Plan for Henderson college moves forward

Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999 | 10:18 a.m.

The committee will report its conclusions to the Board of Regents at its meeting on Dec.1 and 2.

The proposed college, to be built in the city that is projected to soon be Nevada's second largest, would focus on undergraduate training in business, education and possibly communications.

Three of five committee members have backed opening the state-supported school for more than a year, so it was no surprise Tuesday when the panel further embraced the idea.

"We took a large leap," said state Sen. Jon Porter, R-Boulder City. "The committee will continue planning for the new institution, begin working on a mission statement, exploring partnerships and hiring a founding president."

Porter, a panel member and a candidate for Congress, supported legislation that earmarked $500,000 for the study and startup of Henderson State College during the 1999 Legislature.

Regents will be asked to hire a president by January, so the person could begin working as an advocate for the school while budgetary decisions are being made next year by the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Regent Mark Alden, another panelist, said Henderson State College has his full support in part because it will be cheaper in the long run to educate Nevadans at the state college than at UNLV.

Although Alden and others talk in general terms about how per-student costs will be half as much at the state college as they are at UNLV, Henderson backers have not yet put a price tag on opening the campus.