UNR Get's Cuts. AB 449 Get's Sandoval's Undying Love and Support

Let me see if I get this right. The Governor’s draconian budget cuts have finally gotten the quiet UNR President Milton Glick to finally step onto the front page of today’s RGJ and kindly refer to the $59 million cuts as a “game changer”. (The full text of his comments are below).

Just below that headline, there is another story about an “ambitious economic development bill (AB449)” that was introduced, which Governor Sandoval says will cure damn near everything wrong with the state.

WTF? How many economic development canards has this state seen in the last 40 years? And here, they’re trying to sell us another one! Gee, if it creates jobs, it must be good? Right? Ask instead, does it create sustainable jobs, and better yet, sustainable communities.

Here’s some heresy: A new job doesn’t always create a better balance sheet for communities.

If economic development councils worked so damn well, why are we in the pickle we’re in right now? And, furthermore, how is our deluded Governorship going to convince business and industry to come to Nevada when the state can only boast one of the worst K-12 and higher education systems in the nation?

The FactCheckers at the Reno Gazette-Journal could do us all a huge favor and expose the lie that is ‘Economic Development’ councils/commissions/study groups. Talking about auditing the mining industry, how about auditing these black holes for tax dollars to ensure they produce what they promise.

It always sounds so good. ‘We’re gonna take a real look at our economic development efforts … blah, blah, blah and bring in new businesses to our state… blah, blah and create jobs!’ During times of financial stress - like now - I think you could sell Nevadans anything to promises to create jobs and pulls us out of the hole we’re in.

But please tell me how that will work with a wrecked and broken educational system. I’m sorry, but this is putting the cart before the horse. Worse, there are Democrats in Nevada who step up to support this - like John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas.

Here’s why I believe the Monkey See-Monkey Do of ‘Economic Development’ should get a hard second look:

Economic Development efforts relieve local and state officials from having to the do the hard work of creating real cities and towns - communities with that often intangible ‘something’ to offer that draws investment from our neighbors.

Constantly at the top of that list of ‘something’ is a first rate educational environment. Placing close behind that are liveable communities, richly textured with less suburban sprawl, more arts and entertainment, diverse options for shopping, housing and mobility. The old  economic drivers of safety, leadership and services are more often led today by aesthetics in communities that are not dominated by the car-centered culture of the 1950’s-1990’s.

Successful communities - like Portland, Oregon - happen more organically, with a focus less upon buying ‘off the shelf’ packaged ‘solutions’ to their problems and more taking hard, honest looks at who they want to be and working within that. Nevada’s leaders have bought into the fantasy that they can spend their way back from the fiscal brink by offering ever more ‘incentives’ to bring business in - with the hope that another new industry/factory/distribution center would somehow create that ideal city where people just want to be.

This sort of old-thinking belies the real reasons people live where they live, and how economic growth flows from that (rather than the other way around!).

Knight Soul of the Community 2010 - National from Knight Foundation on Vimeo.

Governor Sandoval, we’ve run out of things to give away. We’re fresh out of ‘incentives’. Will you please quit selling the same-old, same-old Ponzi Scheme of Economic Development? How do you plan to commercialize research from broken university systems?

Jobs and growth are the results of good economic and community planning, not a proxy for that.

Take a look at the Strategic Plan for Los Angeles County. Where do you see further tax breaks mentioned as an incentive to bring business in?

The overwhelming number of businesses in the United States have 10 employees or less. Visionary communities aren’t just seeking the next BIG industry or company to bring in from the outside, but rather how to nurture and grow from the inside outward, their own native talent - bright entreprenuers who live here because it’s the best place to live … not here just on account of the tax breaks. Tax breaks are only as good as the underlying economy. As soon as your neighbor offers a better one, those relying on that alone will be gone in a heartbeat.

Again, livable communities with solid educational credentials provide that rich soil for entreprenuerial growth and resulting economic prowess. Not more ‘Economic Development’ committees seeking to further cannabalize the picked clean bones of what’s left of a shattered economy, or steal from their neighbors.

The most sought after industries are the creative/knowledge economy. The Kaufman Foundation has published a report which outlines where the states stand right now (Nevada is number 30) in their attempts to develop economically through this recession, and how those states who will be successful might actually do it. Again, the same old cannabalistic economic development programs aren’t going to be models for new thinking.

Sprawl repair could put a lot of Nevadans back to work. Urban sprawl - particularly in places where land has been historically cheap and under-utilized such as Nevada - is contributing to negative perceptions of our state. Probably far more than the occasional whore house.

