Special committee proposed to study college feasibility

Friday, May 28, 1999 | 9:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A request for $500,000 to determine the feasibility of a four-year college in Henderson cleared the Senate Finance Committee Thursday and headed for a final vote on the floor.

The committee accepted an amendment by the bill's sponsor, Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, that would set up a committee to oversee the study, rather than assigning it to the regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada.

The creation of a new committee to shepherd the study, Perkins said has nothing to do with his prior criticism of the regents when they complained they did not get enough extra money from the Legislature.

The amendment sets up a committee of five, with one each from the Senate and Assembly, one appointee by the governor and two regents.

"We want to get the partnership of the Legislature, the governor and the regents to explore this," Perkins said.

He said the committee is patterned after another study committee that is looking at funding inequities between campuses.

A preliminary report said there is an annual inequity of $24 million with most of the shortfall hitting the Community College of Southern Nevada and UNLV.

"Since we're embarking on something brand new in the higher educational system and it would maybe obligate future Legislatures in a funding sense, I thought legislators and the governor had to be involved," Perkins said.

The study must be completed before Sept. 1, 2000. Perkins has stressed a four-year state college would be different from UNLV.

While part of the focus of the university is on research, Perkins said the state college's primary function will be teaching. Professors would be paid less and spend more time in the classroom than those at UNLV.

He said he has been working with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., to establish an academy on the Henderson campus to train teachers from across the nation.

Once the school is established on land donated by the city of Henderson, he said, it would have athletic programs and other extracurricular activities.

Henderson is the fastest-growing major city in the state and should surpass Reno as the second largest city either this year or next.

The bill, once passed by the Senate, returns to the Assembly for agreement on Perkins' amendment and then to the governor.