Harter to finally discuss UNLV probe

Steve Carp

Tuesday, June 16, 1998 | 10:54 a.m.

As the heat continues to be turned up in the wake of her decision to clear her athletic director of charges of racism, UNLV President Dr. Carol Harter said she plans to clarify her actions at Thursday's meeting of the Board of Regents in Reno.

"I'll be making a statement Thursday," Harter said. "As for the particulars, I'd really rather not address it until Thursday. I don't want to get into a day-to-day discussion about it."

Harter on May 5 had asked for and later received an independent investigation from the chancellor's office regarding anonymous charges that AD Charlie Cavagnaro may have used racist and sexist comments regarding UNLV's African-American and female student-athletes.

The results of the investigation, which took three weeks to conduct and involved 60 UNLV employees, coaches, senior staff members and former employees, has never been presented in written form and its findings never made public.

Harter was made aware of the findings from assistant general counsel Kwasi Nyamekeye's investigation on May 27. In a statement issued May 29, Harter said there was insufficient evidence to confirm that Cavagnaro made the alleged remarks.

In that same statement, Harter put Cavagnaro on notice that if proof of further instances occurred, there would be consequences.

Cavagnaro offered a public apology in the statement, saying he was sorry if anything he may have said offended anyone.

That did not placate several community activists and leaders. They are demanding that Chancellor Richard Jarvis have Nyamekeye produce a written report and that Harter make the findings public.

The inquiry has been classified as a personnel matter by Harter and Jarvis, and several of the regents have said they cannot interfere in personnel decisions.

"That is not the regents' job," Las Vegas regent Mark Alden said.

Several of the activists are making the trip to Reno Thursday to address the regents. They include Nevada State Assemblyman Wendell Williams (D-Las Vegas), the Rev. James Rogers of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and Gary Peck, head of the local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

The group has been hoping to get Harter to change her stance. It also is seeking a face-to-face meeting with Cavagnaro.

But most of all, the group wants Nyamekeye's findings made public.

"The notes are not a personnel matter," Williams said.

Community activist and local radio talk show host Pat Cunningham said she didn't know if Harter would be flexible.

"Frankly, I'm not sure how much good it will do at this point," Cunningham, who also will be in Reno, said. "I'm trying to remain optimistic about this. But Dr. Harter is the person who made the initial decision, so she's the one who can do something about this."