New college’s plan for teacher program attacked

Valerie Miller

Wednesday, May 10, 2000 | 10:21 a.m.

The mission statement and tuition for the proposed Nevada State College in Henderson received a nod from the university Board of Regents Tuesday, but not before the school took a few more jabs.

Regent Tom Kirkpatrick sharply criticized Nevada State College President Richard Moore's plan to train teachers as one of the school's central missions.

"We have a teacher education program already at UNLV with no one on the waiting list," Kirkpatrick told Moore. "Then you are going to offer the same program just 10 miles away at a reduced rate. This worries me, what it will do to UNLV."

In describing the mission of the state college, Moore told the regents, "We are primarily a degree-granting program with a major goal being the preparation of quality teachers."

Moore fought off the criticism from Kirkpatrick, who has been an opponent of the state college since its inception. In spite of what the numbers may say, Moore said, there is demand for teachers and for teacher training.

Moore noted that UNLV produces only 500 teachers a year when 1,700 or 1,800 are needed by the Clark County School District.

"There is a great desire on the part of Nevadans to teach, and when I opened up teacher education courses at Community College (of Southern Nevada), there was a high demand for them," he said. Moore was the president of community college before leaving in January for the state college post.

Regent Mark Alden, who has been a vocal supporter of the state college plan, said there would not be a conflict between the teacher program planned for the state college and the one at UNLV.

"There is room for both," he said. "This (program at the state college) doesn't have to impinge on UNLV or (the University of Nevada, Reno)."

The regents also approved proposed undergraduate tuition at the state college of $60 per credit in 2002. That cost would rise to $62 per credit in 2003.