Regents propose budget increase of $260 million

Monday, Aug. 23, 2004 | 9:48 a.m.

RENO -- University and community college faculty are seeking a 3.75 percent raise in each of the coming two fiscal years but it's not in the $1.5 billion budget proposed by the Board of Regents, a budget that would spend 20 percent more than the current budget.

The proposed budget, approved Friday by the Board of Regents, already includes $25.1 million in merit raises for the system's 3,097 faculty members and other employees.

Jim Richardson, spokesman for the Faculty Senate, said the cost of living raise requests are never in the budget approved by the regents.

But, he added, his "understanding is the governor is making an effort to find the money for a cost of living increase."

Earlier this month, the state Board of Education included in its proposed budget a 3 percent per year cost of living increase for public school teachers.

The University and Community College System of Nevada's proposed budget now goes from the regents to Gov. Kenny Guinn who will submit his recommendations to the 2005 Legislature.

Regent Jill Derby of Minden said the 20 percent increase in the proposed budget seemed "strong" to her, and she wondered if the university could defend the increase in light of the tight economic times.

Buster Neel, vice chancellor for finance, said the budget can be defended because of the growth in the system. Of the $260 million increase in the base budget, $132.6 million is to take care of the growth in enrollment -- expected to be 5.9 percent next fiscal year and 6.8 percent the following year.

But Neel wasn't as optimistic about getting the $100 million the regents are requesting for program enhancements.

The "enhancement" $100 million budget includes $4.7 million for starting a school of pharmacy to offer a program both at UNLV and at Reno; $4.5 million to double the nursing program and $5.5 million to enhance the security on the campuses such as hiring additional police.

There is $10 million set aside in the "enhancement" budget for technology. Regent Doug Seastrand of North Las Vegas suggested more money was needed because the system technology was far behind. He called it a dinosaur.

But most of the enhancement budget may wind up being an list of unfulfilled wishes. Two years ago, an initial enhancement budget of $95 million was reduced to $55 million by the regents -- and the 2003 Legislature wound up allocating the system $5.5 million for enhancements.

Regent Tom Kirkpatrick of Las Vegas on Friday asked Neel, "How bad do we get shortchanged in the governor's process (this time)?"

Neel said the governor has to look at the revenue when he makes decisions about expenditures and that means "generally many of these items (on the enhancement list) will not be included."

Neel said the budget includes $11 million next fiscal year and $19 million the following year for "student access," which means grants and scholarships for needy students.

Neel said that 77.5 percent of the proposed $1.5 billion budget comes from the state, 19.8 percent from students and 2.6 percent from other sources.

The regents agreed to request an estimated $9.7 million to raise the salaries of the part-time faculty whose pay has not kept pace with other increases. The target salary is for $862 per credit at the universities; $819 per credit at the Nevada State College and $776 per credit for Community College part-time instructors.

The board also backed the request for $4.7 million for a stepped-up counseling and academic advising to help convince students to stay in school until they graduate. The graduation rate at UNLV is 37 percent and at the University of Nevada, Reno the rate is 49 percent. The graduation-rate average for public universities in the western states is 50 percent.