University regents approve tentative $1 billion budget

Friday, May 1, 1998 | 10:27 a.m.

The proposal, 35 percent higher or $275.5 million over the present two-year spending program of $780 million, calls for a new dental school at UNLV, 4 percent faculty pay raises each year and increases in student fees of nearly 4 percent.

Final approval of the budget will come in August at a board meeting in Elko. But the regents agreed on their priorities and directed the staff to start putting the final numbers in place.

University officials are predicting a 6 percent growth in students both in 1999 and 2000 and that alone will cost $57 million just to keep even.

Chancellor Richard Jarvis said the tentative budget allocates $33 million for 4 percent cost-of-living pay raises in each year of the coming biennium for staff. He said a committee that included the faculty recommended that amount.

Also in the tentative budgets is creation of a dental school at UNLV to start in the fall of 2001. UNLV President Carol Harter said a consulting study should be completed in the fall but preliminary results shows Nevada has the largest percentage of its population who are under served by dentists.

The study says Nevada needs 40 new dentists every year to keep up with the population growth. A fully functional school of dentistry would cost the state about $5.3 million a year.

The 35 percent operating request may face troubles when it is reviewed by the incoming governor and the 1999 Legislature. Tax revenues are below predictions and the state won't have as big a surplus as it had in recent years.

Jarvis said after the meeting, "I know we will probably not see 35 percent. But we are giving the Legislature a choice."

Regents also approved a study on starting an intercollegiate or intramural athletic program at the Community College of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas.

Regent Shelley Berkley of Las Vegas said Southern Nevada shows "tremendous community interest" in starting some type of a program. In addition to support from students, Berkley said there is also backing from the faculty.

The study committee must complete its work by Aug. 21 and report back to the regents meeting in September in Las Vegas.