RENO — For the second straight year, students at the University of Nevada, Reno are rallying to stop cuts they believe will hurt their education.

There is a feeling, however, that many students don’t fully grasp the reality of how the cuts will affect the school. That’s why student body undergraduate president Eli Reilly and others invited students to participate in this week’s series of informational gatherings.

“We’re all concerned for the future of this university and the future of the state, which I think are one and the same,” Reilly said. “Instead of walking out, we decided to have a teach-in. One recurring theme I find myself repeating is I don’t think members of our student body, just like the citizens of Nevada, don’t grasp the gravity of a 22 percent cut. This isn’t just a problem that’s exclusive to higher ed in Nevada.”

The eyes of most students Tuesday night were opened to the reality of the impacts of possible further reductions to the school.

Economist and professor Elliott Parker, who discussed the events that culminated in the Silver State’s current fiscal shortfall, said there's a reason many students aren't in the loop: The administration has worked to make sure they were protected.

“We didn't want to put the students out on the front line,” he said. “The (Associated Students of the University of Nevada) wanted to get the students together. There were a lot of cuts we took and we took them in ways the public doesn't see.”

On Tuesday, Parker broke down the details of the state budget and UNR’s legal obligations to use certain funds for certain purposes. He detailed how the Nevada System of Higher Education’s portion of Nevada’s total budget was stable at 19 percent but has dropped to 15 percent. UNR’s share of the state’s general fund has decreased as well, starting at 45 percent 20 years ago and dipping to 32 percent today. The campus’ public safety budget has fallen from 12 percent of the university’s total share to 7 percent. Parker also said that according to state law, colleges and universities are not allowed to charge tuition to Nevada students.

“But you pay registration fees,” he said. “That’s how we get around it. The point was to make education available to Nevadans.”

But while some students may have only heard for the first time at this week’s crisis forums what the situation implies for them, some students have been actively involved in spreading the word and defending UNR and their own education.

Reilly, chair of the Nevada Student Alliance, has been working with not only UNR's students but also those from the other sites in the Nevada System of Higher Education. “The students I have talked to, they're not as outraged as they are frustrated,” he said. “We went through this a year ago. Almost a year ago to this day, we were rallying in Carson City. It was a great thing and we fought this fight and now to come back and have it be worse than before? How can our leaders let this happen and refuse to allow all of the options be on the table?”

Reilly said even if it meant raising taxes, he would be open to a productive solution to help save the campuses and their students.

“To not ever allow it (raising taxes) to be on the table is irresponsible,” he said. Reilly and some of his fellow students have launched a Web site called Fight for Nevada, which will function as an online petition students can sign as a statement that they support legislators seeking alternative sources of revenue to help fund education. The site is www.fightfornevada.com.

“This isn’t a problem exclusive to education,” he said. “They’re closing down prisons. The only recourse we have is to get fired up. … If we don’t do it, you know what happens – nothing.”