An Innovative Approach to Understanding Employers\u27 Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Diversity, equity, and Inclusion in the workforce have been topics of discussion in corporate America for years. In an effort to better understand employers’ commitment to hiring a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce, and to collect robust data for analysis, the Nevada Legislature authorized the University Nevada, Las Vegas to launch a survey of Nevada employers concerning their workforce composition, employee representation at the frontline, supervisory, managerial and executive levels, employee benefit packages, and attrition rates. Every Nevada employer, including for-profit, non-profit and educational institutions are invited to participate. A link to the survey is provided in the article and the survey questions are included as an appendix

Regulated Sports Betting: A Nevada Perspective

This article discusses the impact Nevada has had on legal regulated sports betting for the past seventy years. First, an overview and history of Nevada\u27s sport betting regulatory framework will be presented; and, second, lessons learned and issues to consider for states wishing to embark on legalized regulated sports betting such as, integrity, why states and not the federal government should regulate sports betting, how tax rates and fees impact the legal and illegal markets, why technology is critical component of legal sports wagering, why multiple avenues for consumer protection are essential, and finally how cooperation among all stakeholders is essential and will help create solutions to new challenges

Fear as a predictor of firearm ownership and concealed weapons permits in Clark County, Nevada

This study is specific to Clark County, Nevada. Two relationships, the relationship between fear and gun possession [defined in terms of firearms registration] and the relationship between fear and the issuance of concealed weapons permits, were posited. Data for the number of registered firearms and issued concealed weapons permits were obtained from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Firearms Detail and CCW Detail. Criminal incidents involving firearms in public areas that appeared to be random in nature [stranger to stranger violence] were gathered through an archive search of Nevada\u27s largest newspaper servicing Clark County, the Las Vegas Review-Journal; Statistical analysis established that there is no significant relationship between fear and firearms possession, as well as no relationship between fear and the issuance of concealed weapons permits. When assessing the impact of particularly tragic incidents and controlling for seasonal trends, however, a significant relationship between fear and gun ownership does emerge. The relationship between fear and concealed weapons permits remains insignificant, even with these added controls

Reshaping College Athlete Sports Betting Education

Legal sports wagering has been rapidly expanding across the United States since 2018. In the wake of the Supreme Court\u27s Murphy decision, more than twenty five states have legalized sports betting and billions of dollars have followed the cascades of legalization. As the legal market continues to grow, professional sports leagues have been quick to embrace the regulated expansion, but the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has not changed their steadfast opposition. Despite the NCAA\u27s vehement opposition, the organization has seemed to gain little traction in getting states to either wholly exclude wagering on collegiate sports or getting the federal government to preempt these nascent state initiatives. The NCAA\u27s opposition to sports betting expansion is futile. Despite the organization\u27s reluctance to embrace the now mainstream activity, the time has come for the organization to acknowledge the reality of the situation and create an environment that provides a modernized means of protecting college athletes from those who may wish to do them harm for gambling purposes. The expansion of legal sports betting is likely to be a net positive for the integrity of both betting markets and sporting events. As sports bettors begin accessing the legal regulated sports wagering market in larger numbers, illegal products and markets will likely become less attractive alternatives . The time has come for the NCAA , collegiate athletic conferences, and colleges and universities to take the steps necessary to coexist with widespread legal betting markets. This Article provides the necessary framework for collegiate sports organizations to move forward with modernizing sports wagering education and awareness for collegiate athletes through (a) adopting best practices; (b) establishing reporting processes; and (c) creating a necessary system of education that provides additional measures of protection and awareness of the threats brought on by nefarious individuals

Helping Dependent Readers Use the Web

A teacher educator, an elementary school teacher, and an integration specialist share web-based strategies to help struggling readers improve comprehension

Expert Commentary on Sports Betting Post-PASPA

Becky Harris, appointed by former Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (2011-2019), served as the first female Chair of the Nevada Gaming Control Board from January 2018 to January 2019. Harris was the first Chair to propose regulations addressing workplace sexual harassment. Prior to serving as Chair, Harris served in the Nevada Legislature for the 2015 and 2017 legislative sessions

