BREAKING: In light of the developing campus unrest across the nation, the NFA has endorsed the principles set forth in the AAUP statement, In Defense of the Right to Free Speech and Peaceful Protest on University Campuses. It is the right of every member of our campus communities to engage in responsible and peaceful protest. We urge all faculty members to promote calm, thoughtful, and respectful dialog with their students, coworkers, and the broader community, about the complexities surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. |
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NFA advocates for more equity in higher education funding
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NFA Representative Kent Ervin For the past several months, members of the Chancellor's ad hoc Committee on Higher Education Funding have met to hear suggestions from various NSHE constituent groups on how to fix the funding model for Nevada colleges and universities. Representatives from the NFA have attended every meeting and contributed through the Public Comment periods, providing background information and submitting independent analyses of the various components of the existing funding model. Committee members have frequently taken NFA recommendations under serious consideration. Among the recommendations submitted by NFA is one where funding for fixed costs is not be tied to enrollment, while some funding categories should be tied to head count and others to FTE. We are also urging the committee to adopt policies that maintain an equitable proportion of state funding versus student revenue that avoids shifting a greater burden to students over time, including a mandate that 80% of all registration fees be allocated to state operating budgets. The NFA also recommends that the ineffective Performance Pool, which is carved out of each institution's base funding, be replaced by a truly aspirational incentive program separate from the operating budgets. The consultants for the committee, HCM Strategists, presented their preliminary recommendations for formula changes on April 26th. The ad hoc committee holds its final two meetings on May 30th and June 25th. We welcome feedback on the preliminary proposals from faculty, including department chairs and others who administer state-supported instructional budgets on the ground. READ MORE>> Preliminary funding formula recommendations |
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BOR candidates participate in NFA forums, respond to questionnairesFour seats on the Nevada Board of Regents are up for election this year, with incumbents vying to retain their positions in three of them. The primary election is on June 11th with early voting starting on May 25th. The primary will narrow the field to two candidates for each race going forward to the general election in November, unless one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the primary, in which case that candidate is declared elected. Most candidates have responded to an NFA questionnaire outlining their positions and many have participated in online forums for members. In the coming weeks, the NFA Political Action Committee will announce endorsements, if any, in these races. Although many factors will go into the endorsement decisions, a candidate must declare unconditional support for shared governance, academic freedom, and collective bargaining to be considered for an endorsement. READ MORE>> Candidates for Board of Regents seek NFA endorsements |
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Second Question 1 forum with NSHE stakeholders on tap for mid-May
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Carol Del Carlo and Stephanie Goodman To help inform our members and the NSHE community about Question 1, the constitutional amendment to remove the Board of Regents and its election from the Nevada Constitution, the NFA is holding forums on the ballot initiative. In February, we hosted three legislators who support Question 1 and probed what changes to NSHE governance they anticipate if it passes. To provide a different point of view, NFA has invited NSHE stakeholders Carol Del Carlo and Stephanie Goodman to participate in a second forum. Nevada voters will decide in November whether to amend the state constitution for this change or maintain the status quo. No constituency group will be impacted more than NSHE faculty. The event, which is open to all NSHE rank and file faculty, will be held at 9:30 AM, Wednesday, May 15, on Zoom. Individuals are asked to register in advance. (NOTE: Regents are not permitted to advocate for or against the ballot question in their capacity as Regents or on behalf of the Board of Regents, nor use any institutional resources for that purpose. Ms. Del Carlo and Ms. Goodman are participating in our forum on their own behalf as private citizens. NFA is sponsoring the forums on Question 1 as an independent organization for the benefit of our members and other faculty.) REGISTER TO ATTEND>> Question 1 Forum: Event Registration
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Ervin honored with 2024 AAUP Outstanding Achievement Award
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Kent Ervin, past-president of the Nevada Faculty Alliance will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award from the American Association of University Professors. He was nominated by members of the State Board of the NFA and his home chapter at the University of Nevada, Reno, for his role as a lobbyist, chapter leader, and a statewide force propelling Nevada towards collective bargaining by faculty. |
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In his nomination, Ervin was recognized for continuing to stand up for those in more vulnerable positions and working tirelessly on behalf of faculty across the state of Nevada, despite his recent retirement from being a full professor at UNR. In their award letter to Ervin, AAUP cited his work to expose budget mismanagement at UNR as a contributing factor in their selection of him over other nominees from across the country. Ervin will accept the award when he attends the AAUP 2024 Biennial Meeting in Washington, D.C., on June 15th. |
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NFA goals for 2024-25 build on current year's successes As the academic year draws to a close, the members of the State Board of the Nevada Faculty Alliance are beginning to define our goals for the next year based on the exceptionally successful year we experienced in 2023-24. For example, more than 200 faculty members, at NFA's urging, showed up for Public Comment periods to convince the Board of Regents to approve the two largest back-to-back cost-of-living adjustments in NSHE's history. The year also saw unprecedented growth for NFA. Overall, the alliance grew more than 20%, eclipsing our established goal of 10%. Some individual chapters recorded extraordinary growth, such as 20% at CSN, 38% at TMCC, and an eye-popping 111% at GBC which occurred within two months of the chapter being reactivated. Turning our attention to the coming year, NFA will be actively engaged in political action through the election season and then governmental relations during the 2025 Nevada Legislature. We hope to maintain momentum with membership growth, and expand our efforts in member engagement. Members are encouraged to share ideas for goals in the coming year with State Board or chapter officers. READ MORE>> Recapping a successful year |
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AAUP issues second case letter to UNR over on-going governance concerns
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The American Association of University Professors has issued a governance case letter to UNR President Brian Sandoval outlining concerns over on-going disregard for shared governance. |
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The letter is a follow up to a previous one sent from NFA to the University stating the same concerns, to which NFA received no response. On April 26, NFA President Jim New sent a message to UNR President Brian Sandoval and Provost Jeffrey Thompson requesting a meeting with University leadership and NFA officers to explore the nature of the complaints and discuss ways to mitigate them. As of this writing, no response or acknowledgement from the University has been received.
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Shared Governance Summit presentation and recording available
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Dr. Michael DeCesare
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More than 50 individuals including members of the Board of Regents, senior NSHE and college administrators, and student leaders, joined dozens of faculty members from across the state for the NFA-AAUP Shared Governance Summit with Dr. Michael DeCesare, a nationally recognized expert on academic governance, on April 17. Individuals who were unable to attend the summit can still view a recording of the discussion on YouTube and download Dr. DeCesare's presentation. |
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