Higher-ed official seeks money for low-income students

By Cy Ryan

Thursday, Jan. 22, 2015 | 10:59 p.m.

The legislative budget committees were told Thursday that an estimated 20 percent of students from low-income families cannot afford the cost of entering a university or community college.

Dan Klaich, chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, made a strong pitch in his testimony saying colleges and universities should not shut out the low-income and minority students because of the cost.

He asked the money committees to provide $5 million for $2,000 scholarships a semester for 1,250 students.

But Assemblyman Pat Hickey, R-Reno, said UNR is one of the most affordable colleges in the region. “We don’t charge a large amount of money.”

Assemblywoman Robin Titus, R-Fallon, has a child in the university and she agreed, “It’s not cheap for anyone.” She said she was concerned about the rising costs with registration fees to go up about 4 percent per year.

Klaich said the fees are “generally reasonable” but there are also the cost of books, labs and living expenses.

This September the fee per credit hour at UNLV and UNR will be $199; $141 at the Nevada State College and $88 per credit hour at the community colleges.

The chancellor said these are need-based scholarships, different from the Millennium Scholarships that are based on achievement.

Gov. Brian Sandoval did not include any money in his recommended budget for these scholarships for the needy. Klaich said this program would target those students who are likely to graduate or get an associate degree.

Klaich also told members of the Senate Finance Committee and the Assembly Ways and Means Committee that not approving the tax plan of the governor would mean a 20 percent cut in all agency budgets and possibly more for the university system.

He said it would bring “to a screeching halt” many of the programs the system is proposing to improve higher education and meet the needs of Nevada.

The budget committees completed three days of briefings by a number of agencies and will continue its hearings next week. The full Legislature convenes Feb. 2.