Regents to host hearing on GPA boost

Friday, Oct. 19, 2001 | 10:15 a.m.

FALLON -- Raising the entrance requirements for freshmen at the state's two universities gained strong support from educators and administrators Thursday, but opponents of the plan say it would create an "elitist" system.

Although the regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada debated the pros and cons of boosting the admission requirements at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno from a 2.5 to a 3.0 grade point average, members delayed a vote on the issue.

The board will host a public hearing during its December meeting in Las Vegas, where the issue will be discussed.

Under the proposal, the current requirement for entrance, 2.5, would increase to 2.75 in the fall of 2003 and to 3.0 in the fall of 2005. There would be no change regarding the courses high school students must take to be admitted to one of the schools, although a computer literacy course requirement would be eliminated.

System Chancellor Jane Nichols told the regents the move has support of top administrators throughout the state system.

The system, she said, has compiled "a poor record of retention and graduation rates."

UNLV President Carol Harter said the GPA is the most important indicator of a student's chance for success in college.

The admission standard for students enrolling at the proposed state college in Henderson, slated to open next year, will be 2.5.

Regent Steve Sisolak of Las Vegas said the proposal "smells of elitism."

He questioned why the Henderson college, which will be offering teaching and nursing programs, would have a lower requirement -- in the long-run -- for admission than UNLV and UNR.

"This troubles me," he said.

Under the proposal, 6 percent of the student population -- athletes and artists, for example -- would be allowed admission even if they failed to carry a 3.0 GPA in high school.

Regent Linda Howard said the higher standard would make it tougher for minority students to enroll at the universities.

But university officials attempted to dispute Howard's claim. Juanita Fain, representing UNLV, showed that minority students comprised 35.6 percent of the freshmen admitted to the school during the fall of 2000.

Under the proposed policy, the number would fall only slightly, to 34.5 percent.

Regent Dorothy Gallagher, the senior member of the board, said the regents have considered a similar proposal on two previous occasions,

She said she hoped the regents would not "bow to political pressure," and, this time, approve the measure.

But Sisolak attacked the policy, saying it was unfair to both students and taxpayers. If this is adopted, he said, high school students, in an effort to make the 3.0 requirement, will take easy courses for their electives, rather than courses such as psychics or chemistry.

In addition, he said, many high school students work 30 to 40 hours each week, and it is difficult for them to crack the 3.0 threshold.