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UNLV Mission Statement: The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is a research institution committed to rigorous educational programs and the highest standards of a liberal education. We produce accomplished graduates who are well prepared to enter the work force or to continue their education in graduate and professional programs. Our faculty, students, and staff enthusiastically confront the challenges of economic and cultural diversification, urban growth, social justice, and sustainability. Our commitment to our dynamic region and State centrally influences our research and education programs, which improves our local communities. Our commitment to the national and international communities ensures that our research and educational programs engage both traditional and innovative areas of study and global concerns. UNLV’s distinctive identity and values permeate a unique institution that brings the best of the world to our region and, in turn, produces knowledge to improve the region and the world around us.
UNLV is committed to and driven by these shared values that will guide our decision making:
• High expectations for student learning and success;
• Discovery through research, scholarship, and creative activity;
• Nurturing equity, diversity, and inclusiveness that promotes respect, support, and
empowerment;
• Social, environmental, and economic sustainability;
• Strong reciprocal, and interdependent relationships between UNLV and the region
around us;
• An entrepreneurial, innovative, and unconventional spirit.
http://www.unlv.edu/about/mission.html
UNLV is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).
Each institution accredited by NWCCU established core themes as part of the revisions to the accreditation standards.
The core themes of UNLV, the objectives, and their indicators of achievement express the mission of the university. The core themes describe in broad statements what UNLV plans to accomplish and reflect the values that are shared by faculty, students and staff. Evaluation of the metrics associated with the indicators of achievement will demonstrate how effectively UNLV is carrying out its mission.
Core Themes and Objectives:
Core Theme 1: Promote Student Learning and Success
Objective 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate an engaged and diverse student body.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Academic preparation
b. Recruitment and enrollment
c. Alignment of campus resources to support retention/persistence and
graduation
d. Post-graduation education and employment
Objective 2: Provide a high quality teaching and learning experience
Indicators of achievement:
a. Student academic performance
b. Student satisfaction with major academic areas, quality of instruction,
academic support, and institutional resources
c. Faculty involvement and satisfaction with the teaching and learning
environment
d. Student involvement in research, creative activities, and co-curricular
activities
Objective 3: Advance graduate education to promote student learning and achievement.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Academic and professional success of graduate students
b. Levels of graduate student support
Core Theme 2: Advance and Support Research, Scholarship, Creative Activity
Objective 1: Cultivate quality and productivity of research, scholarship, and creativity activity.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Quality and quantity of publications and creative activities
b. Quality and quantity of grants, contracts, patents and licenses
c. Levels of support for faculty and staff
Objective 2: Encourage student research, creative, and professional practice activities.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Support research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students
b. Multidisciplinary, integrative collaborations in graduate education
c. Mentoring and professional development of graduate students
Objective 3: Enhance the infrastructure and business practices that support research, scholarship, and creative activity in all pertinent units of the institution.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Availability and access to support staff and facilities
b. Quality and quantity of space and equipment
c. Technology, electronic initiatives, and information resources
Core Theme 3: Foster an Inclusive Environment that Values and Encourages Tolerance and Respect
Objective 1: Foster Inclusion and Community Engagement.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Efforts that ensure a civil and respectful learning and working environment
b. Support for learning about inclusion through both curricular and
co-curricular activities
Objective 2: Promote scholarship that advances community partnerships and economic diversification.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Community collaborations that address regional economic vitality,
environmental stewardship, social well-being, and cultural understanding
b. Institutional support of and participation in partnerships with industry,
government, and other entities
Objective 3: Cultivate a university community that promotes awareness of a diverse and changing world.
Indicators of achievement:
a. Global partnerships
b. Campus and community engagement on evolving local, national, and global
issues
provost.unlv.edu/nwccu
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, located in the vibrant and dynamic city of Las Vegas and surrounded by the Mojave Desert, is emerging as a premier metropolitan university. UNLV’s development embraces the traditional values of higher education adapted for the global community of the 21st century. The university will increasingly concentrate its resources on programs that are student-centered, demonstrably excellent, and responsive to the needs of the local and regional community.
UNLV promotes an environment that encourages the full personal and professional development of those it serves and of those who serve the university. UNLV assists students in meeting the intellectual and ethical challenges of responsible citizenship and a full and productive life through opportunities to acquire the knowledge and common experiences that enhance critical thinking, leadership skills, aesthetic sensitivity, and social integrity.
