Editorial: Dialogue on regents has been needed

Friday, Sept. 3, 2004 | 8:54 a.m.

Over the past few days interim Chancellor Jim Rogers has sent two strong memos to the Board of Regents in an attempt to reform its approach to governing the state's university system. For more than a decade the regents' infighting, abuses of power and open-meeting law violations have made more news than anything they've done to move the system forward. Rogers, a businessman who has donated millions to higher education, wants the University and Community College System of Nevada to be respected nationally. From the tone of his memos, it's obvious he believes achieving this goal will require a restructured governing board whose members understand the concept of putting the university system ahead of their individual egos.

Rogers says we must move toward this goal by cutting the size of the board, which now numbers 13. We fully agree. For an example, he gives his own alma mater, the University of Arizona. "(Its) appointed Board of Regents of 7, with members with different opinions and agendas, work closely together for the common good," Rogers wrote in a Tuesday memo to the board.

Rogers also suggests the board would be vastly improved if its members were appointed, instead of being elected. This newspaper, trusting in the public's ability to make good decisions, has always supported an elected Board of Regents. Given the dysfunction of the board over the past decade, however, it seems the public has abdicated its responsibility to provide the university system with regents who are capable of leading. We are now open to the idea of an appointed board.

We are in strong disagreement with one of Rogers' points, however. He wrote in his Tuesday memo that, "While having a good purpose, the open-meeting law is really an impediment to communication among the 13 members." In our view, the open-meeting law is an impediment only to corruption, lies, deceit and misguided policy.

Overall, though, we support Rogers for opening a public dialogue on the Board of Regents. It's badly needed.