Budget delay holds up UNLV planning

Jennifer Knight

Wednesday, July 16, 2003 | 9:20 a.m.

Students attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, will likely be taught by more visiting professors and part-time instructors than originally planned -- and they have the Legislature to thank.

Even though the state's higher education budget was passed and approved more than a month ago, administrators at UNLV have been so cautious given the state of indecision in Carson City that they have held off on hiring permanent professors to meet growing enrollment.

"We're already beyond the point where we can hire permanent faculty for the coming school year," said Ray Alden, UNLV's executive vice president and provost. "Any faculty hired for that first year would be either visiting faculty or a full-time appointment."

University officials are facing a deadline of July 22 to have next year's budget planned out. While officials are following the budget approved by the Legislature in May, they are holding off on making certain financial commitments, such as new hires, until the ongoing budget disputes are resolved.

"This uncertainty is really really having a detrimental effect on those of us who are trying to plan for next year," said Tony Flores, UNLV's vice president for finance. "From a practical standpoint, you can't go blissfully into the night and say that this budget is guaranteed. Once you spend you cannot go back."

UNLV is expecting its enrollment to increase by 9 percent this year, creating the need for more classes to accommodate students and more teachers to teach them.

University officials were unable to provide the number of temporary faculty positions that will take the place of permanent positions, but said the situation will likely have an effect on at least some departments.

"There are some (permanent) faculty positions that we would have liked to have added in some departments, but we have put that on hold," said James Frey, UNLV's dean of liberal arts. "It has created some gaps. It means that you can't offer the courses in the areas that you would like."

Frey said his department tentatively had plans to add up to 10 more permanent professors but now those positions will likely be taught by more part-time faculty, graduate assistants and visiting professors.

The difference between those temporary faculty members and permanent ones means the department could likely have more inexperienced teachers who won't get as involved in community affairs or research, which is required of a permanent faculty member but not of temporary faculty, Frey said.

Many of the state's higher education institutions are equally worried about their budgets, said Dan Miles, vice chancellor for finance and administration for the University and Community College System of Nevada.

"We have bills to pay and payrolls to meet," Miles said. "We're trying to be cautious with new hires and new contracts. You just can't wait until Sept. 1 to go out and find a physics professor. If they don't recruit early on it becomes very difficult to pull that trigger and decide whether to hire or not."