The Purpose Of Why We Have A Land Grant University?
By: Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President
While reading through the documentation on the proposal by the University of Nevada to re-route a significant portion of Cooperative Extension funds (once the legislature gets around to approving whatever it comes up with for that specific line-item) -- I was notified that UNR officials were preparing to announce plans to nix the College of Agriculture. Immediately, my read of this recent post from the Nevada Policy Research Institute came to mind. The NPRI piece identified how the Senate Majority Leader was disappointed over the stance by the Board of Regents and their decision to not close down portions of our Higher Education System if tax increases weren’t approved to acquire more funding for state spending.
Obliviously, UNR officials are on board with Senator Horsford’s Tax Raising Team, seeking to leverage their ability to inflict pain and suffering on rural Nevada as they cast about for votes from rural legislators in favor of taxes. They better raise taxes, because if the Nevada Legislature doesn’t fund UNR to the extent it deems necessary – agriculture and rural Nevada is going to get it.
Although the mission of a Land Grant University might not completely fit the application being employed here – the lesson we are to take from this is that whenever possible and in every way possible agriculture and rural Nevada is a chip to be played, hoping that righteous indignation might befall recalcitrant legislators who don’t step up to sell out the Governor’s budget proposal. Then again, following a traditional course for Land Grant Universities hasn’t been a constraining path for Nevada and this isn’t the first time that following political orders isn’t part of the University’s operations.
While we still believe that agriculture should be a cornerstone in the foundation for Nevada’s Land Grant University, our view is probably not in line with the officials who so willingly seek to sacrifice us for their other pursuits. Instead of negotiating and attempting to find ways to save agriculture and rural Nevada from the proposed reductions, the tempting response to recommend would be to not hold the line on not raising taxes – but perhaps finding ways to further reduce the spending planned for our Land Grant University. What are they going to do?
(Oh yea, we already about the place where agriculture and rural Nevada ranks…)
While reading through the documentation on the proposal by the University of Nevada to re-route a significant portion of Cooperative Extension funds (once the legislature gets around to approving whatever it comes up with for that specific line-item) -- I was notified that UNR officials were preparing to announce plans to nix the College of Agriculture. Immediately, my read of this recent post from the Nevada Policy Research Institute came to mind. The NPRI piece identified how the Senate Majority Leader was disappointed over the stance by the Board of Regents and their decision to not close down portions of our Higher Education System if tax increases weren’t approved to acquire more funding for state spending.
Obliviously, UNR officials are on board with Senator Horsford’s Tax Raising Team, seeking to leverage their ability to inflict pain and suffering on rural Nevada as they cast about for votes from rural legislators in favor of taxes. They better raise taxes, because if the Nevada Legislature doesn’t fund UNR to the extent it deems necessary – agriculture and rural Nevada is going to get it.
Although the mission of a Land Grant University might not completely fit the application being employed here – the lesson we are to take from this is that whenever possible and in every way possible agriculture and rural Nevada is a chip to be played, hoping that righteous indignation might befall recalcitrant legislators who don’t step up to sell out the Governor’s budget proposal. Then again, following a traditional course for Land Grant Universities hasn’t been a constraining path for Nevada and this isn’t the first time that following political orders isn’t part of the University’s operations.
While we still believe that agriculture should be a cornerstone in the foundation for Nevada’s Land Grant University, our view is probably not in line with the officials who so willingly seek to sacrifice us for their other pursuits. Instead of negotiating and attempting to find ways to save agriculture and rural Nevada from the proposed reductions, the tempting response to recommend would be to not hold the line on not raising taxes – but perhaps finding ways to further reduce the spending planned for our Land Grant University. What are they going to do?
(Oh yea, we already about the place where agriculture and rural Nevada ranks…)
Posted by Doug Busselman at 4/4/2011 1:39 PM 
Categories: 2011 Nevada Legislature
Tags: Nevada Higher Education College of Agriculture closing Taxes and Spending
Categories: 2011 Nevada Legislature
Tags: Nevada Higher Education College of Agriculture closing Taxes and Spending
Is your from the blog again pertinent, as UNR and some Washoe (Reno)planners, ETC., prepare to re-zone the AG Farm where Wolf-Pack Meats is located? All for a quick Buck? I wonder if there is going to be enough money to pay for all the damage that is likely to occur in another flood event?
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