Chancellor takes up question of CCSN computers

Jeffrey Libby

Tuesday, July 18, 2000 | 10:47 a.m.

Jane Nichols, interim chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada, arrived early this morning in Las Vegas to address allegations of the improper disposal of Community College of Southern Nevada computers.

In a memo sent last week to community college faculty and staff, Nichols acknowledges that questions have arisen in the wake of several loans of school computers to area nonprofit groups.

Nichols also mentions in the memo "other allegations that continue to surface," but Monday, when reached by phone in Reno, declined to elaborate.

"I'm giving people the opportunity, who have concerns about practices at CCSN, to have a chance to talk," Nichols said. "The primary focus is the computers, but we're not limiting it to that. If people have other concerns, we'd like to get them on the table now."

College administrators loaned a total of nine computers to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Latin Chamber of Commerce and the American Association of Retired Persons during the presidency of Richard Moore, said Robert Silverman, interim president of CCSN. Moore is now the founding president of the proposed Nevada State College at Henderson.

John Kuminecz, the college's director of public affairs, said the computers were originally purchased in 1995 and have a capacity of one-half a gigabyte and 75 megahertz. Computers currently used at the college have 15 gigabytes and 600 megahertz.

The appropriate paperwork had been signed by administrator Orlando Sandoval, Kuminecz said.

At the time, Sandoval, who headed the now-defunct department of planning and administrative services, also served as president of the Latin Chamber. Jackie Phillips, married to Regent David Phillips, heads the senior employment center at AARP.

"The intention was to place the computers at locations that could increase our outreach effort and encourage more people to utilize the community college," Silverman said.

"The computers trickle from one place to another place to another place until they are surplused, sold or junked. In this case, the machines were given out to organizations, usually by request."

Nichols' outreach to faculty and staff comes after the Board of Regents asked her to investigate.

Nichols said she will be available to meet with college faculty and staff until 7 p.m. For more information call (702) 889-8426.