Questions arise on CCSN president candidate

Jeffrey Libby

Monday, Aug. 7, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

A finalist for president of the Community College of Southern Nevada retired from her post as president of a Kentucky community college after an audit revealed her administration mismanaged funds and used college employees for personal shopping errands.

Deborah L. Floyd was one of six finalists named Saturday. The others included two presidents of community colleges in Texas, president of a small university in Colorado and two vice chancellors of community colleges in Texas and California. CCSN Interim President Robert Silverman was not among the finalists.

Floyd retired in June 1999 as president of Prestonsburg Community College in Kentucky shortly after an audit revealed that a financial aid officer kept more than $20,000 in cash fees paid by students for placement tests.

The audit also noted that several employees submitted signed affidavits claiming Floyd directed them to complete personal errands for her.

"What I can say to you is that I had appointed a black female as our dean of students, and a woman who did not get the position filed suit," Floyd said this morning by phone.

Floyd said she ordered the audit herself as part of the lawsuit.

Auditors determined that the same woman who originally filed the lawsuit, Brenda Music, had kept $20,565 in student fees, Floyd said.

Floyd also claimed that auditors have yet to produce the signed affidavits alleging her improper use of employees despite repeated requests. She characterized the statements as "petty attempts" by people loyal to Music to distract auditors.

Floyd served as president of Prestonburg Community College from July 1991 to June 1999, expanding the college campus from four buildings to eight during her tenure. The college enrolls about 3,000 students.

Floyd currently serves as executive assistant for special projects to the chancellor at University of Kentucky at Lexington.

Floyd was a finalist in the presidential search for Western Nevada Community College in 1999.

Shirley Reed, another finalist in the search, has seen growth in McAllen, Texas, similar to the rapid growth in Southern Nevada.

As president of South Texas Community College in McAllen, Reed has overseen an expansion from 1,000 students in 1993 to more than 10,000 students as of January 2000.

During the presidency of Richard Moore, the Community College of Southern Nevada more than doubled its student population, from 16,700 students in 1995 to 35,400 students in fall 1999. Moore left CCSN in January to head an effort to open a new state college in Henderson.

One finalist named Saturday has not fared well in recent applications to community colleges in Louisiana and Florida.

Frank Vivelo, president of Wharton County Junior College, Wharton, Texas, since 1994, applied unsuccessfully for posts at River Parishes Community College in Baton Rouge, La., in 1998, and Valencia Community College in Florida in 1999.

The three other finalists include Robert Anderson, president of Colorado Northwestern University in Rangely, Colo.; Stephen Head, executive vice chancellor for education, student and community development, North Harris Montgomery Community College, Houston; and Diana Sloane, vice chancellor, education and technology of Los Rios Community College in Sacramento, Calif.

Not among the finalists was Silverman, who has been interim president of CCSN since Jan. 14.

"As interim president you're basically on a pedestal. It can be a major plus or a major negative," Regent Mark Alden said. "We had 12 terrific candidates. So we had to cut the mustard."

Alden said an ongoing internal investigation into school computers and furniture loaned out to local nonprofit agencies did not factor into discussions by the 19-member search committee. Those alleged misuses of school property occurred during Moore's presidency, during which Silverman served as vice president of academic affairs.