Editorial: Crear, Alden have the experience to enhance Board of Regents

Monday, Oct. 23, 2006 | 7:36 a.m.

T he 13 members of the Board of Regents set policy for the Nevada System of Higher Education. The system includes UNLV, UNR, Nevada State College, the Desert Research Institute and four community colleges. District 1 and District 4 have competitive races.

Cedric Crear, who owns an advertising company, is well qualified to represent District 1. He fully sees the need for Nevada's universities to proceed with their quest to become major research centers. He correctly points out that research institutions attract private funding in this era of shrinking state support, and that they also attract better professors and create economic opportunities. Crear expresses a concern for the physical structure of colleges and universities, particularly the Cheyenne Campus of the Community College of Southern Nevada.

As chairman of the Southern Nevada chapter of the Red Cross, Crear says he knows how to work within a board, an important quality for a regent in Nevada, as the board has in the past been torn by strife. We believe Crear has the character and personality to serve well on this board.

The Sun endorses Cedric Crear.

Our choice for the District 4 seat is the incumbent, Mark Alden, who is running for his third six-year term. Alden is known for being outspoken and well prepared for the regents' meetings, which span two days.

Alden's priorities for the coming term include developing a building program for the nascent Nevada State College, improving the national academic reputations of UNLV and UNR and building support for the vocational and industrial training offered at the community colleges.

We appreciate Alden's strong advocacy of education and we respect the enthusiasm he brings to his position.

The Sun endorses Mark Alden.