Regent: Crowley’s cussing makes him uncomfortable

Thursday, Sept. 30, 1999 | 10:05 a.m.

In a letter to UNR Foundation Chairwoman Dixie May, Sisolak said Crowley swore at him when both were on hand for an Aug. 23 press conference in Las Vegas to name Robert Miller as the dean of UNR's medical school.

Crowley said he and Sisolak "have had our disagreements. But I wrote him back and assured him that as a regent, he would be welcome on any UNR property or at any of our functions."

Sisolak says his problems with Crowley started when he asked why 47 instead of 52 students were enrolled in the medical school.

Sisolak said his question was answered and enrollment for this year was increased to make up the difference, but it took UNR officials two to four months to provide the information.

A second bone of contention was Miller's salary of $310,000 a year plus benefits, Sisolak said.

"I wanted the information in writing and he (Crowley) lost it and used some profanity. The language was unbecoming and unprofessional," Sisolak said.

Sisolak said the salary is 30 percent above the agreed-upon cap and he asked for a comparison of what other medical school deans were being paid in Western states.

Crowley's comment "was out of character. But if I was in the same box, I might have used the same words, too," said Las Vegas Regent Mark Alden, who overheard the discussion between Crowley and Sisolak.

"In defense of both of them, Joe Crowley is doing his job and Regent Sisolak is doing his. I would stand up for both of them."

Alden said that Crowley genuinely believed he was passing on accurate information on the medical school to Sisolak and the regent disagreed.

He also said that Crowley should be applauded for appointing Miller because he was the candidate who could serve the whole state and not just the north.