy services, driver's license, registration, start a lottery for foreclosed homes, auto's and vacations at the Casinos, and raise taxes on the corporations that do not pay any taxes, at least until we get out of this deep and long recession. Where the Hades is the creative spirit? Those that would butcher education for our children have got to be the lowest form of human life here in Nevada. Do something positive-you unthinking b******s!

By T-4-2
Feb. 4, 2010
8:25 p.m.
Suggest removal nevadaapleslices,

Not sure what you are embarrassed about? Stating a fact about others not being educated on a topic is just that - stating a fact - I'm not calling them bad names or being derrogatory - unlike you. Most profs I know are more concerned about professionalism, something you appear to lack - never would I pass criticism my collegues research like you did. I don't have a 6 fig salary, a little over 70k. I have looked at the six fig salaries, most are Full profs as I stated earlier. All salaries are public info., so what's to hide? And what is your assertion I claim to be some elite? Sure others can do my job, no doubt - but not without a Ph.D. Why don't you consider your own posts before passing judegement on others ... from what I can see, other readers aren't finding yours to be too constructive.

Today's Question: Thursday February 4

2010-02-03T16:22:00.000-08:00

At Tuesday's Board of Regents meeting UNR President Milton Glick made an excellent case against NSHE declaring financial exigency and/or simply becoming resigned to doing so. I strongly encourage all readers of this blog to watch the full video of the meeting at:

http://blog.csn.edu/?p=330

President Glick stated that in his 50 years of higher education experience he did not know of a United States public higher education system that has ever declared financial exigency, and that individual U.S. colleges and universities that have done so have been seriously weakened forever as a result.

If we declare financial exigency, he said, we will become the 'poster child' for that practice nationwide and it will bring about an inability for NSHE to recruit quality faculty and students.

I agree with President Glick that financial exigency at NSHE should be avoided if at all possible and that we should not develop prematurely the mindset that there is no way forward but that.

How do we avoid financial exigency?

Ripped from the 4 February 2010 CSN "All" email

2010-02-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the staff, faculty and students who were able to attend yesterday’s special Regents’ meeting here at CSN. I know many others were in class or their offices and unable to attend. A video of the meeting is available on Pres. Richards’ blog: .

The Regents noted the importance of the entire NSHE population voicing our concerns to our elected leaders. Chair Leavitt gave a list of the key Assembly and Senate leaders who are already beginning to meet in anticipation of a special session:
Assemblyman Morse Arberry Jr.
Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley
Assemblyman Marcus Conklin
Assemblywoman Heidi Gansert
Assemblywoman Debbie Smith

Sen. Steven Horsford

Sen. Bernice Mathews
Sen. Bill Raggio

Addresses and phone numbers for all legislators can be found at: http://leg.state.nv.us/

You can also find your local assembly and senate representatives at: http://mapserve.leg.state.nv.us/website/lcb/viewer.htm

Every semester, CSN provides opportunities for thousands of Nevadans to become part of the educated workforce necessary for a diversified economy and the state’s financial recovery. Our elected representatives need to be reminded how vital CSN is to the future of NV.

-NMR

______________________________________________

N. Mark Rauls

Chair, CSN Faculty Senate 2009-2010

Prof. of Philosophy & Women's Studies

Faculty Senate Office

Sort Code: W32E

6375 W. Charleston Blvd.

Las Vegas, NV 89146

702.651.7330 [office]

702.651.5878 [fax]

norman.rauls@csn.edu

SUN: Today's NSHE Regents Meeting

2010-02-02T15:51:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/feb/02/chancellor-budget-cuts-would-undo-decade-significa/

Posted at 4:23 P.M. PST
(Forty-five (45) reader comments so far pasted below)

Chancellor: Budget cuts would undo ‘decade of significant progress’

By Emily Richmond (contact)

Published Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 | 10:56 a.m.

Updated 3 hours, 11 minutes ago

The proposed cuts to Nevada’s public colleges and universities represents an “unwinding of almost a decade of significant progress in higher education,” Chancellor Dan Klaich said at today’s special budget meeting of the Board of Regents. “And we’re being asked to do it in a few weeks.”

But Klaich said while increasingly dire projections are being handed down from Carson City, higher education must guard against reacting too hastily.

The regents are meeting to review the findings of the Economic Forum, which estimates revenue flowing to the state. Also on the agenda was discussion of the possibility of declaring what’s known a financial exigency, which means there isn’t enough money in the system to meet expenditures.

The regents can only vote on such action after a recommendation from the chancellor with input from the council of campus presidents.

The last time the issue was discussed was in 1982, although the step wasn’t taken.

Klaich said the higher ed’s prospects won’t be hurt by waiting until the Legislature meets in a special session before regents decide whether a financial exigency needs to be declared.

“The situation is not made materially better or worse with the passage of a short period of time as we watch what happens with the governor and the Legislature,” Klaich said.

An overarching goal needs to be preserving the existing code that governs the system and doing as little harm as necessary, said Regent Michael Wixom.

James Dean Leavitt, chairman of the Board of Regents, said he has asked staff to prepare the paperwork for declaring a financial exigency so that is ready, if needed, at the March meeting.

Today's meeting drew such a large audience at the College of Southern Nevada's West Charleston campus that an overflow room was set up.

The Nevada System of Higher Education is facing a $37 million reduction in state funding as of March 1, and $110 million for the 2011 fiscal year.

The $110 million cut equals a 29.4 percent reduction in funding from the higher ed budget approved by lawmakers during the 2009 session.

To meet the $110 million in cuts by the projected March 1 deadline, Klaich said the Board of regents could choose from three scenarios:

*A 20 percent pay cut across the system.

*At least five additional furlough days per month for employees.

*Laying off 1,290 employees.

During the winter break, Klaich said he met with the presidents of the colleges and universities and encouraged them to prepare reports outlining the impact of budget cuts of 8 percent, which was what was considered a reasonable estimate at the time of what the governor would be asking of higher ed.

But then the Economic Forum met Jan. 22, and “I think our collective breath was taken away, and our planning to date became moot, on that terrible Friday afternoon,” Klaich told the regents.

The revenue shortfalls that are now being projected are nothing short of staggering, Klaich said.

Higher ed has already seen its share of state funding dramatically trimmed, resulting in layoffs across the system, larger class loads for faculty, increased job duties for fewer support staff and thousands of students being turned away because of a lack of available classroom seats, including upward of 5,000 at College of Southern Nevada.

“We are not sitting here before you talking about cuts from whole cloth,” Klaich said. “The cloth is tattered and has holes at this point.”

Declaring a financial exigency would give individual campuses more freedom in reducing personnel costs because existing contracts could be more easily adjusted. It would also allow higher ed administration to operate on an accelerated timeline, bypassing existing requirements for notifying employees and students of possible changes.

To illustrate the size of the budget hole, while emphasizing he wasn’t actually advocating such drastic action, Klaich said the $110 million shortfall could also be met by shutting down entire campuses and programs, with three scenarios of combinations:

*Closing College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College.

*Closing Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, Desert Research Institute, University of Nevada School of Medicine as well as Boyd School of Law and UNLV’s dental school.

*Closing Nevada State College, Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, Western Nevada College, and eliminate UNR and UNLV Athletics and the Agricultural Experiment Station at UNR.

