Effort

When I look at how much effort Kevin Page puts into his job as a member of the Board of Regents, I marvel at how someone as incompetent as Robert Blakely can have the nerve to run for Regent.  Blakely became a regent by accident when he signed up for the job, knowing nothing about it, but hoping it paid a salary.  In my time as Chancellor, Blakely proved himself to be in a class by himself.  He is utterly incompetent.  Whatever you do, don’t vote for him.  On the other hand, at the other end of the spectrum is Kevin Page — do vote for him.

Qualifications

I looked at the qualifications of Kevin Page’s opponents for Regent.  They are good men—highly intelligent, well educated, and experienced in the day to day operation of higher education.  But their experience is not relevant to the problems facing Nevada’s higher education system.  Nothing in their backgrounds, experience or education would in any way prepare them to solve the system’s problems.

Pure Devotion

How many hours do you spend at work each week?  I’ll bet very seldom is it more than forty hours.  And you get paid for your time.  Kevin Page spends fifty or more hours a week working as a Regent where he earns less than twenty-five cents an hour.  It seems to me that’s pure devotion.

Understands Money

Very few of the regents ever have education and experience in the world of money.  The higher education system of Nevada survives on very meager financial support by the legislature.  It takes an expert to get two dollars in value out of a dollar’s cash.  Kevin Page understands money and I think he understands how best to use that money for Nevada’s education.

Fair Share

Regent Kevin Page and I have had our differences.  But those differences have nothing to do with his sincerity and competence and devotion to his thankless job as a member of the Nevada Board of Regents.  The job of Board of Regents has attracted far more competent individuals than this feeble branch of government ever deserved to have.  It has been a yeoman’s task to overcome the shortcomings of this empty government position.  Kevin Page has done more than his fair share.

Continues To Fight The Battle

I can’t say the Board of Regents accomplishes nothing, but it must invest ten dollars of its time for each dollar it gets from the Nevada legislature, which has done more to stifle Nevada’s growth than any other organized group of incompetent people.  In spite of Kevin Page’s frustration, he continues to fight the battle.

Being a Regent...

Being a Regent really is like pushing a rock over and over half way up the side of a mountain, only to see it roll to the bottom each time.  Why then, would anyone want to continuously push that rock when it never seems it will get to the top?  Regent Kevin Page seems to have an answer.

Continue To Fight

I have pointed out the futility of being a member of the Nevada Board of Regents because you must know how difficult it is for every member of that board to accomplish anything without money.  The only money given to the board by the state legislature is not only barely above starvation levels, it is not nearly enough for Nevada to build a competitive higher education system.  Yet the Regents, especially those like Kevin Page continue to fight to raise adequate funding.

Board of Regents

The Nevada Board of Regents, which governs the system of higher education, is a separate branch of government, totally different from that in any other state.  The only problem with it being a separate branch of government is that the Nevada constitution writers failed to give it taxing authority.  Therefore, the education system is at the mercy of a legislature, which won’t spend any money on any worthwhile cause.  In spite of this nearly fatal flaw, the Board of Regents still attracts first-class, caring, well-educated and bright members who really do hold the best interests of your children at heart.

Kevin Page

I support Kevin Page for Regent.   I’m not sure how you measure the effectiveness of any member of the Board of Regents.  They have little or no power, are paid nothing to do a thankless job, and meet so seldom that you wonder how they have any idea of the magnitude of their job.  Tomorrow I’ll try to explain this series of shortcomings in a job that still manages to attract good citizens with good intentions.