In 1885, the University of Nevada was established in Reno as a Land Grant University under the Morrill Act of 1862, "Officially titled "An Act Donating Public Lands to the Several States and Territories which may provide Colleges for the Benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts." Thus Nevada wrote this into their constitution, Article 11, sections 4 and 8. The University has since expanded and diversified to 83 degree programs.
On March 1, the University Leaders announced that the proposed budget cuts included closing the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources and cuts from other departments throughout the University. The college includes five departments and 12 different majors; affecting over 900 students. With these proposed cuts, students interested in coming to the University to pursue a Bachelor's Degree in Animal Biotechnology and Resource Economics programs will no longer be able to do so. Those who are in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nutrition and Natural Resources are being rearranged into other colleges where they will lose the connectivity within their programs. The college that is being cut is the founding college of this university. If these proposed cuts were to be passed by the Board of Regents in early June, then students will be forced to attend an out-of-state institution in order to receive an agricultural related degree. This news is devastating not only to the students but will also impact the economy of 85 percent of Nevada which is largely agriculturally based. Whether or not it is realized, agriculture is the world's largest and most important industry providing food, clothing and shelter.
The agricultural sector of Nevada's economy is overlooked due to the fact that the availability of a cheap and safe food supply disconnects people from where their food comes from. Without a university offering the appropriate courses to learn about agriculture eventually, society will no longer have the luxury of safe and cheap agriculture commodities, which are easily taken for granted. Where would you be without agriculture; naked and hungry. Agriculture permeates aspects of our everyday lives from the cars we drive to the medicine we take. For this reason and many others agriculture must be included in general education. Agriculture is vital to the sustainability of our everyday lives.
The whole purpose of the Morrill Act was to provide opportunity for education to those who needed it the most; rural communities and specifically the agricultural industry because it is the backbone to civilized society. Students realize that tough decisions must be made, but undoubtedly eliminating the entire agriculture college is not the correct route to take. If you care about the future of this state, then you can go online to www.savenevadacabnr.blogspot.com and click on the link to sign the petition.
Respectively submitted,
CABNR Student Ambassadors
