Chancellor may become highest paid college system executive

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 1997 | 10:51 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- After more than three years on the job, Chancellor Richard Jarvis is going to become the highest paid executive in the University and Community College System of Nevada.

The board of regents will vote this week on a recommendation to boost the salary of Jarvis from its present $181,162 to $195,000. The board meets Thursday and Friday in Reno.

Jarvis, in his second three-year contract, is receiving a 3 percent cost of living increase -- the same increase given to all state employees and university faculty. He also is receiving a 2 1/2 percent merit increase for "superior performance" and an extra $3,733 to bring his salary to a level above the highest paid presidents.

Joseph Crowley, president of the University of Nevada, Reno for more than 20 years, now earns $193,476 after his 5.5 percent pay raise earlier this year. Until now he was the highest paid executive in the system.

Jarvis' 8 percent pay raise will be retroactive to July 1. And he will earn double the salary paid Gov. Bob Miller at $90,000 a year.

"He's (Jarvis) done a remarkable job for us," says Regent Dorothy Gallagher of Elko. "He understands his business ... he had monumental success with the Legislature and the (campus) presidents all support him."

It's only right, she said that the chancellor earn more than the presidents who report to him.

The regents also will decide on a $50,000 request for a feasibility study to convert Great Basin College in Elko to a four-year school. The community college is currently a two-year school.

"I don't see anybody against it," Gallagher said. "Our student population has altered ... they have jobs and family and are not in a position to pick up and go somewhere else," noting Elko is located about 300 miles from Reno.

"The two universities were concerned that the other community colleges might want to do this," Gallagher said. "If Great Basin was next to a university campus, I would not go for this."

In other business, the regents will receive a report from a panel that looked into the controversy over the international student program at the Community College of Southern Nevada. Gallagher, head of the academic, research and student affairs committee of the board, said there won't be any vote on whether to continue the program.

The panel earlier recommended the international student program be continued. It came under scrutiny when it was revealed that the vice president of the program, William Cassell and his wife, a consultant for the college, traveled around the world recruiting international students to CCSN.

The academic committee is requesting an update from other campuses on their international programs.

Also before the board is a proposal to transfer the Department of Leisure Studies from the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs to the Department of Tourism and Convention Administration in the College of Hotel Administration at UNLV.

The switch will save administrative costs and will merge a small department into the existing medium-sized department of Tourism and Convention. The Leisure Studies Department has featured an emphasis on non-for-profit organizations and university officials say it will complement the academic programs in the College of Hotel Administration which have more of a for-profit orientation.