Higher Education Efficiency Measure Passes Senate
May 9, 2011
One of the biggest challenges this legislative session is the lack of revenue for education, both K-12 and higher education, which together typically make up more than half the entire state budget. Due to this lack of revenue, both Democrats and Republicans are in complete agreement that there must be cuts. There also needs to be fundamental reform to education to ensure our public schools, universities and community colleges are doing all they can to produce a well-educated, well-trained workforce ready for today’s jobs.
A.B. 220, sponsored by Speaker John Oceguera, encouraging the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) to examine in detail and revise the programs and services offered at each campus passed the Nevada Senate on Saturday. The legislation aims to find and implement cost savings and efficiencies at NSHE intuitions.
“With this legislation, we are helping NSHE maintain the quality higher education system Nevadans deserve and have rightly come to expect,” Speaker Oceguera said. “We all recognize we need to streamline our higher education institutions without sacrificing quality to keep Nevada’s economy growing and to create a brighter future for our state.”
Under the governor’s budget proposal, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) is facing a cut of $280 million, or 18%. Democrats oppose cuts as severe as the governor has proposed, submitting options for raising additional revenue and proposing cutting state support the NSHE budget by only 10% by restoring $123 million. Democrats believe a cut of this size is more sustainable as long as NSHE finds and implements cost savings and efficiencies as encouraged by A.B. 220.
A.B. 220 will now go to the governor.
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