GenY want’s to walk. They’re willing to pay a premium for it. These are your entreprenurial, knowledge/creative businesses of the future. They don’t want to live out in BFE … or Spanish Springs, or Silver Springs, or Fernley and commute. That’s so 1960’s. Their grandparents day.  Where do you see the great bulk of foreclosures? Out in the sprawl. This doesn’t even account for the millions of boomers who want to age in place.

Do this hard work to repair sprawl, and the good businesses will come flocking.

So, at the end of the day, all AB449 says to me is ‘more old thinking’ and hanging desperately to what seemed to work in the past. Keep doing things the way you’ve always done them, the old Incident Command instructor told us, you’ll keep on getting the results you’ve always gotten. Except when it comes to ‘Economic Development’ we don’t actually know how well it’s worked - especially during the tough times. We’re guessing. We can’t afford to guess anymore.

It’s time to repair the educational system in Nevada, and quit with the magical thinking of ‘Economic Development’. These type of initiatives merely serve to obscure what really needs to be done to improve our states communities and make them the real drivers for sustainable growth and progress.

-maven

If you’re concerned - as you should be - here is the full text of President Glick’s comments:

AT A GLANCE

Second Proposed Budget Cuts
» Consolidation of four colleges into two: The College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources is proposed to consolidate into the College of Science, and the College of Education is proposed to consolidate into the College of Liberal Arts
» Elimination of majors and/or minors in educational leadership; educational psychology, counseling and human development; educational specialties; nutrition and philosophy
» Elimination of state funding for the following several centers and services, which means they must identify other revenue sources or face possible reduction or closure: Basque Studies, International Students and Scholars, Center for Justice Studies, Child and Family Research Center, Center for Substance Abuse Technology, Latino Research Center and Black Rock Press
» Reduction of $1.5 million in funding to intercollegiate athletics that would include cuts to staff and scholarships
Source: University of Nevada, Reno

Dear Colleague,
 
For more than 130 years, our institution has been on a clear trajectory. With each passing year, we’ve become a stronger institution, serving the state of Nevada in ways far too numerous to list here. Suffice it to say, particularly recently as we have reached key historic institutional milestones, we have made significant strides in providing the citizens of our state with meaningful results that have made a profound difference in their lives.
 
The compact between our campus and the citizens of our state has been a simple one: We aspire to be a quality institution in order to improve the quality of life in our state. We have kept this compact by graduating quality students, providing K-12 teacher preparation, offering important educational outreach initiatives to Nevada’s communities, supplying applied research focused on solving practical problems, and, through good economic times and bad, serving as a major and reliable economic engine.
 
Today, however, is a day where I can no longer say with certainty that any of this will continue at the level that our state needs if Nevada is to fully recover from its deep recession. Throughout these many months of budget reductions, the University has attempted to protect student success and the research capabilities of our campus. We continue to place a premium on both of these areas. However, the proposed budget reductions announced today dramatically reduce the quality of the University’s core instructional and research capabilities. The proposed budget reductions that I announce today, in fact, touch every corner of our University. They eliminate or severely curtail key service functions in ways that will impact our student body for years to come. Should the cuts announced today come to fruition, the institution will no longer be able to support our students with a broad range of quality degree programs. Sadly, faculty and staff positions will be lost and the lives of hundreds of individuals on our campus will be painfully impacted.
 
There is an important distinction between the budget reductions announced today and those announced in March: those announced today will be subject to future curricular review only if reductions of this magnitude are necessary following the determination of the state budget and related budgetary decisions by the Nevada Board of Regents. I wish to remain clear that we will continue to press our case to the legislature and to the governor that they must work to alleviate or moderate the reductions we are facing. Failure to do so will not simply defer the promise of tomorrow; it will ensure that the state’s dreams of tomorrow may take decades – if ever – to be fully realized.
 
Let us all hope we will be given the opportunity to right our trajectory, recapture our quality and regain our momentum as quickly as possible.
Here are pertinent details of what we are announcing to the campus today. This information is also available as a separate document at: www.unr.edu/budget2011
 
On March 22, 2011, the Joint Subcommittee on Education of the Senate Committee on Finance and the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means directed the Nevada System of Higher Education to provide specific budget reductions identified in the governor’s budget recommendation totaling $162 million, of which the University of Nevada, Reno would provide specific budget reductions of $58.8 million. To reach the $58.8 million reduction, the University is assuming plans will be implemented for a 5 percent salary reduction as called for in the governor’s budget, which saves $6 million annually, and $14 million in new revenue from increased tuition and fees, as determined by the Board of Regents.
 
