Lawmakers approve bills to fix university funding

Senate Bill 374 creates a study of the current funding formulas used by lawmakers and the Nevada System of Higher Education, while SB449 allows the system to charge different per credit amounts for different classes depending on demand or the cost of providing the class.Lawmakers have approved two bills designed to revamp how the university system is funded in the future.Chancellor Dan Klaich said the study is absolutely critical.

There are a number of things that have changed in the funding of higher education over the past decade,he told the Ways and Means Committee Sunday.He said after the committee hearing the two measures work together.According to Klaich, a consultant found the system's funding structure fundamentally sound.But he said they need to change the rules so additional factors are taken into consideration.Specifically, he said there is no performance funding in the current formulas, no consideration of research and no information on the cost of providing different types of classes.

We've never done a detailed cost study of courses in Nevada, he said.He said the study would look for the first time at those different costs of providing such things as architecture, engineering and nursing classes, which are more costly than, for example, English classes. In addition, it will look at high demand classes such as those in the business department.