Public can speak out on higher university standard

Jennifer Knight

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001 | 9:38 a.m.

Two public forums have been scheduled to provide residents with the chance to weigh in on a proposal to raise admission standards at the two state universities.

The proposal, which would require a minimum high school grade point average of 3.0 -- up from 2.5 -- has been a source of controversy, particularly in minority communities.

The Board of Regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada will host a public meeting Nov. 27 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

But saying that the hearing would provide insufficient access to minorities most affected by the proposal, Regent Linda Howard, the board's only minority member, has scheduled a second meeting Nov. 15 in North Las Vegas.

"The chancellor decided to hold it at UNLV, and I decided to hold it in the neighborhood," Howard said.

According to university data, an increase in GPA requirements would block more than 1,511 minority students from entering UNLV every semester. At UNR, 581 minority students would be affected each semester.

That, says Thomas Rodriquez, a minority activist in Las Vegas, is unacceptable.

"I think even leaving out one student is too much, but clearly more people than that are affected," Rodriguez said.

Regents received so much pressure over the proposal that they decided not to take it to a vote during their October meeting but wait until they received more information.

Support for the proposal among the 11 board members is strong. As many as six regents are likely to vote for the proposal -- two are undecided and three oppose it, according to sources on the board.

The votes could change depending on public comment, and there could be room for a last-minute compromise, Regent Mark Alden said.

"I talked to Dr. Carol Harter (UNLV president), and I think she's willing to reach a compromise, and that's going to be to raise the GPA to 2.75," Alden said.

Although Alden sought input from Harter, the board ultimately sets and decides academic policy.

The Nov. 15 forum is slated for 6 p.m. at the West Las Vegas Art Center, 947 W. Lake Mead Blvd.

The Nov. 27 forum is 6:30 p.m. at the Foundation Building at UNLV.