David “Coach” Crete

David “Coach” Crete

David “Coach” Crete

 

for

 

Board of Regents, District 7

Campaign Contact Phone: 702-683-3815


Website: www.CoachCrete4Regent.com


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VoteCoachCreteforRegent/


Twitter: @CoachCrete



2022 Questionnaire


Please share briefly what inspired you to run for this office and why you feel you’re qualified for the position.

 

Beyond the fact that I have been serving my community and country since I enlisted in the
USAF, I have spent most of the last 30 years serving kids and young adults. There has been
a significant amount of attention recently to K-12 education and deservingly so, I am more
interested in the educational options and offerings that are available to our young adults
when they graduate from high school. I have spent years on a football field with 15-18 year
old young men and seeing the challenges they face and the dilemma of life after their
graduation and how difficult it is for them to enter that next phase in their life. I have also
seen the lack of available options that they have as well as the lack of knowledge that they
have about those options. I want to participate in making the options more accessible,
obtainable, and more relevant to their future success.

What do you believe is the number one issue that Nevada’s System of Higher Education is facing?

The quality of the product being delivered our students. UNLV as an example is ranked 199 in one ranking source I have looked at. Nevada needs better performing universities and our State's future success will be based on the quality of education we provide.

What is your position on removing the Board of Regents from the Nevada Constitution? Do you support or oppose this and please explain why?

 

I do not support this and I believe that a part time legislature can meet the demanding needs of our NSHE requires. In business we see success in specialization. Our colleges and universities deserve the best and most dedicated leadership available.

Should Nevadans have more power to hold the Board of Regents accountable? Do you support more transparency and accountability for the public to have over the Board of Regents?

 

Absolutely

How will you decrease government waste and public corruption by the Board of Regents?

 

Government waste is very difficult to address but difficult does not mean impossible. I will
become extremely well versed in the budget and I will use my vast experience in owning and
operating businesses. Part of my daily job is to ensure that the business is run
effectively and efficiently, and dollars are not wasted. Corruption is beat with honesty and
not letting one’s ego or self-interest cloud judgement.

Please describe the role of the Board of Regents.

 

I will be one voice in 13. I am not timid, but I am humble enough to recognize the need for
working with others and that I am not always right or that there is sometimes more than one
right answer. My role will be to work with the other 12 to move the NSHE forward and to a
better place than we find it now. We must keep the ultimate focus always on the students
and their success.

NSHE has had 6 chancellors in 6 years. Do you support the current Chancellor’s contract so that there is consistent leadership over Nevada’s higher education system?

 

Do I believe we need consistent leadership, yes. No organization can realize its potential
when the leadership changes at a high and unpredictable rate. That said, I believe that there
are issues within the contract that I will want to question.

How would you continue the Board of Regents’ study of discrimination and implementation of diversity and inclusion trainings to deter sexual harassment and discrimination?

Discrimination and harassment of any kind is intolerable. I will always work with and support any effort to ensure that there is no discrimination against anyone, a student or an employee of the NSHE or one of our affiliated institutions.

Should separate funding formulas be created for the non-university institutions?

I do not know the answer to this question but it is a question worth considering. We always
need to look at the most effective use of the taxpayers money.

Should non-universities have their own governing boards?

No as I believe they all have the same overall goal and should work in concert with one
another.

What are your plans to remedy the regional disparity in lab and research space that hinders UNLV from fulfilling its research mission?

BS & BA in Business

How would you improve workforce development programs at the state and community colleges?

I was at one point a student of UNLV, when it was a much smaller University and I saw its
struggles then. Today, I see a much larger school with a much larger student population. I
also see UNLV serve a very large metropolitan area. For Southern Nevada to be
economically successful, UNLV must be able to provide the quality of education our
community needs and the requisite tools including research space in order to achieve the
goal of properly serving our community.

Do you think that GBC should be elevated to a full four-year institution (NSHE considers it a two-year institution even though it grants 14 different BA or BS degrees)?

If the question is how would I make a one size fits all, I would likely not support just a
blanket policy. Stating that, I am not fully versed in the current policy but I support
accountability at every level and believe a lack of accountability is always bad.

How would you “right-size” system-level administration and ensure greater accountability and responsiveness of system-level personnel?

I am not familiar with the current programs enough to make a statement about this but once
elected, that will change.