Risking Multi-billion Decisions on Underground Railways: Land Value Capture, Differential Rent and Financialization in London and Hong Kong

Rapid urbanization has brought the needs to minimize negative transport externalities in cities to the forefront. The development of metros is a response to urban sustainability challenges, but the construction of underground infrastructure often requires massive excavation and long construction time, disrupts the economy and people’s everyday living, and is highly capital intensive. As such, these multi-billion-dollar investment decisions require political vision and determination, careful traffic analysis, and the ability to raise sufficient funds to cover not only capital construction costs but also future operations and depreciation. Underground infrastructure projects must, therefore, balance the engineering aspects of a proposed project with the development of a resilient and sustainable business model. This paper is the first to develop a comparative longitudinal analysis of the finance and funding models of two underground systems (London Underground and Hong Kong’s Mass Transit Railway) with a focus on the development of a conceptual framework for understanding land value capture (LVC) based on differential rents and financialization. The focus is on exploring the supply-side aspects of underground transport infrastructure including finance or capital investment and the relationship with funding or revenue streams and the creation of financially sustainable business models

Increasing Investment in STEM Education for Females: Policy Considerations

During this difficult economic time, as policy makers decide how to use their limited resources to help prepare the rising generation for the demands of an ever-changing workforce, aligning K-12 educational priorities with higher education and economic development can help maximize public dollar investments in STEM education, particularly when females are given access to STEM and STEM-related education and programs. Smart public policy initiatives can help increase the representation of women in the technology, research and development, and innovation departments. The purpose of this article is to provide policy recommendations that could help increase gender diversity and participation in STEM education pipelines and stimulate innovation. Viewing public dollar investments in female STEM education as an economic development tool not only encourages diverse participation in traditionally male dominated industries but can help leverage STEM education into an economic driver that promotes strong technology sectors in state economies

Nevada Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Study 2023

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) metrics enable organizations to set concrete goals and self-monitor their performance. In 2021, Nevada’s legislature passed Senate Bill No. 267 (SB267), authorizing the University Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) to study DEI benchmarks in the State. The study is designed to produce actionable results capable of informing policy and employer best practices in Nevada. Workforce Study data was collected for the 2022 calendar year with study participation taking place between January 2-April 30, 2023. The questions in the study were crafted based on DEI public policy considerations as well as metrics for gauging the scope of offerings available to women in Nevada’s workforce and were codified into statute as part of SB 267. As Nevada’s economy continues to diversify, it is important that Nevada companies have the ability to attract and retain diverse talent. As women continue to become disproportionately impacted in the workplace, it is critical that in addition to equal pay for equal work, employers offer benefits that improve quality of life outside of work and set women up for success. Competent, educated, and qualified women exist in Nevada’s current workforce. Despite having the necessary experience, many women are not identified for hiring and are systematically overlooked for promotion. The Nevada Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Study (Workforce Study) aims to measure how women experience the Nevada workforce environment, identify employer best practices, celebrate what employers are getting right, and use the study data to make recommendations. In order to provide context for how women transition through their careers, the study considers the different hierarchical levels within a business or organization. It is particularly useful to see the vertical progression into managerial and executive roles. Our study data support other studies’ findings that suggest there is a “broken rung” for advancement into managerial positions.i Unsurprisingly, there are bottlenecks and barriers specific to women’s’ career trajectories that become apparent. Using the benchmarks from the initial study data from 2021, it is possible to measure changes, create a framework upon which we can build sound public policy initiatives, and create mechanisms for identifying employer best practices. We also now possess the tools for educating companies and reinforcing the value of diversity initiatives in the workplace. With this snapshot of the corporate pipeline, predictive and initiative-taking measures become possible. One way these data translate into tangible results is through identifying desirable skill sets that can expand career opportunities. That knowledge empowers companies to collaborate with talent and emerging leaders to create pathways for determining attractive skills sets, measure additional skills, and recognize the benefits of obtaining career enhancing certifications. The purpose for collecting this data is twofold: 1) To commend employers for their achievements in DEI and thereby inspire others to do the same, and 2) To establish a means for determining and developing workforce best practices