Regent candidates support audit of schools

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000 | 10:07 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Regent Mark Alden and two of his challengers in Clark County support the call for a legislative audit of the University and Community College System of Nevada to examine whether the schools are toeing the line.

Alden, seeking a second term, and his opponents Jim Ratigan and Wallace Best say if there are problems they should be exposed and corrected.

The top two finishers in the Sept. 5 primary election will be in a runoff in the general election in the district that covers part of Green Valley, Henderson, Boulder City, Searchlight and Laughlin.

Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, has asked that a bill be drafted for presentation to the 2001 Legislature that there be a wholesale audit of the whole university system. Interim Chancellor Jane Nichols is conducting an administrative investigation into the Community College of Southern Nevada. And the state Attorney General's Office is also looking at possible violations of the law at CCSN.

Alden, a certified public accountant, said this proposed audit "probably won't sit well with certain presidents. But they work for us and we work for the taxpayers. If they (the legislative auditors) uncover something, we better fix it."

Alden has been chairman of the internal audit committee in the system. He said he has tried to revamp that. He complained, "We're chasing ants. We better get to the big stuff." He said he would like to see an examination of the construction projects at "CCSN and UNLV and the whole system," to see if money is being properly spent.

"When I first got on the board and (Gov.) Kenny Guinn was president, we had a lack of internal controls at UNLV," he said. "I called for an audit and got voted down."

Guinn supported him, Alden said. but he couldn't get the board members to back him. Then the legislative auditors took a look at the whole system and they "slammed us."

Ratigan, a managing partner in a computer network and consulting firm in Las Vegas, said he finds it "heartening" that Perkins has moved for an audit "because I take it seriously that something is out there." And he said, "It's serious enough to require a closer look."

He said his opponent, Alden, was chairman of the audit committee that didn't uncover many of the problems. He said it was a "good move" when Regent Steve Sisolak succeeded Alden as chairman of the audit committee.

"I would like to get to the bottom of all this. The public deserves it." And if there are problems, he said he hopes they "won't be whitewashed or covered up."

Best, while he supports the audit, says it is "less important than looking to the future to upgrade our universities and community colleges." He suggested there be a change in the budgeting to give the public a clearer picture of the objectives of the various campuses.

He also said he's waiting for the results of the criminal investigation of Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa. He said he believes it was illegal for a committee established to look at the creation of a state college in Henderson, to spend money to hire Richard Moore as president and at least one other executive.

Alden, in recent regent meetings, has stressed accountability. He opposed any salary increases for the presidents of the universities and community colleges but supports pay raises for faculty. He wants to see more partnerships with the public schools, especially in the sharing of facilities. And he wants to continue the focus on the turning out more teachers for the public schools.

Alden is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno in 1971. He received the outstanding service award in 1975 from the University of Nevada Alumni Association; was named an honoree for the Hispanics in Politics in 1996 and was an outstanding member at the Henderson Boys & Girls Club in 1995-96.

Ratigan, 47, wants to stress strategic planning for higher education and the increased use of technology. He complains there has been mismanagement of the university system but no one is ever held accountable. "Full disclosure is what I want," he says.

Ratigan graduated from UNLV in 1978 and is past president of the UNLV Alumni Association. He was named the Distinguished Alumnus for the UNLV College of Business in 1994 and 1996. And he served on the state's Information Technology Advisory Board in 1993.

Best taught 45 years at a variety of universities including USC, Harvard, and Florida Atlantic, on such topics as public administration and political science. He gained his bachelor's degree at Occidental College in California and a masters and doctorate at USC in political science.

The fourth person in the race, Juana Leia Jordan, did not respond to written or telephone inquiries.