Cutting $110 million from the budget will mean an estimated 15,750 students would be unable to enroll in the Nevada System of Higher Education, a decrease of 14 percent from 2009’s enrollment, Klaich said. And more than 1,000 full-time faculty and staff would lose their jobs.

“We will lose our competitive edge … and add to the already crushing burden of unemployment in this state,” Klaich said. “We will lose the ability to train the workforce for the very economy we wish to attract this state.”

Discussion: 45 comments so far…

By tvegas
Feb. 2, 2010
11:13 a.m.
Suggest removal Maybe he'll take a pay cut.

By texexnv
Feb. 2, 2010
11:13 a.m.
Suggest removal Games. games, and more games.

By SgtRock
Feb. 2, 2010
11:14 a.m.
Suggest removal Let's cut k-12 instead to k-11.

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 2, 2010
11:21 a.m.
Suggest removal those three options are so dramatic and ridiculous. do they think that the public is only filled with idiots to buy into this?

I'd like for once to hear Smatresk say that the budget cuts will be part of his legacy and that he will be as positive as possible in making cuts and then restructuring the university to offer quality education at an affordable cost to the future students of Las Vegas.

By Harley
Feb. 2, 2010
11:28 a.m.
Suggest removal Government doesn't belong in our places of worship or where we study.

SHUT ALL PUBLIC SHOOLS DOWN!

: {

By lv_spiff
Feb. 2, 2010
11:30 a.m.
Suggest removal So really they decided nothing at this meeting and just further let us know how "dire" things are and make it sound more dire? Based on reports that was pretty clear for a while now. They've known significant cuts would need to be made but rather than actually make them and save some money NOW they will put it off till March and then, maybe, they will consider the possibility of thinking about deciding if they will make a decision? I doubt even at the March meeting will they have put anything together that even resembles a strategy here.

By Wayne
Feb. 2, 2010
11:35 a.m.
Suggest removal The idiocy of the prior posts can only be compared to the empty rhetoric of the governor. Wake up people. Your state is venturing into a death cycle. What business is going to come to a state that has dismantled the higher education system?

By retiredyoungster
Feb. 2, 2010
11:36 a.m.
Suggest removal Great comment HARLEY ! VERY INTELLEGENT! With that and our dumb kids that we aren't teaching now, we'll move from second to last place, to below last place!

Everyone is bitchin' about cuts - no one wants to mae them - even in our homes, but it comes a time, that we gotta do what ever..do you make cuts or raise fees to keep it going...its a viscious circle...

By Wayne
Feb. 2, 2010
11:39 a.m.
Suggest removal A 20% tax on faculty, staff and students. That would completely shield the rest of the state from any responsibility for educating the next generation. Great idea.

By Jables
Feb. 2, 2010
11:41 a.m.
Suggest removal Harley,

There was a time when there were no public schools. Way before there was a middle class. Thomas Jefferson made it possible for all of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia to attend college or university. That model brought about the growth of this nation and a strong, educated citizenry. I'm sure you would love to return to a time when only the richest could go to college or even finish high school. A time when your father chose your profession for you. You can move to Somalia if that's what you want. The rest of us will continue funding education. Don't forget, The Government= WE THE PEOPLE.

By dave202
Feb. 2, 2010
11:46 a.m.
Suggest removal Cut the professors who aren't teaching. There are hundreds of them across the state. That alone would save money. Teaching is important, not research.

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 2, 2010
11:47 a.m.
Suggest removal The universities are here to serve the people at a cost that they can afford. Congrats on the large budget increases when times were good; but now they aren't so good and you need to adjust to offer what people can afford to pay.

Funny that $500k in raises were considered a necessity by Smatresk a few months ago even though they knew that the budget was tight: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov...

By DocRebel
Feb. 2, 2010
11:49 a.m.
Suggest removal This doesn't make sense.

One example, an institution like DRI (part of the NV System of Higher Ed), brings in a lot of federal dollars into the state of Nevada. Basically, for every dollar Nevada invests into DRI, they turn it right around and bring in almost 6 times that amount in federal grant money... most of which gets reinvested right back into Nevada to purchase equipment, hire field researchers, etc. DRI is a money-maker for the state.

If we are trying to help Nevada's economy, and diversify the state, why in the world would we think for a second to chop Higher Ed into half like this? Are we TRYING to make a bad situation worse??

By vsestini
Feb. 2, 2010
11:49 a.m.
Suggest removal Nevada University System Chancellor Dan Klaich stated today that any additional budget cuts to the university system might take one of the following scenarios
1.Closing College of Southern Nevada and Nevada State College.

2.Closing Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, Desert Research Institute, University of Nevada School of Medicine as well as Boyd School of Law and UNLV's dental school.

3.Closing Nevada State College, Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College, Western Nevada College, and eliminate UNR and UNLV Athletics and the Agricultural Experiment Station at UNR.

Of all of these I believe that the last one has several real and the most promising realities of saving millions in the budget with regards to ending UNR and UNLV athletics. These two programs being disbanded will save millions of dollars being spent as support for major league franchises. I believe the regents must start there first; these are the least vital programs to those wanting a quality university education.

Then I would suggest closing the Boyd School of Law and the UNLV Dental school as the two least needed graduate level programs in the state.

Finally, maybe Nevada has too many community colleges that it can ill afford to support.

By Jables
Feb. 2, 2010
11:52 a.m.
Suggest removal dave,

Without research, an institution ceases to be a university. It becomes grades 13-16. You move away from what colleges and universities were established to do if you don't have research. Say good bye to any quality faculty, graduate students, or knowledgeable undergraduates. Cut research? No thanks. Nice try though.

By MikeLange
Feb. 2, 2010
12:02 p.m.
Suggest removal I think if we are to consider cutting Athletics from college, we need to realize that very few entities in the University System actually make money for a university. Football and Men's Basketball are two of those, and in UNLV's case, you have to add the Desert Research Institute and the Hotel College. That's it! Everything else takes money away from the state. That's why the mention of closing something such as the School of Medicine or UNLV's dental school is being explored. Medical programs such as these are extremely expensive to maintain and the gain from students once they leave is minimal. I'm not suggesting that creating athletes is more important than creating doctors and dentists, but it seems counterproductive to eliminate any of the few things that actually make money for the university. And yes, even with the new coaches' contracts for the football team, our slightly below average football program will still make money.

By bbkld5
Feb. 2, 2010
12:02 p.m.
Suggest removal the good news of the day is that when it comes to higher-ed, nevada will give states like mississippi and alabama somebody to look down. no matter how this ends.

By SgtRock
Feb. 2, 2010
12:13 p.m.
Suggest removal The gov only recommends a budget.

It is the Democratic led legislature that actually passes a budget.

So you want to be a hypocrite and just blame Gibbons then go right adhead and play the hypocrite role.

In last regular session the state passed the largest tax increase in Nevada's history.

A few sessions ago the state passed the 2nd largest tax increase in Nevada's history.

k-12 has the biggest part of the budget at around 35%.

Followed by Medicaid, Housing and other welfare programs at 28%.

Followed by higher-ed at 20%.

Then comes public safety at 10%.

Then comes miscellanous departments that round out the other 7%.

The state spending is only returning to the levels before the massive increases that occurred during that last big big tax increase.

