In Carson: Regents reject call to cut proposed budget

Saying budget cuts of 14-16 percent would be devastating, the Board of Regents on Thursday voted to submit their original, uncut budget for 2010-2011 to the governor Aug. 29.

But the board agreed to send it with a cover letter explaining the purpose is to show the governor and Legislature what the university system actually needs for the coming two years. Board Chairman Michael Wixom said the letter would also explain that, "whatever the final funding is, we will absorb that reduction."

Instead of being 14 percent smaller than the currently approved budget, the proposed budget will be 9.75 percent larger. Wixom said the cover letter will also attempt to justify the increases in the proposed spending plan.

When inflation, employee step increases, higher utilities and other fluctuating costs are added in, the total budget request for the coming biennium is $1.44 billion.

Only Regent Ron Knecht of Carson City voted against the plan, although several members were absent. He read into the record a lengthy letter charging that "so many educators whine that we've always been underfunded, which is simply not so."

He said the system has no legitimate claim on education funding above the growth rate of the economy and that the board should comply with the governor's direction to reduce their proposed budget 14 percent.

His comments drew an objection from Regent Howard Rosenberg, an art professor at UNR.

"I've screamed, ranted, raved, jumped up and down, but I don't whine," Rosenberg said.

"The demoralization this system will face with a cut of 14 percent is absolutely unconscionable," he said.

Regent Thalia Dondero expressed concern about what a reduction that severe would do to campus accreditations. UNLV President David Ashley said with that campus's 10-year accreditation process just beginning, the timing of budget cuts is a serious concern.

Western Nevada College President Carol Lucey said she spent several years on an accreditation team and that "I can't imagine an accreditation team not seeing that as a serious problem for us."

Wixom called on the board to approve "a budget to reflect the reality of need."

Regent James Leavitt agreed, saying presenting a reduced budget would result in lost leverage.

Knecht disagreed: "I think our real duty is not to be advocates but to be people who are balancing and promoting the public interest."

A spokesman for the governor said that office has no problem with the board action.

"But the system of higher education, just like every other agency, needs to live with the revenue we have," said Communications Director Ben Kieckhefer.

He said the cover letter is "a sign of good faith they're going to work with us as we build the budget."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, made similar comments.

"It's appropriate for them to send in a budget of what they think the needs are, but to be ready to suggest reductions if reductions are required," he said.

The board also approved another 3.42 percent in reductions to the current budget " a total reduction of $22.2 million in general fund money. The cuts are over and above the 4.5 percent cuts the system has already made to the 2007-2009 budget.

For UNR, this latest round of reductions comes to $7.1 million. At UNLV it's $6.9 million and at WNC, $725,757.

System officials say most of the first round of cuts came out of capital construction, maintenance and one-shot program appropriations.

At UNR and UNLV, those cuts will mean a reduction in hiring of part-time instructors.

Ashley said at UNLV that means 500 fewer class sections and more work for full-time professors.

The same will occur at UNR where professors who now concentrate on upper-level and master's degree courses will have to add classes from the bachelor's level catalog to their workload.

And systemwide, maintenance will be reduced to the minimum. With $300 million in deferred maintenance needed, President Milt Glick said, UNR can't take that approach.

A dozen student leaders showed up to address the issue, telling regents they will do their best to support lobbying efforts at the governor's office and legislature. Jason Meyer, a student at UNLV, was typical of their comments.

"The students are behind you," he said. "We want you to go to the Legislature and take the plan you passed today and say we need this money."