Letter to Regents
CSUN and The Rebel Yell thanks all of those who signed this letter in protest of the Spring 2009 tuition raise.
Your signatures and notes were presented to the Board of Regents on Dec. 4 and helped stop the tuition hike from occurring. More information can be found here.
CSUN and The Rebel Yell have prepared a letter for the Board of Regents. You may endorse this letter below before it is forwarded, or send your own letter to the members of the Board of Regents, listed at the bottom of this page. Feel free write notes of your own within the form below or cc The Rebel Yell [chief@unlvrebelyell.com] for possible publication of letters sent separately.
You may also download the PDF here. (Right click to download)
Dear Board of Regents:
I am writing to you as a concerned student of the Nevada System of Higher Education. While our more than 100,000 students understand that the state is experiencing tough financial times, raising tuition is not the answer to budget shortfalls. We urge you, as the officials we elected, to represent us wisely and vote against raising tuition for the spring 2009 semester.
In the recent past, Nevada System of Higher Education students have not protested tuition increases. Most recently, in April, the Board voted for a 5 percent increase set to begin the 2009-2010 school year. This increase was supported by administrators that deemed the cuts “inflationary.” The timing of the vote gave students ample time to figure out how to pay for school. If you were to vote now to increase tuition for spring 2009, you will be giving almost no time for students to determine how to prepare for the increase. For some students, it may be as easy as going to the financial aid office or bank and adjusting a number. However, for thousands of students who pay out-of-pocket, the adjustment will be dramatic and potentially devastating.
Furthermore, giving your constituents almost no information on the increase is unfair and wrong. Will the tuition increases apply to both in-state and out-of-state students? What is the exact percentage being proposed? Will the increases be permanent or temporary? These are questions that students deserve the answers to before the Board votes. Without those answers we cannot make informed decisions and give you the feedback you require.
What we do know is that UNLV has already dramatically reduced its budget. Part-time professors have lost their jobs, professors are doing less research, some student services have reduced their hours of operation and jobs are being left unfilled. To expect students to pay more while reducing the quality of their college experience is insulting and wrong.
Due to the poor timing of the Board meeting during study week as well as the short notice given to students regarding proposed tuition increases, many concerned students will be unable to attend to physically protest the agenda item. I hope you will consider this when voting on tuition increases.
Clark County Regents Contact Information
Michael Wixom
Board of Regents Chair
District 6 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 437-1737
E-mail: michael_wixom@nshe.nevada.edu
Mark Alden
District 4 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 454-4999
Fax: (702) 735-0285
E-mail: malden@nevada.edu
Stavros S. Anthony
District 12 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 254-2035
Fax: (702) 254-2035
E-mail: Stavros_Anthony@nshe.nevada.edu
Cedric Crear
District 1 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 731-0546
Fax: (702) 731-0271
E-mail: Cedric_Crear@nshe.nevada.edu
Thalia M. Dondero
District 3 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 735-8203
Fax: (702) 731-4730
E-mail: dondero@nevada.edu
James Dean Leavitt
District 13 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 384-0909
Fax: (702) 598-0510
E-mail: regentjamesdean@aol.com
Jack Lund Schofield
District 5 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 382-9638
Fax: (702) 382-3733
E-mail: jackschofield@hotmail.com
Steve Sisolak
District 7 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 871-6497
Fax: (702) 369-4655
E-mail: sisolak@aol.com
Bret Whipple
District 2 – Clark County
Phone: (702) 257-9500
Fax: (702) 543-3505
E-mail: bretwhipple@nomademail.com