They have not been any massive layoffs. Other states have been doing layoffs, salary cuts and benefits cuts.

It is the reality of this economy.

If you do not want to cut higher ed then how much more do you want to cut k-12 or vice-versa.

It is impossible not to cut one without cutting into the other even more. It is called, Math.

Are you asking for another massive tax increase?

If yes, then called your representatives and tell them you will not vote for them otherwise.

By ynotjohn
Feb. 2, 2010
12:18 p.m.
Suggest removal Lets see there is a VP of Student Affairs and an Assistant VP of Student Affairs with each probably with a staff besides cutting all administative salaries. Sounds like I could cut costs without impacting the core mission of TEACHING.

By Newcomer
Feb. 2, 2010
12:25 p.m.
Suggest removal Those who say cut research don't understand the role research plays in education, professional development, innovation, and any other facet of life. Do you think people just imagined all of the groundbreaking ideas our society has come up with in the past century on their lunch breaks?

Those who say we should cut athletics miss the point, too. Although few athletic programs are profit centers for a university, they certainly serve a core purpose for the school. Athletic programs help build national recognition for the school, create alumni relationships and community connections, and provide opportunities for students to learn their craft as athletes, trainers, doctors, broadcasters, journalists, photographers, advertisers, managers, and other professions through their associations with athletics.

Couple that with research (there's that word again) showing that alumni donations are highly correlated with athletic performance, and you see why cutting athletics would be detrimental.

Those ripping on UNLV faculty compared to CSN faculty have no idea of the difference between a college and a university. The roles are both important, but they are dramatically different. Don't compare apples and oranges (or teaching loads or salaries).

The truth is, UNLV is a very young university that has come a remarkably long way in just 50 years. When you consider that most of the university's alumni base is still changing diapers, working its way up the corporate ladder, and paying off student loans, one might understand why UNLV doesn't have the large donation base right now to help ween it off of state subsidies. If the university can continue to progress for another 10-20 years, the money will come from willed estates, small gifts from almuni, and corporate gifts directed from successful alumni. Give UNLV a chance to be great and don't compare it to universities that are more than twice as old.

By nez212
Feb. 2, 2010
12:30 p.m.
Suggest removal Get rid of all of the Inverted underwater basket-weaving classes, then all of the out of state students. This along with eliminating Criminal invaders would clear away a lot of bad funding choices.

By vsestini
Feb. 2, 2010
12:35 p.m.
Suggest removal For those who would prefer big time athletics to a real university teaching and doing basic, applied research as well as "pure research" you don't know the first thing about what universities are established for. Do some research on your own for once and find out why Land Grand Colleges like state universities were established for in the beginning.

Jocks contribute really nothing to society except entertainment. What else does a 300 lb football player contribute from his performance on the football field? What does a ball dribbling basketball player contribute excpt entertainment to society as he makes 3 point shots or dunks a ball into a net. What great purpose does a 325 Baseball batter contribute while hitting a homerun except the entertainment value for a few brain dead wanna be jocks and former jocks? Some of the jocks who have "graduated" from UNLV are an embrassment as they can barely speak a sentence without uttering the words, "You know man?...you know... duhhh, you know?"

The biggest myth in America is that athletics contribute millions of dollars to college level institutions from TV revenue, etc. They actually contribute little while draining valuable resources from important academic programs. UNLV spends millions on its defunct athletics and gains very little, even in positive publicity in the process. It is only the bubble-headed dense, metnal midgets and ignorant who want full time and big time athletics in Nevada.

By Siromega
Feb. 2, 2010
12:36 p.m.
Suggest removal Ending the athletics programs would probably be the only thing to provide a wake-up call significant enough to make people realize that there is no free ride. You want to live in a state that has education and schools (even if they're the worst in the country), roads to drive on, etc. Its time to pay up.

The free ride is over, casinos and tourists cant pay your tax bill anymore.

By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 2, 2010
12:40 p.m.
Suggest removal Progress in what?

Half the students still can't graduate within 6 years.

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 2, 2010
12:43 p.m.
Suggest removal Patrick, Good point. Do these administrators and profs deserve their six figure salaries if they are not willing to help their students to graduate in 6 years. Doing a better job in helping students to graduate in 4 years would save the university money.

By DouglasDemocrat
Feb. 2, 2010
12:45 p.m.
Suggest removal "Get rid of all of the Inverted underwater basket-weaving classes, then all of the out of state students."

Out-of-state students pay more (about $6200 per semester) to attend UNLV than in-state students, assuming the in-state student's tuition is not being paid through the Millennium Scholarship.

So really let's throw out the students who pay MORE in favor of those who pay LESS, and hope we can make it up in quantity?

As for getting rid of "useless classes", that canard was old when Clinton was President. It was old when Reagan was President. It's gone stale.

By Sofakingbored
Feb. 2, 2010
12:48 p.m.
Suggest removal Couldn't have said it any better newcomer.

By DouglasDemocrat
Feb. 2, 2010
12:49 p.m.
Suggest removal "Doing a better job in helping students to graduate in 4 years would save the university money."

Some of that is scheduling - you might have 2 professors who schedule required upper-division classes (both of which you need) at the same time.

Or the prerequisite you need isn't taught the semester you need it (or there's only one section and it's full) and you have to throw together a schedule at the last-minute.

Or after three years you realize you're not happy in your chosen major and change it. Well, now half the credits you've taken don't count towards the new major and you've lost a year to a year and a half because you have to "catch up".

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 2, 2010
12:55 p.m.
Suggest removal Douglas, there are many reasons for young people to take 6 years to graduate. More guidance from professors and care in scheduling would go a long way in helping out with costs of poor decisions that could have been avoided.

By DouglasDemocrat
Feb. 2, 2010
12:59 p.m.
Suggest removal Not saying it won't help (but it will cost more)...but it's not the silver bullet solution you suggest.

By nevadaappleslices
Feb. 2, 2010
1:06 p.m.
Suggest removal No - the state subsidizes in-state student tuition. If they pay that tuition for 4 years instead of 6 years for a student to earn a degree, then it save money. It requires many profs to just start giving students attention like they are already supposed to be doing.

By Patrick_R_Gibbons
Feb. 2, 2010
1:26 p.m.
Suggest removal Does anyone else have a problem with the fact that Klaich claimed budget cuts will mean almost 16,000 students can't enroll?

What kind of business shuts its doors to 16,000 customers when they are facing lower than expected revenues?

Seriously? NONE do.

The reason higher education talks like this is because they've lost their focus. Students aren't customers they are a cost. The real focus of higher education has been to employ adults.

By Siromega
Feb. 2, 2010
1:26 p.m.
Suggest removal "Doing a better job in helping students to graduate in 4 years would save the university money."

How? If the kid doesn't want to pay attention and do the work, and wants to go spend their nights playing beer pong at Blondies or hang out at the Double Down, what is the professor going to do about it?

In addition to the scheduling conflicts mentioned above, remember that students pay based on how many classes they take. Graduating in 5 years costs the same (in university costs - student expenses like gas is more, obviously) as it does in 6 years. Still the same ~130 credit hours, the same prices for books, fees, etc. Maybe they get your for two semesters extra of student health or the new gym they build in part of the T&M parking lot.