This leaves $38 million in additional reductions to be identified. On March 7, the University announced $25 million in proposed budget reductions, many in support units where affected individuals have been or will soon be given notice. The remaining reductions are in academic units and these proposals are currently moving through a formal curricular review process. Even with these $25 million in proposed reductions, $13.8 million more remained to be identified and reported to the Joint Subcommittee by April 5, 2011.
 
Earlier budget reductions from last year were enacted with great pain and consequence, and the additional proposed reductions announced today mean that the University of Nevada, Reno is an institution much further at risk. This latest $13.8 million proposed reduction greatly alters the University’s trajectory in all aspects of its mission. More of the University’s core instructional, research and service functions will be eliminated, curtailing overall quality. The institution will no longer be able to support its students with a broad range of quality degree programs in key areas to the state, and the reduction in course offerings will impede the ability of students to graduate in a timely fashion. For example, 1,600 students are directly affected by these proposed reductions. And, many more will be indirectly affected.
 
Further impacting student success, important support services will be further curtailed. At this critical juncture in our state’s history, where families are at risk and improved graduation and retention rates remain a top priority, it is of utmost importance that we provide academic and financial support for our students, many of whom are first-generation college students. The proposed cuts announced today jeopardize the promise to all students that the University has the necessary resources committed for their ultimate success and graduation.
 
As Nevada’s oldest institution of higher learning, this proposed round of budget reductions will ensure long-term harm to the University’s aging infrastructure as much-needed maintenance and repair work will go unmet. The cuts mean that the campus’ deferred maintenance will soar well beyond the $300 million already identified.
 
The reduction proposals announced today were identified after consultation with a faculty committee, the membership of which was determined with Faculty Senate input. The faculty committee developed a set of principles by which this latest round of proposed reductions was determined, and those principles are attached along with the specific budget reduction proposals.  There is an important distinction between the budget reductions announced today and those announced in March: those announced today will be subject to future curricular review only if reductions of this magnitude are necessary following the determination of the state budget and related budgetary decisions by the Nevada Board of Regents.
 
The specific plan for the fiscal year’s $58.8 million in reductions includes:
 
·         Permanent elimination of 318 positions

·         1,600 students directly affected by proposed reductions in program and degree areas listed below

Consolidation of four colleges into two:
·         College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources into College of Science

·         College of Education into College of Liberal Arts

Elimination of majors/minors:
·         Educational Leadership

·         Educational Psychology, Counseling and Human Development

·         Educational Specialties

·         Nutrition

·         Philosophy

·         French

·         Theater

·         Dance

Elimination or significantly downsize (note: * signifies elimination):
·         Cooperative Extension

·         Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology

·         Center for Research Design and Analysis *

·         Nevada Small Business Development Center

·         Business Center North

·         Intercollegiate Athletics

·         Hydrology Graduate Program

·         Atmospheric Science Graduate Program

·         Mathematics/Statistics

·         Student Services including reductions in Disability Resource Center, Center for Student Cultural Diversity, Student Success Services, Student Conduct, Recruitment, and Admissions and Records. Also, additional student services will move to fee-based support.

·         University of Nevada School of Medicine

·         University Assessment Office *

·         Faculty Senate

·         Temporary Instructor Funding

·         Office of the Provost/Core Curriculum staffing

·         Office of the President

·         Special Collections Library staffing*

·         Institutional Analysis

·         Library Materials Budget

·         Custodial Services

Elimination of all state funding:
·         Basque Studies

·         International Students and Scholars

·         Center for Justice Studies

·         Child and Family Research Center

·         Lombardi Wellness Center

·         Center for Substance Abuse Technology

·         New Student Initiatives Program

·         Latino Research Center

·         Black Rock Press

If these proposed budget reductions are fully implemented, the University’s budget will have been reduced by more than $100 million over two bienniums or four years. Our campus will have eliminated more than 700 budgeted positions and more than 30 degree programs, and more than 50 services and programs will have been eliminated or sharply reduced.
 
It has taken more than a century to build the University of Nevada, Reno into an institution of service to the state. The University has always explored new ways to become more efficient, effective and responsive to the needs of its citizenry. Unfortunately, should the current level of proposed budget reductions stand, it will take years, if not decades, to recapture the University’s quality and momentum during a time of increased economic and intellectual competition within the country and the world.
 
 
Milton D. Glick, President
Clark Administration, room 201
University of Nevada, Reno/001
Reno, NV 89557