Nevada State College gets OK to add buildings

The Board of Regents on Friday gave its OK to construct two buildings on the Nevada State College campus.

The college, which opened 10 years ago with fewer than 200 students, has grown to nearly 3,400 students. It still has only one building, plus leased space several miles from its Henderson campus.

“It’s something that’s desperately needed,” said Bart Patterson, NSC’s president.

The $61 million project would include a 60,000-square-foot nursing and education building and a 40,000-square-foot student activities and administration building. “I think you’ll see the student population increase exponentially” once the buildings are completed, Regent Andrea Anderson said.

Without any unexpected problems, college officials said the buildings could be complete by the fall 2014 semester.

The project will be financed through a combination of lease agreements and a newly implemented student fee of $150 a semester. The state higher education system has never before funded an academic building through student fees, but there is little prospect of getting the money from the state.

In a campuswide survey, 71 percent of the students supported the fee.

“The student body of Nevada State College stands in solidarity with our president and administration to support the new buildings,” said Deuvall Dorsey, the student body president. “We recognize the necessity of the building fees.”

Regent Robert Blakely was the only vote against the project. He said he was concerned about the college’s ability to pay the long-term costs.