Space shortage brings growth at CCSN to a halt

Monday, Oct. 18, 2004 | 9:30 a.m.

RENO -- Because of a lack of space, Community College of Southern Nevada's enrollment growth has come to a "screeching halt" with 2,200 students turned away this semester, President Richard Carpenter told the university regents last week.

Carpenter said he will talk to the public schools to see if they have available space the college can use, and he may have to lease private space to handle the growing demand.

Until now, CCSN had been one of the fastest growing schools in the University and Community College System. And although the number of fall semester full-time equivalent students has dropped to 17,350 from 17,750, there are actually about 34,000 people who attend at least one class at a CCSN campus, Carpenter said. The Henderson campus had the biggest decline in the number of full-time equivalent students, Carpenter said.

Fifteen credit hours is considered full time.

The 2,200 students who were refused admission translated to 1,000 full-time equivalent students. Hardest hit, he said, were students wanting to enroll in automotive technology and general education courses such as biology and math.

Carpenter said students in the automotive classes are now doing their lab work at 2 a.m. because of the shortage of space.

He said he has recommended more buildings as well as an expansion of the automotive facilities, but those recommendations didn't make the first cut of the state Public Works Board that recommends building projects for the state.

Chancellor Jim Rogers said he is meeting weekly with Las Vegas contractors to talk about constructing buildings for CCSN. But, he said, "We have to develop an income stream so we can pay over a period of time."

He said he has not yet found a way to amortize these buildings, but he is meeting with officials in Arizona to see how they finance their university buildings. He said New York has a system in which the state, students and the cities each chip in one-third of the cost.

In Nevada, the state bears most of the cost and private contributors cover the remainder.

Carpenter said, "We can't wait for construction. Our need is critical."

Gov. Kenny Guinn and state legislators are aware of the problem facing the school, he said.

Regent Bret Whipple of Las Vegas suggested using space at the public schools, and Carpenter said he has held a preliminary meeting with officials of the Clark County School District. But that is only a "stop gap" measure, he said.

At UNLV and Nevada State College in Henderson, enrollment increased.

UNLV President Carol Harter told the Board of Regents on Friday it was hard to keep up with the growth. UNLV's fall enrollment rose 7.8 percent in full-time equivalent students to 20,094. She said the 335-acre campus is running out of space, and the university will have to develop regional campuses.

"We are trying not to turn away anybody," she said.

Harter said the overall number of students has grown to 27,333, a gain of 6.2 percent, and 30 percent of the UNLV student body come from minority groups, she said.

Pat Miltenberger, interim president at Nevada State College in Henderson, said although that college's full-time equivalent enrollment had been expected to be about 500, it turned out to be 754. The head count overall has risen to 1,121. Thirty-two percent of the students come from minority groups, she said.

UNR president John Lilley said the entire system must get more money for capital construction programs.

"This will be one of the top priorities with the Legislature," he said.

UNR's full-time equivalent enrollment is 11,931, an increase of 2.6 percent compared with the fall semester of the previous year, Lilly said.

The regents also heard a report from Becky Seibert, interim vice chancellor for technology, that the entire system needs a new computer network that could cost up to $100 million.

She said that would be a long-term project and the financing would be developed in the future. She said the Legislature in 2007 or 2009 will be approached for money.