Regents to consider merit raises for college presidents

Sunday, Aug. 6, 2000 | 1:21 a.m.

Presidents who have been recommended for raises include John Richardson of Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, Ron Remington of Great Basin College in Elko, UNLV President Carol Harter, Carol Lucey of Western Nevada Community College in Carson City and Stephen Wells of the Desert Research Institute.

But some regents, including vice-chairman Howard Rosenberg of Reno, said now may not be the best time for giving out raises to top executives.

Instead, Rosenberg said he will propose a freeze on all top executives' salaries.

Rosenberg said Gov. Kenny Guinn "has asked us to make judicious decisions when it comes to our budget."

"I believe this is such a decision," he told the Reno Gazette-Journal.

In May, Guinn wrote a stern letter to university officials about the size of the system's $1.1 billion budget request for the coming biennium. In June, that request was trimmed to about $950 million.

Among the regents' top priorities is to secure cost-of-living increases for faculty, who have not received those benefits for the last two years.

Interim Chancellor Jane Nichols said the decision on presidents' pay will be a difficult one for regents.

"They most definitely want to address the governor's concerns," Nichols said. "The presidents have worked very hard but it's also a matter of holding the line."

Regent David Phillips of Las Vegas said he has trouble giving presidents more money, particularly if the future of funding for higher education is cloudy.

"I think we'd better start looking closely at where we're spending our money now, because it looks like it's only going to get leaner down the road.

"We need to start tightening our belts right now."

Regents are scheduled to consider the merit raises when they meet Thursday in Reno.