The Nevada System of Higher Education proposed tuition and fee increases of 12% at four‑year campuses and 9% at two‑year colleges to avert more than 300 job cuts, Chancellor Matt McNair told regents. The plan would generate roughly $49.3 million to cover projected shortfalls tied to expiring bridge funding, rising costs, deferred maintenance, and salary pressures. Auditors and system leaders warned that smaller tuition hikes would still require significant layoffs—an 8%/6% plan would still leave a multimillion-dollar gap and force about 100 job cuts. The Board of Regents will consider the proposals at a January meeting. Why it matters: public higher education systems facing funding cliffs often default to tuition increases or staffing reductions; Nevada’s proposal shows how short‑term state bridge funding expiration can force tradeoffs that affect affordability, workforce capacity, and student support services.