Neal attacks director of medical school

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Thursday, April 1, 1999 | 9:56 a.m.

Dean Robert Daugherty was honored by most legislators for his achievements at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine. But Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, said the school discriminates against minorities.

"The gentleman we honor here today is generally responsible for that," Neal said. "I don't think, in the years I've been around, you've had seven black students graduate from your institution."

Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, defended Daugherty, saying he had seen the dean's attempts to change the racial make-up of the medical school's students.

A 1995 federal Department of Education probe prompted by Neal's complaints found the school complies with federal laws on minority recruiting and admission.

Neal unsuccessfully pushed legislation in 1993 to cut the school's funding if it didn't increase the number of minority applicants by 50 percent.