The university provides traditional and professional academic programs for a diverse student body and encourages innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to teaching, learning, and scholarship. Recognizing the individuality of each student, UNLV simultaneously engenders collegial relationships and a sense of community among its members. UNLV embraces the interdependence of quality instruction, scholarly pursuits, and substantive involvements in campus and community life.
The university offers artistic, cultural, and technical resources and opportunities to the community in which it exists. It promotes research programs and creative activities by students and faculty that respond to the needs of an urban community in a desert environment.
UNLV is committed to developing a synergy between professional and liberal studies, between undergraduate education and graduate programs, and between superior teaching and meaningful research. UNLV increasingly is a dynamic resource for, and partner with, the community that it serves.
Nevada System of Higher Education: All public higher education in the state of Nevada is organized under a single governance system administered by the 13-member Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) Board of Regents. NSHE consists of two universities, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and the University of Nevada, Reno; an internationally renowned research unit, the Desert Research Institute; one state college, the Nevada State College, Henderson; and four community colleges: College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas; Great Basin College, Elko; Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno; and Western Nevada Community College, Carson City.
The Nevada System of Higher Education enrolls more than 108,000 students in a wide range of programs from occupational and training areas to doctoral programs.
Historical Perspective: The first college-level classes in Southern Nevada started on an extension basis in 1951 in a spare room at Las Vegas High School. Dr. James Dickinson was the only full-time faculty member, and the student body totaled 12.
Six years later, the university was founded officially as a southern regional division of the University of Nevada by action of the Nevada Board of Regents. In the summer of 1957, the university opened its first classroom and administration building — Maude Frazier Hall.
Twenty-nine students accepted degrees at the university’s first commencement ceremonies in 1964. The following year, the Nevada Legislature named the school Nevada Southern University, and the Board of Regents hired the campus’s first president.
In 1968, the university was granted autonomy under the state’s higher education system, giving it status equal to that of the University of Nevada, Reno. The Board of Regents approved the institution’s present name in January 1969.
Continual expansion in terms of programs, facilities, and influence has characterized the university since its modest start.
Enrollment today exceeds 28,000 students and continues to see an annual increase. Students attend classes at an attractive 332-acre campus in metropolitan Las Vegas. Close by are homes and apartments, schools, shopping centers, restaurants, and all the conveniences of a modern cosmopolitan area.
University Organization: The President of UNLV acts as chief executive officer and is assisted by the Executive Vice President and Provost; the Senior Vice President for Finance and Business; Vice President for Advancement; Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion; Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies; Vice President for Student Affairs; Vice President and General Counsel; Vice President for Planning; and various deans, directors, and department chairs. The UNLV faculty play an important policy-making role, with a faculty senate serving the institution. Students are represented on many of the institution’s committees.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is organized into the following academic units: the Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Honors, Hotel Administration, Liberal Arts, Sciences and Urban Affairs, the Academic Success Center, Schools of Law, Dental Medicine, Allied Health Sciences, Community Health Sciences and Nursing and the Division of Educational Outreach. The Graduate College oversees masters and doctoral degree programs in a broad variety of disciplines.
In addition to the academic colleges, various other schools, departments, divisions, and programs work cooperatively to support the major functions of the university.
Statement of Commitment to the Recruitment of Diverse Students at UNLV: The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), along with other high research activity public universities in the United States, recognizes that a student body that is diverse with respect to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class background, and geography, among other dimensions of cultural difference, benefits and enriches the educational experiences of all students, faculty, and staff. Accordingly, UNLV strives to recruit students who will further enrich this diversity and to support their academic and personal success while they are a part of our campus community. The presence and achievement of racial and ethnic minority students at UNLV not only benefits these students individually, but it also enhances the educational and interpersonal experiences of everyone in our campus community. UNLV actively encourages applicants whose racial and ethnic backgrounds are underrepresented in higher education in Nevada, who are first-generation college students, and who have demonstrated financial need.
Statement on Diversity in the University Community: As an institution of higher learning, UNLV represents a rich diversity of human beings among its faculty, staff, and students and is committed to maintaining a campus environment that values that diversity. Accordingly, the university supports policies, curricula, and co-curricular activities that encourage understanding and appreciation of all members of its community and will not tolerate any harassment of or disrespect for persons because of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, or political affiliation.
Unlawful Harassment, Personal Discrimination, and Retaliation: The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, affirms that students and employees are entitled to an educational and employment environment free from unlawful harassment or personal discrimination and expressly prohibits unlawful harassment or personal discrimination of any individual among the university community engaged in educational or employment pursuits based on that individual’s race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, or political affiliation. Further, no student or employee shall be subject to retaliation for bringing a good-faith complaint pertaining to unlawful harassment or personal discrimination or for protesting such behavior directed against another member of the university community.