Most kids I knew at UNLV had jobs. Most took 5-6 years to graduate because they were only taking 10-14 credits per semester so they could work 30-40 hours a week. Scheduling 15-18 credits per semester is nigh impossible in smaller colleges where they only offer one section of that class you need, and the only offer it every other semester (in either the spring or fall), and its a pre-req. for other classes so you cant move much of your schedule around.

(Side note: I always thought it was odd that the Engineering college made you meet with an adviser every semester - if you cant engineer your own class schedule, maybe you shouldn't be an engineer?)

By DouglasDemocrat
Feb. 2, 2010
1:37 p.m.
Suggest removal "If they pay that tuition for 4 years instead of 6 years for a student to earn a degree, then it save money."

Millennium Scholarships max out at $10,000 regardless of how long it takes. And you have to pay full price for each credit in excess of 12 you take, plus fees.

Most programs require a minimum of 130 credits to graduate. Spread across 8 semesters that's just slightly over 16 credits per semester - and UNLV considers over 16 credits to be "overload".

By its2hot
Feb. 2, 2010
1:37 p.m.
Suggest removal Yet another agency cutting back when the obvious is smacking them right upside the head, quit spending Americans money on illegal immigrants and other freebies that don't work and have never worked, budget problem fixed.

Also quit pay management a salary in line with the economy and present enrollment. The higher management is overpaid for the services provided and makes too much money for what they actually produce. Fire the deadbeats who are just working to get a paycheck and don't produce anything useful let alone productive.

Lastly, when your building or remodeling, quit having so much overhead administer the contracts and hold the Architects accountable for their design defects and lack of knowledge. Just because they draw lines on a piece of paper and assemble the design team doesn't make them right let alone smart. Today's Architects and designers are the dumbest of dumb, contractors have to staff projects with so many project engineers for document control it adds large sums of monies to the overall cost and the designers are never held accountable.

By taking a few simple steps and actually seeing them through and holding them accountable, budget problem solved. Instead they whine, complain, and use fear tactics to suck money from us taxpayers who have a budget and are held accountable, if we weren't we'd be in the poor house just like the public system.

By newsy97
Feb. 2, 2010
1:46 p.m.
Suggest removal Maybe some deep pay cuts will force many of our educators to reevaluate the nature of our economy and how they are an intrinsic part of it despite their "tenure" and other protections normally provided by their ivy walls.
I have long maintained that our entire educational system, K-college has been built and nurtured in a vacuum without understanding or adjusting to the changing nature of the worlds economic order.
It may sound cold but We are all going to have to make adjustments (make less money) in the new reality we have brought upon ourselves. Ultimately, no segment of our economy will be spared from these transitional changes.
As a former American manufacturer who saw his industry sold out to China, and as a man who subsidizes his 'retirement' by substitute teaching, I think I know what I'm writing about.

By Teaser
Feb. 2, 2010
1:49 p.m.
Suggest removal "There is nothing which better deserve our patronage than the promotion of science and literature. Knowledge is in every country the surest basis of public happiness." - George Washington, Address to Congress, Jan. 8, 1790

By tvegas
Feb. 2, 2010
1:49 p.m.
Suggest removal One word

Powerball

By culturechange
Feb. 2, 2010
2:13 p.m.
Suggest removal Well that is why they call it a "Recession". It's a reversal of progress.

By reallyoldvegas
Feb. 2, 2010
2:26 p.m.
Suggest removal End the taxpayer subsidies to the medical school, dental school, law school and athletics, by privatizing them. End Nevada State College.

That's $70 million a year, according to the state budget office.

The remaining $40 million should not be hard to get through efficiencies, smaller pay cuts, and fee hikes, without damaging the missions of the campuses.

Patrick, dude, go take economics. Businesses charge their customers a price above cost. Higher education is subsidized and its price controlled. Smatresk (who i usually don't agree with) has correctly pointed out that, even with the state subsidy, UNLV is not allowed by the Legislature to charge a price high enough to cover costs for nursing students, engineering students, and other high cost students.

The Legislature needs to stop trying to be the super Regents and allow the universities to actually match prices to costs. Most universities around the country have raised fees on out of state and international students to help with their budget deficits. When UNLV does that, the LEGISLATURE takes the money and puts it in the state general fund.

By NLV-Indep13
Feb. 2, 2010
2:28 p.m.
Suggest removal Democrats want to raise taxes and Republicans want to cut expenditures, but neither is willing to fundamentally address the seemingly flawed educational model that we've grown accustomed to. Rather than the state (aka We the People) funding institutions & organizations, maybe it would be more effective to offer scholarships/vouchers (of about $1000 per month per student, ages 5-21) and have these institutions & organizations compete for customers (students). Zero fund the bureacracy and have ALL schools compete -- those that satisfy the customers will thrive, those that don't will fail. Can't be any worse than what we have now.

By lasvegastommy
Feb. 2, 2010
2:33 p.m.
Suggest removal I am ashamed at some of the ignorance in this state. Education has a direct correlation with Socioeconomic Status. That is why white males were so relcutant to let women or minorites access to higher education. It was a way of keeping them down and controlling them. If things continue in this pattern, Nevada will become one of the poorest poulations with the worst educated people in the United States. No one of real intelligence will move here and all the smart people will move away. Shame on you Nevadans! Now it is time for all of us to pay, not just those that work for the state.

By SgtRock
Feb. 2, 2010
2:45 p.m.
Suggest removal "I am ashamed at some of the ignorance in this state. Education has a direct correlation with Socioeconomic Status"

I am sure about the ignorance of the state.

We have one of the highest capita per income in the nation. (I guess you don't know that a hell of lot of blue collar workers on the Strip make over $100k a year.)

So what correlation exactly are you talking about?

I do see a directly correlation of one between you and your ignorance of facts.

By vsestini
Feb. 2, 2010
2:55 p.m.
Suggest removal Cut athletics everywhere in this state K-12 and at the university level. We need fully educated citizens not more jocks going, "Yeah, you know man, huh? you know...duh, know what I mean, man?"

By reallyoldvegas
Feb. 2, 2010
2:56 p.m.
Suggest removal Sarge,

20 years ago, Nevada was 120% of the national average income. Today about 105% and dropping. Wages in the big casinos are not keeping up relative to others in the national economy, and its been that way for more than 10 years.

I think we are at a point in time when we need to believe that the future is going to be different. There will always be great jobs here for people without education, but its time to start thinking about getting more jobs that require some.

Note from Taz: Watch the Feb. 2 Regents meeting on the WEB!

2010-02-02T09:55:00.000-08:00

I am currently watching the NSHE Regents meeting on the WEB and encourage all not at the meeting to do the same. The link is on the CSN website, on the lower-right hand side.

