Regents to submit budget of $161 million to state

Jennifer Knight

Friday, May 10, 2002 | 9:11 a.m.

The Board of Regents made a $161 million budget request during a special meeting Thursday, although the entire request is not expected to be approved by the state.

"We believe it is not likely we will get all of this, but it is our responsibility to let the state know what our needs are," said Jane Nichols, chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Regents voted 8-1 in favor of submitting a $159 million capital improvement building wish list for the 2003-2005 biennium. They also voted to forward a $2.5 million request to the Interim Finance Committee to fix a mistake made last biennium.

The Public Works Board will review the list of building priorities before sending its final recommendations to Gov. Kenny Guinn.

One item on the list of building projects is a $75 million science and engineering complex for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The structure is touted as a state-of-the-art facility capable of drawing in world-class scientists. UNLV is asking the state for $41.2 million in funding, with the rest to come from private donations.

Regent Mark Alden voted "No" on the priority list, saying the project was too expensive and that more money should be raised in the private sector before proceeding. Alden offered his own priority list, excluding the project altogether.

"We keep getting undersold on what UNLV has brought to the table in terms of private dollars," UNLV President Carol Harter said to the regents. "I think it's unfair. We are a 44-year-old institution and we have done well."

Harter sketched out a financial comparison between UNLV and the century-old University of Nevada, Reno. Between 1991 and 2003, the state gave $101 million to UNLV and $113 million to UNR. But during the same time, UNLV raised $142 million in private donations while UNR raised $118 million, Harter pointed out.

UNLV's requests Thursday totaled $62.5 million. UNR's requests for state capital improvement dollars totaled $25 million, according to university system figures.

In a separate action, regents voted 9-1 in favor of asking the Interim Finance Committee for $2.5 million in estate tax funds. The money will pay the Community College of Southern Nevada back for funding it was entitled to last biennium but never received.

Regent Jill Derby voted against raiding the estate tax funds, saying she would prefer to endow what little remains in the dwindling fund. Regent Laura Lopez Hobbs was absent.

Regent Tom Kirkpatrick hesitantly voted for the $2.5 million request.

"I hope this doesn't send the message that it's OK to screw up," he said.