Jarvis’ performance concern of regents

Tuesday, June 8, 1999 | 11:24 a.m.

When the University Board of Regents holds its regular meeting at Western Nevada Community College in Carson City next week, part of the regents' time will be spent in a closed session discussing the job performance of Chancellor Richard Jarvis. Jarvis begins his sixth year as chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada July 1, the last year of his contract.

The regents' Committee on Chancellor Evaluation met in Las Vegas Monday night to set up an evaluation process, one that includes soliciting letters from more than 100 community leaders with interest in education.

The regular board meeting will be June 17-18. The closed session will be on June 18.

Several regents have expressed concern about Jarvis' job performance, including Southern Nevada Regent Steve Sisolak.

Jarvis has not adequately addressed some of the major issues facing Southern Nevada higher education, including funding inequity, Sisolak said.

"He's very intelligent and is able to grasp the whole system," Sisolak said. "But there is a lack of communication in some areas."

Sisolak said he doesn't think Jarvis spends enough time in Southern Nevada to have a full understanding of the problems local educators face.

Jarvis responded that he owns a home in Southern Nevada and when the Legislature is not in session he spends two to three days a week here. He also sometimes teaches a class in geography at UNLV. His next class will be in the fall.

"Teaching is one of the most important things I do," Jarvis said. He said it helps him to understand the problems of the teachers, students and administrators.

As chancellor his salary is $205,000 per year. He teaches for free.

Jarvis disagreed that he hasn't done enough about Southern Nevada's funding problems.

"Go back and look at my past budgets. You'll see I've delivered major growth budgets," he said. "I'd like the record to reflect that. I'm just trying to get us the best budget we can. I think we're doing that."

One of the conflicts that arose during Monday's meeting was Jarvis' refusal to waive his rights to read the letters that will come to the regents.

It's not that he wants to read what people write about him, Jarvis said. His concern is waiving his rights.

"I don't know of any other system that requires employees to waive their rights," he said.