Taz

NSHE Regents SPECIAL MEETING Tues Feb 2, 9 am Rm.D101 Wst Chrlestn Campus

2010-02-01T19:07:00.000-08:00

Source:
http://system.nevada.edu/Board-of-R/Meetings/Agendas/02-02-10--/index.htm

SPECIAL MEETING

VIDEOCONFERENCE

BOARD OF REGENTS

NEVADA SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION

College of Southern Nevada
6375 West Charleston Boulevard, Las Vegas
Building D, Room 101

---
9:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 2, 2010

ROLL CALL: Mr. James Dean Leavitt, Chairman
Dr. Jason Geddes, Vice Chairman
Mr. Mark Alden
Dr. Andrea Anderson
Mr. Robert Blakely
Mr. William G. Cobb
Mr. Cedric Crear
Mrs. Dorothy S. Gallagher
Mr. Ron Knecht
Mr. Kevin J. Page
Dr. Raymond D. Rawson
Dr. Jack Lund Schofield
Mr. Michael B. Wixom

NOTE: Below is an agenda of all items scheduled to be considered. Unless otherwise stated, items may be taken out of the order presented at the discretion of the chair. In accordance with the Board of Regents’ Bylaws, Title I, Article V, Section 20, items voted on may be the subject of a motion to reconsider at this meeting. A motion to reconsider an item may be made at any time before adjournment of this meeting. Similarly, if an item is tabled at any time during the meeting, it may, by proper motion and vote, be taken from the table and thereafter be the subject of consideration and action at any time before adjournment of this meeting.

In accordance with the Board of Regents’ Bylaws, Title 1, Article V, Section 12, a quorum may be gained by telephone hookup.
In accordance with NRS 241.020(6), support materials that are submitted to the Board of Regents’ Office and then distributed to the members of the Board of Regents after the mailing of this agenda but before the meeting, will be made available as follows: 1.) Copies of any such supplemental support materials are available at the Board of Regents’ Office Reno, Nevada. A copy may be requested by calling (775)784-4958, and 2.) Copies of any such supplemental support materials will be available at the meeting site.

Reasonable efforts will be made to assist and accommodate physically disabled persons attending the meeting. Please call the Board office at (775) 784-4958 in advance so that arrangements may be made.

9:00 a.m., Tuesday, February 2, 2010
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

1. FY 2009-2011 BUDGET REDUCTION

The Board will hear a report on the findings discussed at the January 22, 2010, meeting of the Economic Forum on the declining total general fund revenues for the current biennium. The Board will consider a report from the Chancellor and institutional presidents concerning potential impacts and alternatives to address the budget reductions requested by Governor Jim Gibbons. The Regents, institutional presidents and staff will discuss the appropriate response and various options for the development of strategies to be used in response to the Governor’s requested budget reduction plan. The Board may also discuss and provide guidance to the Chancellor and institutional presidents as to the general policies that should be considered when making budgetary decisions at the institutional level.

INFORMATION/ACTION

As part of the deliberations, the Board may discuss possible action that may need to be taken at a subsequent meeting to modify, suspend or repeal Board Policy, Bylaws and Code provisions and the NSHE Procedures and Guidelines Manual that will assist in addressing budget reductions. The Chancellor will present various alternative and cumulative strategies, which may include, but is not limited to, temporary suspension of the Board’s policy on the use of Capital Improvement Fee funds generated by student fees (Title 4, Chapter 10, Section 11) for the current biennium only so that those funds may be used to supplement operating budget shortfalls as well as campus specific student tuition and fee surcharges that may be imposed. The Board may consider ways to reduce personnel costs which may require modifications to policies, including, but not limited to, additional furloughs, pay reductions, hiring freezes, notices of non-reappointment or termination, program or unit closures and/or organizational restructuring. The Board may discuss the requirements of declaring a financial exigency and/or changing the requirements of the process required for declaring a financial exigency.

Based on the discussions and alternatives presented, the Board may issue directions or grant authority in relation to the steps it deems appropriate to take with respect to any or all of the responses and/or proposals presented, including but not limited to, authority to approach the Interim Finance Committee and/or the Legislature for authorization to implement any such solutions if necessary, or to express the sense of the Board to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the budget issues including, but not limited to, supporting modifications to any specific state fiscal policies that will assist in addressing fund reductions. (Ref. BOR-1)

2. PUBLIC COMMENT

Public comment will be taken during this agenda item. No action may be taken on a matter raised under this item until the matter is included on an agenda as an item on which action may be taken. The Chairman of the Board of Regents may place reasonable limitations as to the amount of time individuals may address the Board. The Chairman may elect to allow public comment on a specific agenda item when that item is being considered.

INFORMATION

3. NEW BUSINESS

Items for consideration at future meetings may be suggested. Any discussion of an item under “New Business” is limited to description and clarification of the subject matter of the item, which may include the reasons for the request.

INFORMATION
POSTED ON THE NEVADA SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION WEBSITE (at http://system.nevada.edu/), AT THE SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION BUILDINGS AND E-MAILED FOR POSTING AT THE EIGHT NSHE INSTITUTIONS:
CSN, Building D, 1st floor, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89146-1124
DRI, Maxey Building, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, NV 89512-1095
DRI, Southern Nevada Science Center, 755 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89119-7363
GBC, Berg Hall, 1500 College Parkway, Elko, NV 89801
NSC, Great Hall, 1125 Nevada State Drive, Henderson, NV 89015
TMCC, Red Mountain Building (RDMT 200), 7000 Dandini Blvd., Reno, NV 89512
UNLV, Flora Dungan Humanities (FDH), 1st & 7th floors, 4505 Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154-1001
UNR, Clark Administration, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV 89557
WNC, Bristlecone Building Lobby, 2201 W. College Parkway, Carson City, NV 89703
System Administration, 5550 W. Flamingo, Suite A-5, Las Vegas, NV 89103
System Administration, 2601 Enterprise Road, Reno, NV 89512

Today's Question: Monday February 1

2010-02-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Where do you predict that most CSN cuts will be made?

Today's Question: Sunday January 31

2010-01-31T14:49:00.001-08:00

How can we best protect CSN from permanent damage?

Summary of Merry Mike’s Wednesday January 27 “Town Hall Meeting”

2010-01-31T14:24:00.000-08:00

From one of my sources:

A summary of Merry Mike’s Wednesday January 27 3:30 P.M. “Town Hall Meeting” held at the Cheyenne Campus Horn Theater :

Attended this afternoon's Town Hall. Those officials attending included CSN President Mike Richards, Vice president of Finance Patty Charlton, Regent Chair James Dean Leavitt, Regent Kevin Page, and Chancellor Dan Klaich. Also present was Senate Chair Mark Rauls.

It was, as Mr. Dickens might say, the best of times ("You need to get angry, and call your elected officials," Richards told the crowd. He then rather oddly scolded the audience, saying, "You look passive.") And it was the worst of times ("There are no cows that are sacred here," Chancellor Klaich said of budget cuts now on the table.)

So, hope and despair punctuated the Town Hall meeting Richards had hurriedly called at Cheyenne campus.

Leavitt said the Legislature must enact what he euphemistically called "revenue enhancements" to protect higher education in Nevada; otherwise the results will haunt the state for generations. (True on the effects, but fat chance tax hikes will be enacted, if Senate majority leader Steven Horsford's comments to the LVRJ are to be taken seriously. And they should.)

(Actual comments: "It is important for all of us to understand how dire it is," Horsford, D-Las Vegas, said. "The things we attempted to protect are now going to be considered for reduction or elimination.")

CSN Faculty Senate Chair Mark Rauls also lamented the promised cuts, and noted the creation of, yes, three new college committees that will "elicit input and define discipline areas to be eliminated." And please do join. His rather faint note was the most surreal of the afternoon.

