UNLV head: Sandoval's Budget plan sparks attention

LAS VEGAS - Gov. Brian Sandoval's proposal to cut $47.5 million in state support from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas was a move to get the school's attention, the school's president said Friday.

Neal Smatresk told a town hall meeting for students, faculty and staff that the attempt was successful.

"Higher education has found itself as the budget balancer," he said. The cuts would reduce spending by 29.1 percent from current levels, Smatresk added.

"It's unimaginable if you believe that we're important to Nevada. It's unimaginable if you believe there needs to be a better future," he said. "It's unimaginable if you believe access to the dream of higher education and a better job in a globally competitive work force are critical for our region."

Sandoval has recommended spending $406 million in 2012 and $395 million in 2013 on higher education statewide, while diverting property tax money from Clark and Washoe counties to universities and colleges and giving schools more autonomy on tuition and fees.

The cumulative decrease amounts to roughly 10 percent, but Chancellor Dan Klaich told the Legislative Commission's budget subcommittee on Thursday that the cuts will be even deeper after accounting for the loss of one-time federal stimulus funds.

The recommendations are part of Sandoval's proposed $5.8 billion general fund budget. He has said he won't support raising taxes.

The budget cuts come as the Silver State tries to find its way after being rocked by the recession. The state's biggest industries - gambling, tourism and construction - have been hurt severely, and Nevada finds itself with the nation's worst unemployment, bankruptcy and foreclosure rates.

The office of Nevada Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford said Friday that Sandoval's proposal eliminates the option of having strong higher education and cuts off the possibility of a robust recovery or economic diversification.

James Dean Leavitt, chairman of the Board of Regents, said the cuts would lead to "cataclysmic" changes to higher education in the state. He said that when Sandoval talks about "shared sacrifice," it should mean that every resident should support what they value most.

"We have this information, this knowledge, this intellectual capital that if we tax can do more to solve the problems of this state," Leavitt said.

"We can't cut our way to prosperity," he said. "It's never worked in Nevada, it's not going to work in the future."

Smatresk said the proposed cuts would effectively match reductions the university has implemented over the past four years. But he said UNLV would now be asked to make those cuts in two years.

Nevada's regents planned to meet Feb. 3 to discuss implications of the cuts.