Study on college funding disparity may face delay

Friday, March 12, 1999 | 11:40 a.m.

A study of funding disparity between northern and southern Nevada universities and colleges could be delayed, cutting its time for review by the state Legislature.

A Board of Regent's committee that commissioned a Florida consulting firm to conduct the study added campus tours Thursday to the assignment, which could force the final report late into the legislative session, a company spokesman said.

MGT of America initially said it would have a preliminary report ready for the regents on April 26 and a final report completed by May 3.

That timeline did not include visiting the campuses of the state's two universities and four community colleges.

At Thursday night's meeting in Las Vegas, when members of the Funding Equity Study Committee met with MGT official Dan Layzell for the first time, regents said they wanted the study to include a visit to the individual campuses.

Layzell agreed that it might be beneficial, but cautioned it might affect the deadline.

Regent Steve Sisolak said he thought it would take at least a week to visit the six sites.

After the meeting, held on the UNLV campus, Layzell said he would still aim for the deadlines agreed upon but it is a matter he will have to discuss with Thalia Dondero, chairwoman of the equity committee.

The committee, composed of Dondero, Sisolak, Douglas Seastrand, Douglas Hill and Tom Wiesner, voted to approve MGT's proposed method of studying the issue, even at the extra cost that will be created in visiting the campuses.

Visiting the campuses might increase the cost of the study by as much as $10,000, Dondero said.

The cost, however, would still fall within the range of the $70,000 budget the regents set aside for the study.

Without the campus visits, the study was to cost $52,500 -- which included $50,000 for professional fees and $2,500 for out-of-pocket expenses.

Layzell said he and four others will make up the team that will do the funding equity study, a hot topic for the past two months since newly elected regent Sisolak began loudly questioning policies that he says have created a major funding disparity between northern and southern colleges and universities.

Regents are hoping the legislature will find additional funding for UNLV and the Community College of Southern Nevada.

UNLV President Carol Harter questioned whether the study would take into consideration the rapid growth of Southern Nevada, resulting in gross underfunding.