Should parents have access to college grades? An expert weighs in
Should parents have access to college grades if they’re footing the tuition bill? We asked an expert.
The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents approved a multi-year tuition and fee increase plan Friday, Jan. 23 to offset the expiration of temporary state funding and avoid widespread layoffs across Nevada’s public colleges and universities.
Under the plan, tuition and registration fees will rise gradually beginning in fall 2026 and phase in through the 2028-29 academic year at the University of Nevada, Reno; University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Nevada State University and the state’s community colleges.
The vote adopts the chancellor’s recommended option, calling for cumulative increases of up to 12% at four-year institutions and 9% at community colleges, in addition to inflation-based adjustments already scheduled.
The plan is tied to the expiration of state “bridge funding” approved during the 2025 legislative session to cover ongoing costs tied to cost-of-living raises in 2023 and 2024. That funding ends in 2027.
What UNR President Brian Sandoval told regents
Before the vote, UNR President Brian Sandoval told regents the plan reflects years of funding reductions, pandemic-era cuts and rising personnel costs. He said that even with the full tuition increase, UNR would still face an estimated $1.5 million budget deficit.
Sandoval said campuses have already made cuts to control costs, including about $10 million a year at UNR through hiring freezes, job cuts and reduced spending. Without approval of the tuition plan, he said, UNR would have faced the loss of about 116 positions, part of roughly 317 positions identified statewide.
He also emphasized that many low-income students would be shielded from the increases through student access funds and institutional aid. At UNR, Sandoval said more than 4,200 in-state students would not see higher tuition or mandatory fees because costs are covered by Pell grants and the university’s PAC Promise Plus program. He said similar protections exist at other campuses.
Sandoval said regents were faced with a difficult choice between raising tuition or allowing deeper cuts that could affect academic quality, student services and campus operations.
What the tuition plan does at Nevada colleges
Under the plan, tuition and registration fees will increase over three years, beyond inflation-based adjustments previously approved.
For UNLV, UNR and Nevada State University, additional increases will be:
- 3% in the 2026-27 academic year
- 4% in 2027-28
- 5% in 2028-29
Community college lower-division courses will see increases of:
- 2% in 2026-27
- 3% in 2027-28
- 4% in 2028-29
Regents said the increases are intended to maintain current staffing levels, academic programs and student services as temporary funding expires.
By the 2028-29 academic year, the added annual cost for full-time Nevada residents is expected to be about:
- $1,200 for UNLV and UNR students
- $900 for Nevada State University students
- $400 for community college lower-division students
The increases do not apply to dual-enrollment students, typically high school students earning college credit, or to professional programs at UNLV and UNR.
What Nevada regents considered
Briefing materials presented to regents showed that scaling back or delaying the increases would have reduced student costs but left significant funding gaps.
Under alternative scenarios reviewed by the board:
- An 8% increase would have left a $17.2 million shortfall and required roughly 100 job cuts.
- A 4% increase would have left a $33.4 million shortfall, placing about 200 positions at risk.
- No increase would have created a nearly $50 million gap, threatening about 300 jobs statewide.