Reaffirmation of Commitment to Equal Educational and Employment Opportunity (EEO): The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is committed to and will provide equality of educational and employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, sex, age, color, national origin, ethnicity, creed, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, or political affiliation - except where sex, age, or ability represent bona fide educational or employment qualifications or where marital or veteran status are statutorily defined eligibility criteria for federal or state benefit programs. Further, the university seeks to promote campus diversity by enrolling and employing a larger number of minorities and women where these groups have historically been and continue to be under-represented within the university in relation to availability and may extend preference in initial employment to such individuals among substantially equally qualified candidates, as well as to veterans, Nevada residents, and current state employees seeking promotion.
This affirmation is published in accordance with 41 CFR 60 and is in keeping with Title VII & Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Executive Order 11246; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974; the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1988; Nevada Revised Statutes; and the Code and Policies of the Board of Regents of the Nevada System of Higher Education.
To ensure that equal educational and employment opportunity exists throughout the university, a results-oriented equal opportunity/affirmative action program has been implemented to overcome the effects of past discrimination and to eliminate any artificial barriers to educational or employment opportunities for all qualified individuals that may exist in any of our programs. The university aims to achieve, within all areas of the university community, a diverse student body, faculty, and staff capable of providing for excellence in the education of its students and for the enrichment of the university community.
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, reaffirms its commitment to equality of educational and employment opportunity in its relationships with all members of the university community and its commitment to the elimination of any documented historical and continuing underutilization of women and minorities among the student body or employee complement. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is committed to this program and is aware that with its implementation, positive benefits will be received from the greater utilization and development of previously underutilized human resources.
Accreditation: All programs at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) one of six regional associations in the United States that accredit schools, colleges, and universities. The Northwest region includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. According to the association, accreditation indicates that an institution’s goals are soundly conceived, that its educational programs have been intelligently devised, that its purposes are being accomplished, and that the institution is so organized, staffed, and supported that it should continue to merit confidence for a specified number of years. The university underwent a full-scale review in 2000, and its accreditation was reaffirmed by the association’s Commission on Colleges.
Program Accreditations:
- All programs at UNLV are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
- UNLV’s international programs are approved by the Council on International Educational Exchange.
- B.S. and M.S. - Accounting
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- M.Arch. - Architecture
Accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board
- B.A., B.F.A., and M.F.A. - Art
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- B.S. - Athletic Training
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
- B.S. and M.B.A. - Business Administration
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- B.S. - Chemistry
Approved by the American Chemical Society
- B.S. - Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
- B.S. - Computer Science
Accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- B.S. - Construction Management
Accredited by the American Council for Construction Education
- Didactic Program in Dietetics (part of the B.S. in Nutrition Sciences)
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association
Post-Baccalaureate Dietetic Internship
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association
- B.A. and M.A. - Economics
Accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- D.M.D. - Dental Medicine
Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation
Residency - Advanced Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation
- Education
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education provides for all the professional education programs, and these programs are recognized by the Nevada State Department of Education for preparation in areas in which licensure or endorsements are available.
Accredited programs at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels:
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
Special Education
K-12 Education
Accredited programs at the master’s level:
Reading
Supervision
Counseling
Master’s, specialist and doctoral programs accredited by the University Council on Educational Administration:
School Administration
M.Ed. - School Counseling
M.S. - Counselor Education - Community Mental Health Counseling
Accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
- Engineering
The following bachelor’s degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology:
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
- Certificate - Gerontology
Member of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education
- B.S. - Health Care Administration
Accredited by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration
- B.S. - Health Education
Accredited by the American Association for Health Education
- M.S. - Health Physics
Accredited by the Applied Science Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
- B.S. - Interior Architecture and Design
Accredited by the Council of Interior Design Accreditation
- B.L.A.. - Landscape Architecture
Accredited by the Landscape Architecture Accrediting Board
- J.D. - Law
Accredited by the American Bar Association
Member of the Association of American Law Schools
- M.S. - Marriage and Family Therapy
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy
- B.A., B.M., M.M., D.M.A. - Music
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music
- B.S. - Nuclear Medicine
Accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology
- B.S.N. and M.S.N. - Nursing
Accredited by the National League for Nursing
- B.S. - Physical Education
Accredited by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education
- D.P.T. - Physical Therapy
Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
- Ph.D. - Clinical Psychology
Accredited by the American Psychological Association
- M.P.A. - Public Administration
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration
- Certificate - Radiography
Accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Radiologic Technology
- B.S. Recreation - Emphasis in Professional Golf Management
Accredited by the Professional Golfers’ Association
- B.S.W. and M.S.W. - Social Work
Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education
- B.A., M.A. and M.F.A. - Theatre
Accredited by the National Association of Schools of Theatre
Las Vegas and the Southwest
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Las Vegas itself has many attractions. Like any other large metropolitan area, the city has fine libraries, museums, community theater, art galleries, and parks that are enjoyed and supported by more than one million local residents. As one of the fastest-growing areas in the United States, Southern Nevada is an example of modern urban living.
