Regents to consider charging more for longtime students

The higher education system’s governing Board of Regents is scheduled to hear a proposal this week to start charging longtime students more to attend classes.

“It’s for students who accumulate enormous amounts of credits,” said Dan Klaich, the system’s chancellor.

Also to be heard at the meeting, which starts today and continues Friday, is an update on the UNLV Now project, which would build a stadium on campus; a proposed student fee at Nevada State College that would help fund two new buildings on campus; and a proposal to buy a building across the street from UNLV to house administration offices.

The career student proposal would charge students 50 percent more per credit if they have accumulated 150 percent of the total credits needed to graduate.

If a degree program requires 120 credits, a student in that program who has earned 180 credits or more would have to pay the higher cost.

A full-time student from Nevada typically pays almost $3,000 a semester now, including per-credit fees, surcharges and other fees. That could rise to over $4,000 for students with too many credits.

Similar policies have been adopted in North Carolina, Utah, Wisconsin, Texas, Arizona and Virginia. Last week, the California State University trustees delayed voting on a similar proposal.

“We’re basically saying that we know you may change majors, change your plans, so we’ve given a cushion of 50 percent over the normal,” Klaich said.

That would match the federal financial aid policy, which disqualifies students who have earned 150 percent of the credits they need for their degree.

The policy would become effective in the fall of 2014 if the board adopts it.

STADIUM PROJECT UPDATE

The stadium project at UNLV will be coupled with an update on the university’s master plan. Majestic Realty plans to transform the campus with new dorms, retail shopping and the stadium.

The project would be privately financed, but few financing details have been made public.

Under another proposal, the administration’s offices, currently in rented space on West Flamingo Road, would move to a now-empty building across the street from UNLV.

Klaich said the details aren’t yet finalized, so the board will not vote on the issue.

COSTS FOR BUILDINGS

According to information provided to the board, the system pays $21,500 a month in rent now. The new building, which would be bought for $3,325,000, would require a monthly payment of $16,500 for 25 years.

The Nevada State proposal would charge students who take three or more credits $150 per semester. The money would help pay for two new buildings.

The college, which has grown to 3,400 students, has one building and leases space in downtown Henderson, several miles from the main campus.

The new buildings would be built by a private developer and leased. In addition to the regents, the state Legislature would need to approve the plan.

Contact reporter Richard Lake at rlake@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0307.