Two months into the fall semester, many students say they’re still frustrated by a higher education experience that has consistently delivered less amid COVID-19 restrictions, even while charging as much or, in some cases, more.

The Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents took the unusual step of appointing a former politician to lead UNR on Thursday, unanimously naming ex-Gov. Brian Sandoval as the university’s 17th president and marking a formal end to the months-long search to replace outgoing President Marc Johnson.

On Monday, Nevada’s eight higher education institutions, all of which embracing a mix of online, hybrid and in-person instruction, kicked off the fall semester. With it came a new iteration of the back-to-school butterflies.

Roughly 10 years after deep budget cuts hobbled higher education in Nevada, students, faculty, administrators and regents feel a sense of deja vu — only now delivered orders of magnitude faster.

Despite significant animus between Democrats and Republicans throughout the session, the omnibus budget cuts bill AB3 passed with bipartisan support on Sunday after Democrats proposed an amendment allocating $50 million in federal coronavirus relief funding toward K-12 students who are expected to struggle with distance learning. The bill passed 36-6 in the Assembly, with seven Republicans joining the Democrats in support, and unanimously in the Senate — the last major action of the state’s 12-day special session.