Lori Loves
Nevada

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This website is a condensed version of the condensed version of the last year of my life. This is the short version of that version. Sorry if there are hard left turns.  

 

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It all started with Warner Bros. I saw problems with the studio bill last year, but I supported the intent behind it. (The ROI on that plan was not the greatest.) 

 

I started working on a new plan and began reaching out to Assembly members trying to get support for proposing new legislation. I got two replies back.  They boiled down to: "The film bill is dead"  and "I'm running for office, so I can't look at this right now." 

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The people I needed to talk to were in election mode.  So, I moved to step two...working on the educational component of my plan. I addressed the film boards need by researching and designing a list of courses and how they related to specific schools...allowing new certifications and degrees. However, reading the NSHE policies, nothing was going to move at the speed it needed to. 

 

Then, I heard a news report saying students would be facing 12% increases in their tuition, and it was necessary because they couldn't pay their teachers.  I had looked at the fees page and already thought tuition was too high, so this made me really concerned. (I realized later that, yes, the increase is 12%, but that's on top of another increase already in place. You can read about it here. 

 

  Then, shortly after, I read a quote from an administrator regarding how a program tens of millions of dollars in debt wasn't something concerning. (Obviously, I'm paraphrasing.)  Meanwhile, colleges are closing left and right because they've overextended themselves. The enrollment numbers are dropping, and other schools are competing by discounting tuition or creating Bachelor's degrees with only 90 credits.  Not the mention the online schools that can grant a diploma for a few thousand in a matter of months. (You can read more here.)

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This was my tipping point. How was one an immediate need, and the other not a big deal? So, the next day, I drove across town and registered to run. 

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As soon as I got home, I made changes to my plans, added pieces to help push the system forward, and I did my best to make each program synergistic with the others.  I poured through hours of meeting and documents from the recent NSHE meetings to figure out what exactly the parameters where and what stood out in the decision they made.

 

I want to make things better, but even if I get elected, change depends on the entire board. If you don't know which district you are in, there's a map here: FIND YOUR DISTRICT Your district might have an election this year. Just type in your zip code and scroll down. It will tell you your district and current representative. Make sure you research each person running for office, not just look at their website. 

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Full disclosure, I have never met any of the the members of the NSHE, the GOED, the Film Office or any other group of people I mention here. There may be plans in place I am not aware of. The final result may look different. I'm hoping the board will be more proactive and inspired to find new revenue sources, even if I'm not elected and/or the programs aren't funded.

 

This is about getting out ahead of everyone, if we really want to diversify our entertainment economy. We need to nurture our growing entertainment categories where Nevada is an industry leader. We need to innovate in more than one way. Entertainment should help education and vice versa. 

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But most of all...why aren't we looking out for our students? I know there will be people who are going to be livid at me for telling students how to save money on tuition, or discussing the alternatives to the NSHE schools. 

 

Excellent! Run for the board. Help in making changes so education is affordable for all of Nevada, and keep the schools open. If we can make it the best option, there's no need for students to look elsewhere (or to pay off student loans until they're almost retired).

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