University cultural events provide yet another form of entertainment in a city that bills itself as the “Entertainment Capital of the World.” Two of the university’s yearly series, the Charles Vanda Master Series and the Barrick Lecture Series, are extremely popular with students and community residents.
The Charles Vanda Master Series offers visiting performers of the caliber of Isaac Stern, Andre Segovia, the London Symphony, and Itzhak Perlman. The Barrick Lecture Series brings well-known persons to campus for free public lectures on a variety of topics. Lecturers have included Walter Cronkite, Louis Rukeyser, Benazir Bhutto, Tom Wolfe, Henry Kissinger, Jimmy Carter, Cokie Roberts, and Mark Russell. The series also has featured important academicians such as Stephen Jay Gould, George Wald, Carl Sagan, Mortimer Adler, Jane Goodall, and Richard Leakey.
Of course, any college experience includes more than the intellectual stimulation of the classroom and the physical confines of the city and campus. It also takes color and character from the university’s larger environment. For UNLV, this is the Southwest.
Mild desert temperatures make outdoor recreation possible throughout the year in Southern Nevada. Within a 30-mile radius lie the shores of Lake Mead, massive Hoover Dam and the Colorado River recreation area, the snow-skiing and hiking trails of 12,000-foot Mount Charleston, and a panorama of red rock mountains and eroded sandstone landscapes. In addition, the city is only four to five hours by car from the beaches of Southern California and the national parks of Utah and Arizona.
Las Vegas enjoys a mild year-round climate, yet there are noticeable seasonal differences. The annual average temperature is 79 degrees, but it is not unusual for the mercury to hit the 110 degree mark during the summer and dip into the 30s in the winter. Annual rainfall amounts to only 3.5 inches, much of it falling in the winter when it is snowing in the nearby mountains.
Research Centers and Service Agencies
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The university has more than 60 approved centers and institutes that conduct research or provide public service. For a current listing, visit http://research.unlv.edu/cli&m/centers-institutes.html.
CSUN Preschool: The preschool is a developmental early-childhood program that provides a safe and nurturing environment for young children. The program promotes the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth and language development of young children while responding to the needs of families.
Desert Research Institute: The Desert Research Institute (DRI) is the environmental research arm of the Nevada System of Higher Education with two main campuses located in Reno and, Las Vegas. DRI conducts cutting-edge applied research in air, land and life, and water quality across Nevada, the United States and on every continent.
Division of Educational Outreach: The division is committed to meeting the educational needs of all learners and serves as UNLV’s main point of access for non-traditional students, particularly adult, senior and part-time learners. Drawing upon the expertise of UNLV’s outstanding academic and administrative faculty, along with experienced community members, innovative and comprehensive courses are offered for credit and non-credit. Students have the opportunity to gain professional certification, skill enhancement, and personal enrichment through face-to-face, online, and blended-learning formats.
Division of Research and Graduate Studies: The mission of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies is to develop opportunities, policies, and infrastructure for UNLV students, faculty, and staff to support them in providing the highest-quality research and graduate programs, with particular focus on the needs of Southern Nevada and the intermountain west region. The goals of the Office of the Vice President are to: (1) increase funding available to support research and its integration within the educational experience of all undergraduate and graduate students, (2) continuously develop policies, procedures, and infrastructure that enable and enhance graduate studies, scholarship, research, and creative activity, (3) assess and promote progress toward attainment of the educational and research goals set forth in departmental, college, and center strategic plans, (4) continuously improve communication of the value of university scholarship, research, and creative activity to all constituencies, and (5) continuously improve the efficiency and productivity of university-level research units and administrative services. Units reporting to the Office of the Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies include the Graduate College, the Office of Research (including the Office of Sponsored Programs and Office of Research Integrity); Office of Federal Agency Initiatives; the Urban Sustainability Initiative; Harry Reid Center for Environmental Studies; the Science and Engineering Building; National Supercomputing Center for Energy and the Environment; the Lincy Institute; and Brookings Mountain West. For more information about the division, contact the Vice President’s Office at 702-895-0946 or visit http://research.unlv.edu/.
