Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 39

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 39-Committee on
Government Affairs

FILE NUMBER

107

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION--Urging the agencies of the executive branch of state government to expand the use of internship and other programs designed to attract business graduates of the state's universities to financial management positions in the state's classified service.

Whereas, The financial management of the State of Nevada has evolved into a large and complex operation, including receiving and spending billions of dollars in taxes, fees and federal grants each year; and
Whereas, To ensure accountability, this money must be properly controlled, accounted for and spent according to legal requirements; and
Whereas, The financial managers of this state have considerable responsibility for the state's resources and are required to make complex financial decisions that impact the delivery of services, effectiveness of programs and cost of government; and
Whereas, These financial managers must perform a wide range of functions, including, but not limited to, developing internal control systems, establishing business strategies and policies that are responsive to change, designing, managing and using information systems, reengineering processes, managing contracts and interpreting laws and regulations; and
Whereas, The tremendous growth of the State of Nevada, combined with anticipated changes in the way federal programs are funded and accounted for, will place even more demands on financial managers; and
Whereas, Recent audit reports issued by the Legislative Auditor have disclosed serious problems in the financial management of state government resulting from poor financial management practices and ineffective internal controls; and
Whereas, Each year the State of Nevada spends hundreds of millions of dollars on higher education programs in the University and Community College System of Nevada to provide students with the conceptual knowledge and technical skills necessary to succeed in professional occupations; and
Whereas, The basic curriculum for business students at the state's universities includes numerous courses providing problem solving skills and knowledge in strategic management and policy, systems control, quantitative analysis, organizational behavior, business law, financial management theory, statistics, economics, logistics management and management accounting; and
Whereas, Bachelor's degrees earned in fields of business at this state's universities are designed to prepare graduates to be business and financial professionals in a rapidly changing technological world; and
Whereas, Business graduates without professional experience have few opportunities for employment as financial managers in the classified service of the state; and
Whereas, As of June of 1995, only 6 of the 3,700 students graduating from business programs at the state's universities between 1991 and 1995 were employed as financial managers in the classified service of this state; and
Whereas, The laws governing the classified service of this state are designed to ensure the state attracts and retains a highly qualified workforce through a fair and equitable process; and
Whereas, The governmental agencies of the State of Nevada could benefit from programs designed to attract business graduates into the state workforce; and
Whereas, The Department of Personnel has established a goal to increase the use of internship and other programs designed to attract graduates of the universities of this state to careers in financial management in the classified service of this state; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly Concurring, That the members of the 69th Session of the Nevada Legislature do hereby urge the Department of Personnel to establish internship and other programs designed to attract business graduates of the universities of the State of Nevada to careers in the classified service of this state; and be it further
Resolved, That the agencies of state government are encouraged to cooperate with the Department of Personnel to ensure that internship and other programs are successful; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit copies of this resolution to the Governor for distribution to the head of each agency in the executive department of state government, to the Director of the Department of Personnel, the President of the University of Nevada, Reno, and the President of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
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