Nevada regents approve public policy institute to be led by Harry Reid and John Boehner

Two days after UNLV announced the creation of a new think tank co-chaired by Harry Reid and John Boehner, the institute received a stamp of approval from the state’s education leaders.

“I think it is vital to moving the community, the university and partners like MGM … to top tier and beyond,” said Regent Sam Lieberman. “Two outstanding leaders, when they could be retired, have chosen to come to UNLV, come home to the system, come home to the state of Nevada.”

Reid, a Nevada Democrat who served part of his political career as Senate majority leader, and Boehner, an Ohio Republican who rose to speaker of the House of Representatives, will collaborate as leaders of the bipartisan institute, which is being funded for three years for $950,000 by MGM Resorts International and also carries the MGM name.

The institute was first approved Thursday by the Academic, Research and Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Regents, and on Friday afternoon, it received approval from the full board.

“Great universities now are taking advantage of public-private partnerships as a way to get things done that they couldn’t ordinarily do on their own,” UNLV President Len Jessup said Thursday.

Jessup said funding will cover stipends for faculty, research and events, such as panel discussions.

Contact Natalie Bruzda at nbruzda@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3897. Follow @NatalieBruzda on Twitter.