English Language Center: The center provides access to higher education at UNLV for immigrant, international, and other students learning English who need language, culture, and academic skills to succeed.
Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory - Las Vegas: UNLV is home to one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s major research centers. The laboratory’s mission is to carry out research on new and improved methods of collecting environmental data; to provide quality-assurance services for several of the agency’s monitoring programs; and to conduct monitoring operations of national scope with respect to the sources, transport pathways, and ultimate fate of selected pollutants of air, water, and land. The laboratory serves as headquarters for a wide variety of programs aimed at documenting natural and man-made environmental conditions. Through a cooperative agreement, substantial numbers of UNLV students and faculty collaborate with laboratory staff on research projects and in instructional activities.
Language Resource Center: The center supports the English Language Center and the Department of Foreign Languages in language instruction by providing computers, technical support, and a variety of multimedia tools to assist and enhance both classroom instruction and self-study by language students. The center also supports UNLV as an open lab available to all students, staff, and faculty.
Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History: The Marjorie Barrick Museum and Donald H. Baepler Xeric Garden are centrally located on UNLV’s campus (between Lied Library and Wright Hall). The Museum and Xeric Garden offer opportunities to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind’s collective heritage through an active exhibition schedule, educational programming and exciting events for all ages. Current exhibits include ethnographic materials from Guatemala and Mexico and objects from nearly every culture of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Outdoors, you’ll find the 1.5 acre garden, featuring drought-tolerant plants from Australia, South America, Mexico, and the Mediterranean. To learn more call 702-895-3381 or visit http://barrickmuseum.unlv.edu.
Nevada Small Business Development Center: The NSBDC maintains a cooperative working relationship between the university and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The primary purpose of the center is to assist existing and new small business enterprises throughout Southern Nevada by helping them plan their growth potential and develop and maintain professional management skills. The center’s programs are open to all small businesses free of charge, provided they would not otherwise be able to afford such services. The center’s services include one-on-one counseling, market research assistance, business skills assessment, capital information assistance, new business consulting, business plan analysis, feasibility studies, marketing strategies, and business workshops and seminars.
Oak Ridge Associated Universities: Since 1993, students and faculty of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, have benefited from its membership in Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), a consortium of colleges and universities and a management and operating contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) located in Oak Ridge, Tenn. ORAU works with its member institutions to help their students and faculty gain access to federal research facilities throughout the country; to keep its members informed about opportunities for fellowship, scholarship, and research appointments; and to organize research alliances among its members. For more information about ORAU and its programs, contact 702-895-5980.
Office of Information Technology: The office supports teaching, research, scholarly and creative production, and administration through the effective management and use of information technology resources. The services provided include development and support of applications and information systems; hardware and software maintenance, repair, and replacement in teaching and research facilities as well as student laboratories; assistance with the development of instructional programs that are less restricted by time and place than those delivered by traditional means; access to the latest in instructional technology; and access to research computing resources. Additional information about the Office of Information Technology can be found at http://oit.unlv.edu.
Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion: Established in 2007, through campus- and community-based advocacy, the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion is responsible for the oversight of campus-wide diversity efforts for students, faculty, and staff at all levels of education and employment. These efforts extend off-campus into the greater Las Vegas area, for the broad array of community–based university stakeholders. Diversity at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas is conceptualized as a “community responsibility,” therefore our diversity efforts are deliberatively expansive. They include, but are not limited to, examinations of race; color; ethnicity; Deafhood; geographic origin; immigration status; language; socioeconomic class; employment status; environmental concern (sustainability); sex; gender; gender identity and expression; family configuration; sexual orientation; physical, developmental, and psychological ability; Veteran’s status; age and generation; religious, spiritual, faith-based, and secular belief; physical appearance; political affiliation; and the exercise of rights secured by the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. With a Carnegie ranking of “high research,” diversity and excellence at UNLV are integrally linked — each requiring the other. Accordingly, the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion works to ensure that educational and employment equity exists for all of its constituents through the provision of a dynamic range of outstanding access, support, development, research, and entrepreneurial initiatives. Research on the educational benefits of diversity shows that all students who are educated in robustly diverse scholastic settings do better academically; are more likely to graduate in four years; and upon graduation are hired first, promoted faster, and earn more money sooner than peers who attend more racially and ethnically homogenous institutions. By building student, faculty, staff, and community constituents’ skill for, and comfort with, meaningful engagement with individuals and groups from across the spectrum of rich human uniqueness, UNLV and Las Vegas build capacity for the kind of professional excellence that the domestic and global multi- and plural-cultural workplace of the 21st century expects and necessitates. Beyond the current economically driven diversity imperative, there exists a more far-reaching ethically driven one. By actively creating and sustaining a welcoming and affirming campus climate, we equip all members of the UNLV campus community — especially our students — not only to compete in society the way it is currently set up, but to change the world for the benefit of all. It is toward this end in particular that the work of the Office of the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion is dedicated.
