Regents meet to decide fate of chancellor

Thursday, June 17, 1999 | 11:21 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- University and Community College Chancellor Richard Jarvis will have to wait another week before he learns whether he will retain the job he has held since October 1994.

The board of regents meets today and Friday in Carson City and will hold a closed-door personnel session with Jarvis Friday. But a special regents meeting has been called for June 26 in Las Vegas to make a final decision.

Some regents have been unhappy with the performance of Jarvis, but it does not appear at this point his job is in jeopardy. His three-year contract does not expire until June 30, 2000.

And Gov. Kenny Guinn may be in his corner. Regent Steve Sisolak of Las Vegas said Guinn has talked to several regents about Jarvis. But Sisolak said the governor has not conferred with him. Guinn was asked to fill out an evaluation of Jarvis.

A spokesman for the governor confirmed today that Guinn has talked to some of the regents "on behalf of Jarvis." Press Secretary Jack Finn said Guinn believes "Jarvis is doing an excellent job."

Regent Mark Alden of Las Vegas, who at one time suggested Jarvis resign, said the chancellor "did a good job at the Legislature." But he added Jarvis has not improved his skills in communicating with individual regents. He said he won't make a decision whether to retain Jarvis until the special meeting.

Regent Tom Kirkpatrick of Las Vegas said Wednesday he does not want to prejudge Jarvis. "I hope he gets a good, thorough, effective evaluation." But Kirkpatrick he said he was "concerned" about the performance of the chancellor.

While Jarvis has many positive points, the chancellor should have fought harder during the Legislature to cure the funding inequities that are shortchanging UNLV and the Community College of Southern Nevada, Kirkpatrick said.

"I want this (the inequities) corrected, and I will be raising hell as long as I'm on the board," Kirkpatrick said.

Regent Dorothy Gallagher, the senior member of the board, backs Jarvis and says he has "done an outstanding job." Gallagher, of Elko, said "it's not his fault there's a disparity. That occurred because of some administrative decisions made at UNLV" before the arrival of UNLV President Carol Harter.

Jarvis, Gallagher said, did a good job during the three sessions he dealt with the Legislature and has worked well with the presidents at the universities and community colleges.

Regent Tom Wiesner of Las Vegas, said he would like to see Jarvis stay. Wiesner, who is vice chairman of the regents, said, "He (Jarvis) is certainly well versed on higher education and committed to it. And that's what it's all about."

Sisolak is on the five-member regent committee to evaluate the performance of Jarvis and make a recommendation to the full board June 26. He said it would not be proper for him to comment while he is examining how well Jarvis has done.

The committee, headed by Regent Chairwoman Jill Derby, has sent out letters to more than 100 people asking for evaluations of the chancellor.

And what may or may not be tied with the fate of Jarvis is the election of a chairman for the regents. Derby of Gardnerville has served two one-year terms as head of the board. She said she's willing to continue.

Derby said she was approached earlier by some who want her to stay to add stability. The system, she said, has been "going through some rough waters."

But the bylaws are unclear whether she is eligible for another term. They say the chair is limited to two successive terms but later talk about three years of service. Sisolak said there is disagreement among lawyers whether Derby is eligible for another term.

Wiesner wants the top job. And under prior policy, the chairmanship has rotated between north and south. So it should be the south's turn.

The election of the chair is scheduled for Friday. But Kirkpatrick has suggested that the election be continued until the June 26 special meeting. He said the bylaws require the election to be at the last meeting of the fiscal year.

He denies the timing of the chairman's election has anything to do with the evaluation of the chancellor. But other regents say privately the two are linked. Some regents want to see how the others vote on keeping Jarvis before they will decide on the next chairman.

Wiesner said he opposes delaying the vote.

"We ought to do business in an orderly fashion. I think he (Kirkpatrick) wants to know how members are going to vote on the chancellor," before casting a ballot for a chairman. "That's not right," Wiesner said.

Regent Doug Hill of Sparks said he opposes any delay in the selection of a chairman.

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