At its quarterly meeting Friday, the board that oversees Nevada’s eight public higher education institutions delayed a planned vote on a controversial proposed tuition hike. 

But the discussion that took place instead turned into Board of Regents members criticizing Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) leadership for writing an op-ed about the tuition increase proposal published Wednesday on The Nevada Independent website.

“Unfortunately the media was used to make a case ahead of this discussion that should have happened today,” said Regent Amy Carvalho. “I don’t think that the board has been dealt with transparently in this process.” 

In that op-ed, NSHE Chancellor Matt McNair and the presidents of Nevada’s public colleges and universities explained their rationale for proposing the tuition hike. If passed, it would increase the cost per credit and out-of-state tuition between 9 percent and 12 percent over the next three years. 

“We have concluded that the only viable long-term revenue source beyond state funding is a modest, gradual increase in student tuition and fees,” the authors of the op-ed wrote. “This approach makes sense.”

During Friday’s meeting, multiple regents said they had not been alerted that NSHE leaders were planning to write the op-ed and expressed frustration that an argument for the tuition hike was put forth publicly before regents had the chance to vote, or even discuss, the change. 

“I felt extremely disrespected when reading it,” said Regent Joseph Arrascada. “So I hope for the future, there’s going to be a greater line of communication between all the presidents or the leadership on each campus and this board.”

In a statement to The Indy, McNair wrote that he “should have worked with the Board Chair as required under Board policy and ensured an advance copy was shared with Regents, and I take responsibility for that.” 

He said he had apologized to the regents for the lapse in communication and would be working with them to improve the consultation process. 

Brian Sandoval, current president of UNR and former governor, apologized that regents felt “blindsided” by the op-ed and said the presidents were told to write the op-ed weeks ago.

“It never occurred to me that you wouldn’t be aware that that was being done,” Sandoval said.

Regents expressed doubt about the proposed tuition increase

Even as they apologized, NSHE leaders emphasized to the board that increasing students’ fees and tuition was the only plausible funding solution. 

“You cannot be the lowest-funded system in the country and really be the best system that you want to be,” said Chris Heavey, the president of UNLV. “Our goal is ultimately not to provide the cheapest higher education possible. It is to provide the best value.”

According to an NSHE report, the fee increase is expected to eventually cost full-time Nevada students at UNR and UNLV approximately $1,200 per year, $900 per year for students at Nevada State University and approximately $400 per year for lower-division students at the College of Southern Nevada, Great Basin College, Truckee Meadows Community College and Western Nevada College. 

The fee increase comes after a separate tuition hike in 2023, the largest hike since 2012, that helped to fund increases to faculty pay. Multiple regents said that they were uncomfortable asking students to pay even more so soon after this shift. 

“I don’t know how this became a confessional about the hurt feelings of regents,” said Regent Patrick Boylan after extended discussion of the op-ed’s publication. “We need to pay attention to what we’re doing to the students. … And the money they’re going to have to fork out.”

The tuition hike will be discussed again, and may receive a vote, during a special regents meeting set for January 2026.

This article was updated at 7:20 p.m. on 12/05/2025 to include new comment from NSHE Chancellor Matt McNair.