Patty Charlton, V.P. of Finance, couldn't really help herself, though, noting that the numbers are being crunched as we speak. We are really quite screwed was the message she almost let slip, or so it seemed.

Question: Does anyone really believe that regents, the soon-to-be-convened Legislature, Patty, Merry Mike, etc., will wait for our much desired "input" on these three ad-hoc committees before they cut one-fifth of CSN and the rest of the NSHE system? I wouldn't hold my breath.

As for the assembled masses: Eric Moreau, a communications professor and faculty senator for Arts and Letters, suggested an ad be taken out with a picture of a large roll of toilet paper and the headline, "Shall we let the colleges and universities be flushed down the toilet?" Klaich and the audience liked this idea, and all clapped heartily.

Two classified employees spoke out, at length. One fellow said he owned two houses and already pays enough taxes. He said he couldn't sleep the night before, and the solution to the predicament is for the Legislature to once-and-for-all give Southern Nevada its due. Another rep of the classified council sniped that their personnel "know how much professors make and that they don't keep their office hours." This woman took a few other cheap shots that were mercifully not responded to, but did illustrate the rift that the most-recently imposed budget cuts have caused (worsened?) among CSN staff.

Mark Peplowski, a political science professor from the Henderson campus told the audience, not the panel, "You are responsible for what happens next." (Oh really? We are? Didn't the Senate Majority Leader, a Democrat, just tell an R-J reporter that the money will be found in state program reductions, not tax increases? And didn't the mostly Republican SAGE commission point us fatefully in this same direction? And aren't all being led by that much-embattled governor, Jim Gibbons?)

This Tuesday, Feb. 2, at WC campus, the Regents will deliver particulars on the bad news of what will be 20 to 25 percent cuts, or one-fifth of the NSHE System. Everyone who can do so should attend and make their voice heard.

"A Perfect Day for Bananafish" by J.D. Salinger January 1, 1919-January 27, 2010

2010-01-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

Source:

http://www.freeweb.hu/tchl/salinger/perfectday.html

Enjoy!

J. D. Salinger

A Perfect Day for Bananafish

The New Yorker, January 31, 1948, pages 21-25

THERE WERE ninety-seven New York advertising men in the hotel, and, the way they were monopolizing the long-distance lines, the girl in 507 had to wait from noon till almost two-thirty to get her call through. She used the time, though. She read an article in a women's pocket-size magazine, called "Sex Is Fun-or Hell." She washed her comb and brush. She took the spot out of the skirt of her beige suit. She moved the button on her Saks blouse. She tweezed out two freshly surfaced hairs in her mole. When the operator finally rang her room, she was sitting on the window seat and had almost finished putting lacquer on the nails of her left hand.

She was a girl who for a ringing phone dropped exactly nothing. She looked as if her phone had been ringing continually ever since she had reached puberty.

With her little lacquer brush, while the phone was ringing, she went over the nail of her little finger, accentuating the line of the moon. She then replaced the cap on the bottle of lacquer and, standing up, passed her left--the wet--hand back and forth through the air. With her dry hand, she picked up a congested ashtray from the window seat and carried it with her over to the night table, on which the phone stood. She sat down on one of the made-up twin beds and--it was the fifth or sixth ring--picked up the phone.

"Hello," she said, keeping the fingers of her left hand outstretched and away from her white silk dressing gown, which was all that she was wearing, except mules--her rings were in the bathroom.

"I have your call to New York now, Mrs. Glass," the operator said.

"Thank you," said the girl, and made room on the night table for the ashtray.

A woman's voice came through. "Muriel? Is that you?"

The girl turned the receiver slightly away from her ear. "Yes, Mother. How are you?" she said.

"I've been worried to death about you. Why haven't you phoned? Are you all right?"

"I tried to get you last night and the night before. The phone here's been--"

"Are you all right, Muriel?"

The girl increased the angle between the receiver and her ear. "I'm fine. I'm hot. This is the hottest day they've had in Florida in--"

"Why haven't you called me? I've been worried to--"

"Mother, darling, don't yell at me. I can hear you beautifully," said the girl. "I called you twice last night. Once just after--"

"I told your father you'd probably call last night. But, no, he had to-Are you all right, Muriel? Tell me the truth."

"I'm fine. Stop asking me that, please."

"When did you get there?"

"I don't know. Wednesday morning, early."

"Who drove?"

"He did," said the girl. "And don't get excited. He drove very nicely. I was amazed."

"He drove? Muriel, you gave me your word of--"

"Mother," the girl interrupted, "I just told you. He drove very nicely. Under fifty the whole way, as a matter of fact."

"Did he try any of that funny business with the trees?"

"I said he drove very nicely, Mother. Now, please. I asked him to stay close to the white line, and all, and he knew what I meant, and he did. He was even trying not to look at the trees-you could tell. Did Daddy get the car fixed, incidentally?"

"Not yet. They want four hundred dollars, just to--"

"Mother, Seymour told Daddy that he'd pay for it. There's no reason for--"

"Well, we'll see. How did he behave--in the car and all?"

"All right," said the girl.

"Did he keep calling you that awful--"

"No. He has something new now."

"What?"

"Oh, what's the difference, Mother?"

"Muriel, I want to know. Your father--"

"All right, all right. He calls me Miss Spiritual Tramp of 1948," the girl said, and giggled.

"It isn't funny, Muriel. It isn't funny at all. It's horrible. It's sad, actually. When I think how--"

"Mother," the girl interrupted, "listen to me. You remember that book he sent me from Germany? You know--those German poems. What'd I do with it? I've been racking my--"

"You have it."

"Are you sure?" said the girl.

"Certainly. That is, I have it. It's in Freddy's room. You left it here and I didn't have room for it in the--Why? Does he want it?"

"No. Only, he asked me about it, when we were driving down. He wanted to know if I'd read it."

"It was in German!"

"Yes, dear. That doesn't make any difference," said the girl, crossing her legs. "He said that the poems happen to be written by the only great poet of the century. He said I should've bought a translation or something. Or learned the language, if you please."

"Awful. Awful. It's sad, actually, is what it is. Your father said last night--"

"Just a second, Mother," the girl said. She went over to the window seat for her cigarettes, lit one, and returned to her seat on the bed. "Mother?" she said, exhaling smoke.

"Muriel. Now, listen to me."

"I'm listening."

"Your father talked to Dr. Sivetski."

"Oh?" said the girl.

"He told him everything. At least, he said he did--you know your father. The trees. That business with the window. Those horrible things he said to Granny about her plans for passing away. What he did with all those lovely pictures from Bermuda--everything."

"Well?" said the girl.

"Well. In the first place, he said it was a perfect crime the Army released him from the hospital--my word of honor. He very definitely told your father there's a chance--a very great chance, he said--that Seymour may completely lose control of himself. My word of honor."

"There's a psychiatrist here at the hotel," said the girl.

"Who? What's his name?"

"I don't know. Rieser or something. He's supposed to be very good."

"Never heard of him."

"Well, he's supposed to be very good, anyway."

"Muriel, don't be fresh, please. We're very worried about you. Your father wanted to wire you last night to come home, as a matter of f--"

"I'm not coming home right now, Mother. So relax."

