Dear UNLV Community,
On September 11-12, the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents gathered for its quarterly meeting at Great Basin College. I’m pleased to share several outcomes that highlight both opportunities ahead for UNLV and the strong support of our Regents and System leadership for the work we’re doing together.
Academic Programs
The Board enthusiastically approved the creation of the Center for Water Intelligence and Community Health, which will focus on innovative water research, including wastewater monitoring and clean water solutions. Importantly, the center will train students for careers in water and health, while collaborating with private, community, and academic partners.
A new Ph.D. program in Multilingual Education has been approved to address both local and national needs for scholars with the skills to develop, study, and improve educational practices that support multilingual learners. With few comparable programs nationwide, this program positions us as a key contributor in preparing graduates for research and teaching roles in higher education, as well as leadership positions in policy and multilingual education in various settings.
Additionally, five inactive organizational units/centers were approved for elimination.
Financial Stewardship
We continue to provide updates to the Board on the management of our student fee balances, and we were happy to report that we reduced our total carryover balance as well as the number of accounts with ending balances greater than annual revenue. We expect to make additional progress in lowering the total closing balance for FY26.
Real Estate and Campus Infrastructure
As we continue to explore beneficial, long-term use options for the 42-acre property located on Tropicana Ave., we have been providing the Board with informational updates, which we continued at this meeting. The Board also approved a short-term ground lease with Las Vegas Paving Corp. for use of seven acres of the 42-acre property to support the Southern Nevada RTC Bus Rapid Transit construction project along Maryland Parkway. The lease will generate some short-term revenue for UNLV, while preserving flexibility for future strategic development of the property.
The Board also approved our request to expend up to $4 million in Capital Improvement Fee (CIF) funds to support planning and design for the new business school building. While the state has allocated $6.2 million to the project via SB 427, UNLV will provide matching funds to complete the building design. Design work is proceeding with the plan to locate the building roughly on the site of the former Frazier Hall near the main campus entrance at Maude Frazier Way and Maryland Pkwy.
Collaborations
The Board received a presentation about the CSN and UNLV Dental Collaborative that aims to strengthen dental education and expand access to care. With MOUs and clinical affiliation agreements in place or in progress, students will benefit from expanded clinical training, faculty teaching and mentoring across institutions, patient sharing between clinics, and professional development exchanges.
Global Campus Opportunities
We shared informational updates with the Board regarding potential global campus opportunities in South Korea and China.
- South Korea (Incheon Global Campus): UNLV has been invited to apply for the opportunity to join IGC, a successful hub for U.S. and European university branch campuses. UNLV would be the first to offer a hospitality program there, and we may consider offering other programs, as well. The South Korean government and private partners have pledged financial support for the feasibility study, campus development, and startup operations.
- China (Hainan Province): Following the launch of the Sands Institute for Chinese Language and Culture, UNLV was invited by the Hainan government to consider a branch campus in partnership with Las Vegas Sands Corporation. Hainan is a major tourism hub and free trade zone in the South China Sea. Las Vegas Sands will fund a feasibility study as the next step in our consideration of this opportunity.
We will continue to proceed carefully as we do our due diligence on both potential branch campuses. If UNLV decides to proceed with either of these opportunities, we will return to the Board for further updates and all necessary approvals.
Overall, it was a productive meeting, made possible by the thoughtful contributions of our administrators, faculty, staff, and students. I am grateful for the dedication and creativity you bring each day. Your insights and engagement show the strength of our community and the momentum we are building together. Go Rebels!
Warm wishes,
Chris Heavey
Interim UNLV President