Henderson college OK’d by regents

Thursday, Dec. 2, 1999 | 11:44 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Despite concerns that money would be siphoned off from other schools, the university Board of Regents voted Wednesday to create a four-year state college in Henderson.

But the board short-circuited efforts, at least for the time being, to name Community College of Southern Nevada President Richard Moore as the founding president of the Henderson college.

The debate over the college and naming of a new president lasted for nearly two hours, most of it devoted to whether Moore should be transferred to the new institution.

When the dust settled, Regent Chairwoman Jill Derby was authorized to name a search committee to report back no later than January on whether to nominate Moore or someone else, or to start a national search.

Moore watched the proceedings with interest but after the vote said only, "It's the board's decision."

The board accepted the report of a legislative committee, headed by Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, recommending that planning begin and a founding president be named so the budget and the framework of the new college could be established. Perkins was the driving force for creating a four-year college in his hometown, which he called "my dream."

Nevada has two universities and four community colleges but no state college. The Henderson project still must be approved by the 2001 Legislature.

Perkins said the city of Henderson is looking at several sites ranging from 200 to 300 acres to donate for the new college. He added that the cost of educating a student at the Henderson college would be $7,500 a year compared with $15,000 at UNLV, and that more than $50 million in private donations may be raised to start the school.

He tried to head off arguments that a new four-year college would drain finances from other campuses. The university system would spend less money on those students who attend the Henderson school, Perkins argued, so there would be more money left over for other projects at the university and community colleges. Besides, he said, new private money is being raised for Henderson. Higher education has received about 20 percent of the state's budget.

"I will not harm other institutions," Perkins pledged.

But Regent Tom Kirkpatrick, who abstained on the vote, said he hears a "great financial sucking sound," of money being shifted from other schools to support Henderson. He said the regents just received the report from the legislative committee, and there was no time to study it.

The needs at other schools are great, Kirkpatrick said. UNLV has a student union building that was built for 5,000 students, and the school's enrollment is now 23,300. He then listed other building projects that need money: "Grant Hall (at UNLV) ... they ought to drop a bomb on it and start all over."

Eric Nystrom, Nevada Student Affairs Director at UNLV, warned the regents not to believe the "platitudes" of the supporters of Henderson. "It will take money from every other institution," he said. "Don't sacrifice the students on the altar of political profit."

Other undergraduate and graduate students made similar comments.

But Regent Mark Alden of Las Vegas, who was on the legislative study committee, said it would probably cost only $5,000 to $6,000 to educate a student at the state college, because it would not be supporting research and other programs that UNLV does. He said Henderson and its residents have come forward with pledges of financial support to back the college.

Alden said he didn't see the financial impact on other schools "as long as we see local funding." He estimated the Legislature may have to come up with only $5 million a year for the new school.

The drive to name Moore as president had a tougher go, losing on a 5-6 vote.

Regent Tom Wiesner of Las Vegas sought to scrap naming a search committee for the founding president and to approve the shifting of Moore over to Henderson. He gained the support of Alden, Derby, Thalia Dondero of Las Vegas and Dorothy Gallagher of Elko.

But the majority wanted a search committee, even if it eventually chose Moore. "I'm concerned there is a perception this is a done deal," Regent Steve Sisolak of Las Vegas, said, "and I have trouble swallowing it."

Sisolak said there should be an opportunity to look at all the possible candidates. And he said he was worried that the loss of Moore might disrupt the community college, which will undergo a re-accreditation early next year.

Kirkpatrick said the regents should look at Dr. Bill Robinson, an economics professor at UNLV, as a temporary president. He said Robinson founded two colleges in California. "I'm sure UNLV would give him a leave of absence to help," he said.

Alden and other backers of Moore stressed the Henderson school needs someone on board quickly to start planning and getting its budget ready for the 2001 Legislature. Derby said Moore "is an ideal candidate for the position."