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NSHE requests $11 million for campus safety upgrades after 2023 UNLV shooting; chiefs and faculty back funding
Summary
Chancellor Patricia Charlton told the committee the funding would be allocated systemwide following recommendations from an ad hoc public‑safety committee formed after the December 2023 UNLV shooting; police chiefs and faculty representatives testified in support.
Chancellor Patricia Charlton of the Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) asked the Senate Finance Committee to approve a one‑time $11 million appropriation in Assembly Bill 567 to strengthen safety and security across NSHE campuses.
Charlton said the request flows from an ad hoc public‑safety committee formed after the December 6, 2023, active‑shooter incident at UNLV. That committee — later formalized as a public safety council chaired by campus police chiefs — reviewed campus vulnerabilities and issued recommendations for access control, surveillance, communications, personnel and facility upgrades. Charlton said the requested funding is a partial response to a larger set of needs identified systemwide and that campuses with different sizes and geographies will use the funds to address their highest‑priority gaps.
University police chiefs from system campuses testified in support. UNLV Southern Command Chief Arnold Vasquez and Chief Eric James said the funding would help fill gaps in access control, video surveillance, emergency communications and classroom lockdown capabilities. Faculty representatives including the Nevada Faculty Alliance urged approval and called the appropriation a priority for community safety.
Public callers and institutional witnesses emphasized the need for centralized planning: Charlton said funds would be coordinated through NSHE with recommendations from the public safety council and finalized by the Board of Regents.
No formal action occurred at the hearing. The NSHE request and witness testimony focused on equipment, facility improvements, and personnel and training measures to raise the baseline of campus safety across all NSHE institutions.
