Letter: Research shows that chancellor’s way is best

Friday, March 10, 2006 | 7:22 a.m.

The ongoing events surrounding Chancellor Jim Rogers' efforts to create a centralized higher education system and President Carol Harter's quest for autonomy for UNLV are not new.

In fact, the issues - however personal they may seem - are classic struggles between institutional autonomy and higher education responsiveness to the public good.

The conclusion I reach, having researched higher education governance and finance systems for more than 10 years, is that a unified system is in fact in the best interests of Nevada. There is a complex array of variables to consider, including institutional goals, level of urbanization in the state, industry dynamics, demographics, political climate and the variety of institutions in existence, to name but a few.

There are plenty of examples in other states where autonomy and separate boards are inefficient and produce average if not substandard outcomes (in terms of performance on important measurables such as preparation and completion). There will be costs and benefits to any solution, but given Nevada's context and unique needs, centralization is the best course of action.

In the end, no matter how individual trustees, faculty or others may view Mr. Rogers, the preponderance of research evidence is on his side.

Mario Martinez, Henderson