"Muriel. My word of honor. Dr. Sivetski said Seymour may completely lose contr--"

"I just got here, Mother. This is the first vacation I've had in years, and I'm not going to just pack everything and come home," said the girl. "I couldn't travel now anyway. I'm so sunburned I can hardly move."

"You're badly sunburned? Didn't you use that jar of Bronze I put in your bag? I put it right--"

"I used it. I'm burned anyway."

"That's terrible. Where are you burned?"

"All over, dear, all over."

"That's terrible."

"I'll live."

"Tell me, did you talk to this psychiatrist?"

"Well, sort of," said the girl.

"What'd he say? Where was Seymour when you talked to him?"

"In the Ocean Room, playing the piano. He's played the piano both nights we've been here."

"Well, what'd he say?"

"Oh, nothing much. He spoke to me first. I was sitting next to him at Bingo last night, and he asked me if that wasn't my husband playing the piano in the other room. I said yes, it was, and he asked me if Seymour's been sick or something. So I said--"

"Why'd he ask that?"

"I don't know, Mother. I guess because he's so pale and all," said the girl. "Anyway, after Bingo he and his wife asked me if I wouldn't like to join them for a drink. So I did. His wife was horrible. You remember that awful dinner dress we saw in Bonwit's window? The one you said you'd have to have a tiny, tiny--"

"The green?"

"She had it on. And all hips. She kept asking me if Seymour's related to that Suzanne Glass that has that place on Madison Avenue--the millinery."

"What'd he say, though? The doctor."

"Oh. Well, nothing much, really. I mean we were in the bar and all. It was terribly noisy."

"Yes, but did--did you tell him what he tried to do with Granny's chair?"

"No, Mother. I didn't go into details very much," said the girl. "I'll probably get a chance to talk to him again. He's in the bar all day long."

"Did he say he thought there was a chance he might get--you know--funny or anything? Do something to you!"

"Not exactly," said the girl. "He had to have more facts, Mother. They have to know about your childhood--all that stuff. I told you, we could hardly talk, it was so noisy in there."

"Well. How's your blue coat?"

"All right. I had some of the padding taken out."

"How are the clothes this year?"

"Terrible. But out of this world. You see sequins--everything," said the girl.

"How's your room?"

"All right. Just all right, though. We couldn't get the room we had before the war," said the girl. "The people are awful this year. You should see what sits next to us in the dining room. At the next table. They look as if they drove down in a truck."

"Well, it's that way all over. How's your ballerina?"

"It's too long. I told you it was too long."

"Muriel, I'm only going to ask you once more--are you really all right?"

"Yes, Mother," said the girl. "For the ninetieth time."

"And you don't want to come home?"

"No, Mother."

"Your father said last night that he'd be more than willing to pay for it if you'd go away someplace by yourself and think things over. You could take a lovely cruise. We both thought--"

"No, thanks," said the girl, and uncrossed her legs. "Mother, this call is costing a for--"

"When I think of how you waited for that boy all through the war-I mean when you think of all those crazy little wives who--"

"Mother," said the girl, "we'd better hang up. Seymour may come in any minute."

"Where is he?"

"On the beach."

"On the beach? By himself? Does he behave himself on the beach?"

"Mother," said the girl, "you talk about him as though he were a raving maniac--"

"I said nothing of the kind, Muriel."

"Well, you sound that way. I mean all he does is lie there. He won't take his bathrobe off."

"He won't take his bathrobe off? Why not?"

"I don't know. I guess because he's so pale."

"My goodness, he needs the sun. Can't you make him?

"You know Seymour," said the girl, and crossed her legs again. "He says he doesn't want a lot of fools looking at his tattoo."

"He doesn't have any tattoo! Did he get one in the Army?"

"No, Mother. No, dear," said the girl, and stood up. "Listen, I'll call you tomorrow, maybe."

"Muriel. Now, listen to me."

"Yes, Mother," said the girl, putting her weight on her right leg.

"Call me the instant he does, or says, anything at all funny--you know what I mean. Do you hear me?"

"Mother, I'm not afraid of Seymour."

"Muriel, I want you to promise me."

"All right, I promise. Goodbye, Mother," said the girl. "My love to Daddy." She hung up.

"See more glass," said Sybil Carpenter, who was staying at the hotel with her mother. "Did you see more glass?"

"Pussycat, stop saying that. It's driving Mommy absolutely crazy. Hold still, please."

Mrs. Carpenter was putting sun-tan oil on Sybil's shoulders, spreading it down over the delicate, winglike blades of her back. Sybil was sitting insecurely on a huge, inflated beach ball, facing the ocean. She was wearing a canary-yellow two-piece bathing suit, one piece of which she would not actually be needing for another nine or ten years.

"It was really just an ordinary silk handkerchief--you could see when you got up close," said the woman in the beach chair beside Mrs. Carpenter's. "I wish I knew how she tied it. It was really darling."

"It sounds darling," Mrs. Carpenter agreed. "Sybil, hold still, pussy."

"Did you see more glass?" said Sybil.

Mrs. Carpenter sighed. "All right," she said. She replaced the cap on the sun-tan oil bottle. "Now run and play, pussy. Mommy's going up to the hotel and have a Martini with Mrs. Hubbel. I'll bring you the olive."

Set loose, Sybil immediately ran down to the flat part of the beach and began to walk in the direction of Fisherman's Pavilion. Stopping only to sink a foot in a soggy, collapsed castle, she was soon out of the area reserved for guests of the hotel.

She walked for about a quarter of a mile and then suddenly broke into an oblique run up the soft part of the beach. She stopped short when she reached the place where a young man was lying on his back.

"Are you going in the water, see more glass?" she said.

The young man started, his right hand going to the lapels of his terry-cloth robe. He turned over on his stomach, letting a sausaged towel fall away from his eyes, and squinted up at Sybil.

"Hey. Hello, Sybil."

"Are you going in the water?"

"I was waiting for you," said the young man. "What's new?"

"What?" said Sybil.

"What's new? What's on the program?"

"My daddy's coming tomorrow on a nairiplane," Sybil said, kicking sand.

"Not in my face, baby," the young man said, putting his hand on Sybil's ankle. "Well, it's about time he got here, your daddy. I've been expecting him hourly. Hourly."

"Where's the lady?" Sybil said.

"The lady?" the young man brushed some sand out of his thin hair. "That's hard to say, Sybil. She may be in any one of a thousand places. At the hairdresser's. Having her hair dyed mink. Or making dolls for poor children, in her room." Lying prone now, he made two fists, set one on top of the other, and rested his chin on the top one. "Ask me something else, Sybil," he said. "That's a fine bathing suit you have on. If there's one thing I like, it's a blue bathing suit."

Sybil stared at him, then looked down at her protruding stomach. "This is a yellow," she said. "This is a yellow."

"It is? Come a little closer." Sybil took a step forward. "You're absolutely right. What a fool I am."

"Are you going in the water?" Sybil said.

"I'm seriously considering it. I'm giving it plenty of thought, Sybil, you'll be glad to know."

Sybil prodded the rubber float that the young man sometimes used as a head-rest. "It needs air," she said.

"You're right. It needs more air than I'm willing to admit." He took away his fists and let his chin rest on the sand. "Sybil," he said, "you're looking fine. It's good to see you. Tell me about yourself." He reached in front of him and took both of Sybil's ankles in his hands. "I'm Capricorn," he said. "What are you?"

