Hundreds voice concerns over budget cuts
Hundreds of people were lined up this morning, prepared to testify to state legislators about proposed budget cuts.
College students and faculty made up a large part of the crowd.
"I think it's really important that people see how many people in this state are increasing the quality of their education and how important education is going to be in diversifying the state's economy," said Robin Herlands, a biology professor at Nevada State College.
Gov. Brian Sandoval proposed a budget with heavy cuts to education and other social services. He has promised not to raise taxes. He has said the higher education system, in particular, can raise its own money by increasing tuition and fees, which tend to be lower in Nevada than elsewhere.
Legislators scheduled town hall meetings for Saturday in Las Vegas and Reno. There were large crowds at both the Grant Sawyer building in Las Vegas and at the Washoe County Commission chambers in Reno.
The state's higher education leaders have said the governor's proposed cuts -- up to 25 percent of the operating budget if no new revenue comes in -- could lead to pay cuts, layoffs, the elimination of some programs and enrollment caps.
Students already have a hard time getting into classes because past budget cuts have caused administrators to cut the sections offered.
The cuts at UNLV would total $47.5 million, the university's president said. They would total $26.8 million at the College of Southern Nevada, its president said.
"How are we supposed to compete in the global economy if education is cut?" said Edward Okuda, a student at CSN.
J.T. Creedon, CSN's student body president, said cuts to higher education hurt the very people who are already hurting the worst in this economy. He said CSN tends to educate non-traditional students, including minorities and people looking to go back to school to retrain themselves.
Contact reporter Richard Lake at rlake@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307.
