■ Under a bill, community colleges would have a replacement governing body. 1B

Under bill, they would have separate governing body that replaces NSHE

A bill introduced in the Legislature is aimed at creating a separate governing body for Nevada’s community colleges — something proponents have pushed for years.

Senate Bill 321, introduced March 22 and referred to the Senate Education Committee, would create the Nevada System of Community Colleges. The bill’s primary sponsors are Sens. James Settelmeyer, R-minden; Sen. Scott Hammond, R-las Vegas; and

Sen. Ira Hansen, R-sparks.

If the bill became law, community colleges would be removed from the Nevada System of Higher Education’s authority effective July 1, 2022. But NSHE’S chancellor opposes the move, saying it would come with a significant price that the state can’t afford and would make it harder for students to transfer from two- to four-year schools.

NSHE currently oversees eight public schools, including four community colleges: College of Southern Nevada, Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Western Nevada College in Carson City and Great Basin College in Elko.

The state community college system would have its own governing body, with members appointed by the governor, according to the bill text. The board would appoint an executive director. And each community college would also have its own governor-appointed board of trustees.

Gov. Steve Sisolak referenced the concept in his January State of the State address, saying there needs to be recognition that community colleges will play a larger role in workforce training as part of COVID-19 recovery efforts.

In a March 26 statement to the Review-journal, NSHE Chancellor Melody Rose said the higher education system “respectfully opposes” the bill. “The financial costs to create several new layers of government and administrative systems, some of which duplicate critical centralized services, will be significant and unnecessary expenses our state cannot afford,” she said.

The bill would also create academic hardships for students by disconnecting two- and four-year universities, which would affect the transfer process that saves students time and money, Rose said.

NSHE will continue to work with Sisolak to “accelerate our community college workforce development efforts,” she said.

The proposal to create a separate community college system has been floated in the Legislature before. In 2017, though, all four community college presidents opposed it.

John Gwaltney, former president of Truckee Meadows Community College, is part of a group of six retired community college presidents in the state who are pushing the effort and working with bill sponsors. The idea dates to at least 2013, when a new state higher education funding formula was approved, he said.

“I hesitate to use the term ‘formula’ because it seems to imply equity in this, and frankly there is none,” Gwaltney said.

Gwaltney alleges there was no data justification for the funding model and that it disproportionately shifted state resources toward universities.

“That has created a number of difficulties for community colleges, which translates to making it more difficult for the most vulnerable students,” he said.