"Sharon Lipschutz said you let her sit on the piano seat with you," Sybil said.

"Sharon Lipschutz said that?"

Sybil nodded vigorously.

He let go of her ankles, drew in his hands, and laid the side of his face on his right forearm. "Well," he said, "you know how those things happen, Sybil. I was sitting there, playing. And you were nowhere in sight. And Sharon Lipschutz came over and sat down next to me. I couldn't push her off, could I?"

"Yes."

"Oh, no. No. I couldn't do that," said the young man. "I'll tell you what I did do, though."

"What?"

"I pretended she was you."

Sybil immediately stooped and began to dig in the sand. "Let's go in the water," she said.

"All right," said the young man. "I think I can work it in."

"Next time, push her off," Sybil said. "Push who off?"

"Sharon Lipschutz."

"Ah, Sharon Lipschutz," said the young man. "How that name comes up. Mixing memory and desire." He suddenly got to his feet. He looked at the ocean. "Sybil," he said, "I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll see if we can catch a bananafish."

"A what?"

"A bananafish," he said, and undid the belt of his robe. He took off the robe. His shoulders were white and narrow, and his trunks were royal blue. He folded the robe, first lengthwise, then in thirds. He unrolled the towel he had used over his eyes, spread it out on the sand, and then laid the folded robe on top of it. He bent over, picked up the float, and secured it under his right arm. Then, with his left hand, he took Sybil's hand.

The two started to walk down to the ocean.

"I imagine you've seen quite a few bananafish in your day," the young man said.

Sybil shook her head.

"You haven't? Where do you live, anyway?"

"I don't know," said Sybil.

"Sure you know. You must know. Sharon Lipschutz knows where she lives and she's only three and a half."

Sybil stopped walking and yanked her hand away from him. She picked up an ordinary beach shell and looked at it with elaborate interest. She threw it down. "Whirly Wood, Connecticut," she said, and resumed walking, stomach foremost.

"Whirly Wood, Connecticut," said the young man. "Is that anywhere near Whirly Wood, Connecticut, by any chance?"

Sybil looked at him. "That's where I live," she said impatiently. "I live in Whirly Wood, Connecticut." She ran a few steps ahead of him, caught up her left foot in her left hand, and hopped two or three times.

"You have no idea how clear that makes everything," the young man said.

Sybil released her foot. "Did you read `Little Black Sambo'?" she said.

"It's very funny you ask me that," he said. "It so happens I just finished reading it last night." He reached down and took back Sybil's hand. "What did you think of it?" he asked her.

"Did the tigers run all around that tree?"

"I thought they'd never stop. I never saw so many tigers."

"There were only six," Sybil said.

"Only six!" said the young man. "Do you call that only?"

"Do you like wax?" Sybil asked.

"Do I like what?" asked the young man. "Wax."

"Very much. Don't you?"

Sybil nodded. "Do you like olives?" she asked.

"Olives--yes. Olives and wax. I never go anyplace without 'em."

"Do you like Sharon Lipschutz?" Sybil asked.

"Yes. Yes, I do," said the young man. "What I like particularly about her is that she never does anything mean to little dogs in the lobby of the hotel. That little toy bull that belongs to that lady from Canada, for instance. You probably won't believe this, but some little girls like to poke that little dog with balloon sticks. Sharon doesn't. She's never mean or unkind. That's why I like her so much."

Sybil was silent.

"I like to chew candles," she said finally.

"Who doesn't?" said the young man, getting his feet wet. "Wow! It's cold." He dropped the rubber float on its back. "No, wait just a second, Sybil. Wait'll we get out a little bit."

They waded out till the water was up to Sybil's waist. Then the young man picked her up and laid her down on her stomach on the float.

"Don't you ever wear a bathing cap or anything?" he asked.

"Don't let go," Sybil ordered. "You hold me, now."

"Miss Carpenter. Please. I know my business," the young man said. "You just keep your eyes open for any bananafish. This is a perfect day for bananafish."

"I don't see any," Sybil said.

"That's understandable. Their habits are very peculiar." He kept pushing the float. The water was not quite up to his chest. "They lead a very tragic life," he said. "You know what they do, Sybil?"

She shook her head.

"Well, they swim into a hole where there's a lot of bananas. They're very ordinary-looking fish when they swim in. But once they get in, they behave like pigs. Why, I've known some bananafish to swim into a banana hole and eat as many as seventy-eight bananas." He edged the float and its passenger a foot closer to the horizon. "Naturally, after that they're so fat they can't get out of the hole again. Can't fit through the door."

"Not too far out," Sybil said. "What happens to them?"

"What happens to who?"

"The bananafish."

"Oh, you mean after they eat so many bananas they can't get out of the banana hole?"

"Yes," said Sybil.

"Well, I hate to tell you, Sybil. They die."

"Why?" asked Sybil.

"Well, they get banana fever. It's a terrible disease."

"Here comes a wave," Sybil said nervously.

"We'll ignore it. We'll snub it," said the young man. "Two snobs." He took Sybil's ankles in his hands and pressed down and forward. The float nosed over the top of the wave. The water soaked Sybil's blond hair, but her scream was full of pleasure.

With her hand, when the float was level again, she wiped away a flat, wet band of hair from her eyes, and reported, "I just saw one."

"Saw what, my love?"

"A bananafish."

"My God, no!" said the young man. "Did he have any bananas in his mouth?"

"Yes," said Sybil. "Six."

The young man suddenly picked up one of Sybil's wet feet, which were drooping over the end of the float, and kissed the arch.

"Hey!" said the owner of the foot, turning around.

"Hey, yourself We're going in now. You had enough?"

"No!"

"Sorry," he said, and pushed the float toward shore until Sybil got off it. He carried it the rest of the way.

"Goodbye," said Sybil, and ran without regret in the direction of the hotel.

The young man put on his robe, closed the lapels tight, and jammed his towel into his pocket. He picked up the slimy wet, cumbersome float and put it under his arm. He plodded alone through the soft, hot sand toward the hotel.

On the sub-main floor of the hotel, which the management directed bathers to use, a woman with zinc salve on her nose got into the elevator with the young man.

"I see you're looking at my feet," he said to her when the car was in motion.

"I beg your pardon?" said the woman.

"I said I see you're looking at my feet."

"I beg your pardon. I happened to be looking at the floor," said the woman, and faced the doors of the car.

"If you want to look at my feet, say so," said the young man. "But don't be a God-damned sneak about it."

"Let me out here, please," the woman said quickly to the girl operating the car.

The car doors opened and the woman got out without looking back.

"I have two normal feet and I can't see the slightest God-damned reason why anybody should stare at them," said the young man. "Five, please." He took his room key out of his robe pocket.

He got off at the fifth floor, walked down the hall, and let himself into 507. The room smelled of new calfskin luggage and nail-lacquer remover.

He glanced at the girl lying asleep on one of the twin beds. Then he went over to one of the pieces of luggage, opened it, and from under a pile of shorts and undershirts he took out an Ortgies calibre 7.65 automatic. He released the magazine, looked at it, then reinserted it. He cocked the piece. Then he went over and sat down on the unoccupied twin bed, looked at the girl, aimed the pistol, and fired a bullet through his right temple.