The latest from higher education: No campus closings, few canceled classes

When the dust settles, what will be the actual effects of the modest budget cuts required of Nevada higher education because state revenues and thus spending are rising slower than projected last May?

No college campuses will be closed.

All contractual commitments will be honored.

There will be few, if any, employee lay-offs or classes canceled.

Our eight higher education institutions will maintain and even improve the quality of their education, research and public-service functions, as compared to the present.

The Nevada System of Higher Education will defer some new initiatives, and use the time afforded by deferral to improve them with better planning and implementation.

We will make modest program and administration cuts, re-orient spending and reorganize some areas in an overdue pruning process and to strengthen things we do well and in which we can best compete in the education markets. Needed pruning and strategic reorganization typically happen only under some duress.

With the thoughtful and far-sighted concurrence of faculty, we will defer some merit-pay increases. With the thoughtful and far-sighted concurrence of student leaders, we will institute very modest tuition/fee increases, if the Legislature will assure that the new revenues will be used to improve higher education and not be siphoned off for other purposes.

Compared to the 8 percent cuts looming six weeks ago, operating budgets will be cut only slightly more than 3 percent. These cuts will be tailored by the presidents and administrations of the eight institutions to the various operating philosophies, strengths, needs and missions of the institutions. I anticipate no micromanagement, interference or special agendas pushed by regents, who will instead provide the strategic direction, policy guidance and oversight that is their duty.

How did it happen? How was the predicted end of western civilization avoided?

Everyone from the governor to the students - including Regents, system and institutional executives, and faculty - deserves credit and compliments. Stories like this don't make spectacular "film at eleven" copy, but they're important and heartening.

On Nov. 30, I proposed at the regents' meeting two principles for making necessary budget cuts, both for the whole state and for higher education: 1) first, cut or defer new initiatives and capital spending; and 2) then, spread the pain evenly across major operating budgets. Brett Whipple moved adoption of this position and that Chairman Mike Wixom and Chancellor Jim Rogers take these views to Gov. Jim Gibbons. I seconded, and ultimately the board voted unanimously for it.

With the board having taken a position and made clear that it wanted to speak through its chairman, Wixom provided very effective, low-key behind-the-scenes advocacy, with Rogers' constructive and active support. That got a good reception from Gov. Gibbons, his Chief of Staff Mike Dayton and Budget Director Andrew Clinger.

Apparently these principles, especially the second one, coincided with their own evolving and thoughtful approach to the issue. So, on Dec. 14, Nevada higher education welcomed the governor's announcement that, instead of imposing 8 percent cuts on 54 percent of the state's operating budget, as previously contemplated, he would require 4.5 percent cuts on almost the entire operating budget.

Thereafter, system executives led by Executive Vice-Chancellor Dan Klaich and the presidents and administrations at the eight institutions worked diligently and constructively to most effectively meet the new constraints and continue to improve Nevada higher education. Presidents actively reached out to faculty and students (led by UNR student president Sarah Ragsdale of Carson City), who also responded totally constructively.

There was lots of cooperation and hard work by all, and only minor posturing and overblown rhetoric. The business-like tone of all was a real tonic to those of us who recognize we were short-changed in going to college the first time during the childish, narcissistic wretched excesses of the sixties and seventies.

The regents meet Monday to hammer out final details of this process with staff, faculty and students, and I'm confident we will do so in the spirit and manner that has prevailed throughout the episode. Kudos are in order for Gov. Gibbons and his staff, chairman Wixom and my fellow regents, Messrs. Rogers and Klaich and all the system staff, the presidents and their administrations, the faculty and the students.

• Regent Ron Knecht, of Carson City, is an economist, engineer (registered in California) and law school graduate.