Regent discusses higher education

University Regent Ron Knecht told a Gardnerville audience he felt that new technology posed an opportunity for Nevada's institutions for higher learning.

"Right now 16 percent of our students participate in distance learning," he told the Sierra Nevada Republican Women on Wednesday. "It's important to recognize the opportunities and the threats and build a business model to deal with the future."

He said he felt the regents should spend their time working out a vision for the future rather than a master plan that builds on the future.

Knecht said Nevada's colleges and universities are in competition with other states.

"Nevada is the only state in the union with completely integrated institutions all governed by a single board," he said. "We've standardized course listings, which is one of the good things we've done."

Knecht said there are about 104,000 students in the university and community college system or the equivalent of 61,000 to 62,000 full time students.

The system has a budget of roughly $800 million.

About 22,000 students a year take advantage of the Millennium Scholarships and that 28 percent of those students have to take remedial classes.

Knecht said those classes are being offered at the community colleges, so that they cost the state less.

The scholarships are under scrutiny this year at the Nevada Legislature and Knecht said he favored making them based on merit.

He would require students to have four years of math in high school before qualifying for the scholarship.

"Statistics have shown that students with four years of high school math are more successful."

Knecht said his daughter is 5 and will be starting kindergarten, so his concern for education extends beyond the scope of the university system.

The Carson City resident said many of that school district's recent troubles could be solved by requiring teachers to post a syllabus on the internet at the beginning of the school year.

Knecht also said he felt teachers should be paid based on the performance of their classes.

"If a class starts in the 40 percentile and ends in the 60th, that teacher has done a good job," he said. "But if the class starts out in the 90s and ends up at 74 percent, then something needs to be done."

He also favors parental choice within the school system.

"In Carson it would be easier to promote some choice among schools," he said.