Regents say voters should decide whether they serve

Four university system regents pleaded with legislators Thursday not to make their positions appointed by the governor.

"To take away the vote of the people is just unconscionable," Regent Vice Chair Jack Lund Scofield told an Assembly committee that was hearing Senate Joint Resolution 4.

SJR 4 would change the constitution to make the regents appointed by the governor and allow the Legislature to determine the number of regents on the board and their qualifications.

The 13 regents are currently elected but have been embroiled in numerous public disputes that have prompted legislators to introduce several bills over the years making them appointed.

Regent Howard Rosenberg said that taking away the public's vote was "elitist, patronizing and downright undemocratic."

Regents James Dean Leavitt and Ron Knecht also spoke against the bill.

If the bill, sponsored by Senators Bill Raggio, R-Reno, Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, and Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, passes this legislative session, it would have to pass the Legislature next session and then be approved by voters.

A ballot question to make some of the regents appointed and others elected was rejected by voters in November.

Nevada is the only state that elects its regents to a statewide board overseeing the entire university system.

Regent Dorothy Gallagher, the longest-serving regent on the board, came out in support of SJR 4, saying that she trusted legislators would come up with suitable qualifications for regents.

Raggio said he wasn't trying to target the board or any of the board members. He said he thought that appointed regents would serve the higher education system better.

"We have some excellent regents, some very good regents," Raggio said. "Probably a lot of the existing regents would be reappointed."

Higher education system Chancellor Jim Rogers said he also supported the resolution, although the regents voted to oppose the resolution.