Editorial: Exactly who should select the regents?

Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2002 | 8:59 a.m.

The 2003 Nevada Legislature will consider a bill that would let the governor appoint the state university system's oversight board, a body that currently is elected. In light of the recent and previous infighting on the Board of Regents, it is a good time to debate whether an elected Board of Regents is necessary.

Supporters of an appointed board note that Nevada is just one of two states left with an elected board that governs its university system, but they'd be naive to believe that political intrigue and disputes would disappear if the governor did the appointing. The governor, after all, is a politician. Would it be better to create what very likely would be patronage positions to oversee the university system? Ultimately, if this proposal passes the Legislature, it still would require the approval of voters because it would change the Constitution. Only then will we find out if voters truly don't want a direct say in who sets policy for our university system.