Interviews complete in UNLV probe

Steve Carp

Tuesday, May 26, 1998 | 11:04 a.m.

It has been a busy three weeks for Kwasi Nyamekeye. But the toughest part is about to begin for the assistant general counsel to the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Nyamekeye has finished interviewing people in his investigation to determine if UNLV athletic director Charles Cavagnaro used racial and sexist slurs in describing some of the school's student-athletes, as anonymous athletic department personnel have claimed.

"I'm working on the report and I will report to the chancellor (Richard Jarvis) next week," Nyamekeye said Monday. "I may have a couple more people to interview, one or two at the most. But at this point, I have talked to over 50 people, the exact number I don't know."

Nyamekeye began the long process of talking to athletic department personnel, coaches and former staff members back on May 6. Cavagnaro was one of the last to be interviewed as Nyamekeye spoke to the AD late last week.

Cavagnaro has withheld comment on the matter, although he has previously denied having made the alleged remarks.

Nyamekeye said he is putting the hundreds of pages of notes he has taken into some semblance of order, although Jarvis has not asked for a written report at this point.

"I haven't submitted anything yet," Nyamekeye said. "I am waiting to meet with the chancellor and he will tell me how he wants this handled."

Jarvis could not be reached for comment Monday.

Nyamekeye said once he submits his information to Jarvis, the matter is out of his hands.

"As you know, this is a personnel matter and frankly, I'm not sure how it will be handled," he said of his impending report. "That is a matter for the chancellor to decide."

Nyamekeye said the past three weeks have been arduous.

"It certainly was," he said of the investigation. "It's a very delicate issue and I wanted to guarantee that it was done in a professional manner."

Nyamekeye said he can't discuss what was said for obvious reasons but said it will all come out in his report.

"I'm sure at the appropriate time, the chancellor will make available to the public what was learned, though I can't speak for the chancellor," he said. "It will be his decision as to how it gets handled."