University regents consider $178 million building plan

Friday, May 1, 1998 | 9:33 a.m.

Proposals for $13 million to remodel a UNLV building that is to become the new Boyd Law School and for $7.7 million to furnish UNLV's new Lied Library on the same campus top the regents' wish list.

The regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada discussed the plan Friday while meeting at the local branch of Western Nevada Community College.

"We really don't expect (all) will be funded," said Jill Derby, regents' chairwoman. "This allows us to get our priorities together for today and well into the future. We give it our best shot."

The university system's building program has been paid largely out of the state's budget surplus. The 1997 Legislature approved $183.5 million in construction or renovation projects.

But state casino and sales tax revenues in the last few months have lagged far behind projections, an indication that little money for construction will be available when the legislative session begins next year.

Derby said most of the construction plans are for additions at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the Community College of Southern Nevada.

"We call this our growth budget," she said. "UNLV and the community college are where most of our growth is."

The statewide university system has 42,012 full-time students, about 1,700 students, 4 percent, more than projections. Officials expect the system will have 44,483 students in 1999.

UNLV's full-time enrollment is 14,162, 400 more than expected.

The Community College of Southern Nevada full-time enrollment is 11,256, 540 more than projected.

The University of Nevada, Reno has 9,183 full-time students, one more than expected.

Besides the Lied Library and Boyd Law School projects, the regents are considering the following building plans:

-$20 million for an 80,000-square-foot science building on the Charleston campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada.

-$9.1 million for a 37,000-square-foot addition to Wright Hall at UNLV. The project includes a new auditorium.

-$3.8 million for a 20,000-square-foot addition to the Student Services Building at UNLV. The building would house admissions, registrar, international student affairs and other offices.

-$5 million for a high-tech center for the Community College of Southern Nevada that would be built at the high school in Pahrump.

-$5 million for a high-tech center for the Community College of Southern Nevada that would be built at a Las Vegas high school.

Besides the building plans, the regents also are considering an increase in tuition by $2.50 per credit this fall at UNLV and UNR. The universities now charge $69 per credit.

The increase would mean that a Nevada student carrying a full load of 30 credits would pay $2,145 per year in tuition and registration costs, an increase of $75.

At the same time, regents could decide to increase community college tuition fees by $1.50 a credit. In-state community college students pay $39.50 per credit in tuition fees.