State leaders took some important steps this week to cut through the political fog that surrounds the budgets for Nevada's universities.
With the next two-year budget expected to top $1 billion, it was past time legislators and university officials figured out a way to solve some of the chronic issues.
The new plan won't necessarily increase the funds for the universities at Reno and Las Vegas (although they'll likely get more as revenues and student enrollment keep going up.)
Instead, it's aimed at simplifying the way money is divided among the campuses and giving university officials, as well as the elected Board of Regents, more freedom and more responsibility over their budgets.
"It gives the authority to the people who are managing the campus," said Regent Doug Seastrand.
The main change is that the universities will be allowed to move money among categories such as academic support, research and maintenance as needed.
It also standardizes some costs, such as starting salaries.
The hope is that the Legislature can avoid some of the biannual rhetoric over "equity" between Reno and Las Vegas, an argument that merely pits the two campuses against each other and does nothing to improve the quality of postsecondary education in Nevada.
Under the new formula, there should be no need for legislators to hear those arguments at all. If there are issues to be hashed out, let them be decided by the State Board of Regents. That's the regents' job.