Programs for Older Students: UNLV offers courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels during the fall and spring semesters on a space-available basis free to all persons 62 years of age or older. Senior citizens may attend summer term courses and pay 50 percent of the regular per credit-hour charges. In all cases, students pay for books, other course-related materials, and special fees such as lab fees. Courses in the schools of law and dental medicine are excluded.
Summer Term: Summer Term provides a variety of opportunities for students who wish to begin or continue university study during the summer semester. No formal admission to the university is required. Summer Term offers many of the courses included in the general university curriculum as well as short workshops and seminars.
Thomas and Mack Legal Clinic: The clinic is an interdisciplinary law office in which specially licensed law students work with graduate-level social work and education students under the supervision of law faculty to represent youth and adult clients in a variety of legal matters, including child welfare, education, juvenile justice, immigration, and criminal defense. The pedagogical, research and service goals of the clinic include fostering an understanding of the law in action and the interconnected nature of the problems and systems that operate in the lives of clients.
UNLV Libraries: The University Libraries support the UNLV community by embracing the traditional values of higher education adapted for the global community in the 21st century. Serving more than 28,000 students and 3,100 faculty and staff, both on campus and at remote locations, the Libraries build collections; provide access to information and services supporting research, teaching, learning, and creative endeavors; and foster information literacy. The main Lied Library and three specialized branches – Architecture Studies, Curriculum Materials, and Music libraries – encompass 327,000 total square feet of space. More than 2,500 study spaces are available with more than half of them equipped with network drops. All Libraries provide full wireless access. Laptops are available for in-library use, and the Libraries house more than 500 desktop computer workstations. A Collaborative Learning Center, Graduate and Professional Student study lounge, group study rooms, and a Media Lab are also provided. The Libraries’ collections reflect the broad range of UNLV’s academic programs. They include more than a million volumes; access to the content of more than 30,000 electronic journals; nearly 250,000 electronic books; over 300 electronic databases, indexes and other reference sources; and more than a million government documents. University Libraries also has unique and specialized research collections on Las Vegas, Southern Nevada, the gaming industry, and UNLV in a variety of formats, including audio tapes, films, video, DVDs, maps, photographs, manuscripts, music scores, and architectural drawings.
Nevada System of Higher Education Computing Services: The computer facility located on the UNLV campus is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education computing network. The Las Vegas computers are linked to NSHE computers at other institutions, providing a statewide educational computing resource. Time-sharing terminals, remote batch terminals, and local batch terminals provide students and faculty access to the computer network. The center is responsible for providing equipment and consulting services that support the growth of educational, research, administrative, and public service computing.
University of Nevada Press: The University of Nevada Press is a publisher of scholarly books. Established by the Board of Regents in 1961, the press is a public service division of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Its purpose is to make a contribution to the state of Nevada and to the scholarly community by publishing books dealing with history, government, natural resources, ethnic groups, and contemporary affairs.
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE): WICHE aids residents in obtaining graduate and professional-level education in fields of study not available within the state. Currently, Nevada is active in the WICHE Professional Student Exchange Program, the Western Regional Graduate Program, and the western Undergraduate Exchange Program. Support for the Professional Student Exchange Program is through legislative appropriation, and only a certain number of students are certified to receive WICHE funding in the fields of graduate library studies, optometry, and veterinary medicine. Supported fields are subject to change based on legislative action. Qualified residents are able to join residents of 11 other WICHE states in attending programs under the Western Regional Graduate Programs. Through reciprocity agreements among the states and cooperating institutions, students may participate in 90 master’s and doctoral degree programs with substantially reduced tuition. Brochures and information regarding these WICHE programs may be obtained by contacting the Graduate College at UNLV or by contacting Nevada WICHE; Gymnasium Room 107; University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557; telephone 775-784-4900.
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