The controversy and division that has plagued the university system Board of Regents for nine months has motivated five people to challenge incumbent Tom Kirkpatrick in District 13.
James Dean Leavitt, Gloria Sturman, Matthew Berkus, Jim Germain and Mark DeStefano are vying for Kirkpatrick's spot on the board that oversees the University and Community College System of Nevada.
The two top candidates who receive the most votes will move on to the general election.
The regents' continued controversy in following the open-meeting law has been a major campaign issue.
Leavitt, 42, is a private criminal defense attorney and is an adjunct speech professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Leavitt says he wants to bring professionalism back to the board, establish a public relations committee that will work to highlight the good the system is doing, diversify the economy by expanding technology and engineering programs, and better meet health care needs by expanding nursing programs.
Sturman, 47, a family law attorney, has served two terms on the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District Board and is a leader in several legal associations.
Sturman says that quality classroom instruction, fiscal responsibility and better partnerships between local school districts and the regents are areas she would work on if elected.
Berkus, 32, a business and technology law attorney, teaches philosophy part time at UNLV.
Berkus said he wants to develop "a 21st century" view of delivering education that will include more expanded online and distance education courses, a more complete integration of technology and cooperative partnerships with institutions of higher learning in other states.
Germain, 55, is president of USA Hosts Ltd., which handles convention and meeting support for tourists, teaches hotel administration at UNLV and serves on community tourism boards.
Germain wants to use his business expertise to help make the system fiscally and socially responsible.
DeStefano, 43, believes his consulting experience will enable him to "deal with the different dynamics on the board."
DeStefano said he wants to improve upon the transfer system between the community colleges and the universities, and expand the state's nursing and medical transcription programs.
Kirkpatrick, 76, a retired UNLV professor emeritus who for 18 years was a vocational-technical teacher, is wrapping up his first term on the board.
Kirkpatrick said accountability and accessibility, particularly minority access to higher education, are two key issues he wants to work on more if re-elected.
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