Raggio

While Chancellor, I had several discussions with Senator Bill Raggio about higher education in Nevada.  Two of those discussions have stayed in my mind.

When I became Chancellor in 2004, I went to see Senator Raggio.  He had only one question and that was:  “Do you have any intention of moving the medical school from Reno to Las Vegas?”  I said “absolutely not – that would be senseless.  The medical school must always be in Reno, but it must expand its presence in southern Nevada.”

He said that was “fine.”  He never asked me another question in my five years as Chancellor.

My second memorable discussion with Senator Raggio occurred several years later when funding for the System was a major issue. 

At a lunch with several other Southern Nevadans, one of them asked Raggio about the funding formula.  Raggio’s response was simple - “Don’t ever bring up the formula again or I will make sure there are no more taxes for the System.”  That closed the subject.