Interim CCSN chief in race for post

Jeffrey Libby

Thursday, Aug. 17, 2000 | 10:56 a.m.

Robert Silverman, interim president of the Community College of Southern Nevada, may get a chance after all to interview to keep his job permanently.

Though Silverman failed to qualify two weeks ago as one of six finalists for president of CCSN, regents are expected to announce today a special meeting to reconsider his application.

This morning administrators were checking schedules to determine an appropriate date.

"There was enough interest in the last meeting by regents to include (Silverman) as a finalist," said Regent Douglas Seastrand, chairman of the 19-member search committee. "It's a tough call, but we want to be as open and as inclusive as possible."

The six regents on the search committee did not select Silverman as a finalist. However, the former vice president of academic affairs was ranked fourth or fifth by the committee's 13 advisory members from the CCSN faculty, Seastrand said.

In addition, other regents not on the search committee have voiced a desire to see Silverman, a known quantity, included in the pool of finalists, he said.

Regents Steve Sisolak and David Phillips have both voiced a desire to see Silverman interviewed. Sisolak said he has been deluged by faxes and telephone calls supporting Silverman. He also was persuaded by faculty members who flew to Reno last week to attend the regents' meeting in support of Silverman.

Regents have received anonymous faxes voicing equally strong opposition to Silverman's candidacy, Seastrand said.

"But the thing is, people who are opposed to Silverman can't speak out for fear of retribution, if he were eventually picked," he said.

The regents' counsel said there were no legal problems with interviewing Silverman, Seastrand said.

There is precedent for the unusual maneuver as well, according to Seastrand. Joe Crowley, president of University of Nevada, Reno for more than 20 years, was serving as interim when a search committee cut him from the applicant pool. Regents later reinstated him and he emerged as the eventual nominee.

Interviews with the six other finalists will be conducted during the weeks of Sept. 18 and Sept. 25. The search committee expects to present a final nominee to the full Board of Regents in October.