Harter holds fate of UNLV probe findings

Steve Carp

Thursday, May 28, 1998 | 10:49 a.m.

Whether the findings of the investigation concerning alleged racist remarks made by UNLV athletic director Charles Cavagnaro are disclosed publicly will depend on university president Dr. Carol Harter, not the chancellor's office.

Chancellor Richard Jarvis said Wednesday that once the information on Cavagnaro has been submitted to Harter, it is her call as to how it is handled.

"You must keep in mind that this is a personnel matter," Jarvis said. "And there are certain issues of confidentiality that go along with that.

"Once Dr. Harter gets all the facts, I'm sure she'll make a determination. However, I have no say how it is handled."

Jarvis is waiting on the findings gathered by assistant general counsel Kwasi Nyamekeye. Nyamekeye has spent the past three weeks interviewing more than 50 athletic department employees, coaches and former employees while looking into nonattributed allegations that Cavagnaro made racist and sexist remarks about UNLV athletes.

Some new details regarding the investigation will appear in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated. The magazine says it talked to a former member of the UNLV marketing department, and recounted a conversation that allegedly took place between that individual and Cavagnaro.

After former Rebels wide receiver Kwame Coleman was suspended in 1996, the source told SI that Cavagnaro asked "Whatever happened to that Kwame Coleman kid? Did he go back to the jungle?"

Cavagnaro also is quoted by the former marketing department source as "asking out loud" at a UNLV basketball practice. "Y'all see that Eric Lee? He got up on the rim like a monkey."

Cavagnaro is in Albuquerque with the UNLV golf team and could not be reached.

Harter had asked for the independent investigation from the chancellor's office on May 5. Nyamekeye said Monday he still is compiling the information he had gathered over the past three weeks and was not going to meet with Jarvis until sometime next week.

"There's no timetable," Jarvis said. "I haven't received any information at this point."

Jarvis added that Nyamekeye's report may be an oral one.

"I don't know that there's going to be a written report," he said. "It depends on what the findings are."

Jarvis was hoping that once he and Nyamekeye meet, the process will be expedited and Harter can determine Cavagnaro's status.

"You have an employee, Charlie Cavagnaro, who has been hanging out there," Jarvis said. "He has a right to have the matter brought to closure.

"We're trying to help the president gather the information she's seeking so she can wrap this up."