Search for chancellor cut to six candidates

Thursday, July 20, 2000 | 11:08 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Four men and two women, including Interim Chancellor Jane Nichols, are the semi-finalists for the job of chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada.

A Board of Regents search committee will interview the six Aug. 19 in Las Vegas and then narrow the list further. The candidates will be asked such questions as their vision for the university system, how they can promote more private money for the schools and their style of leadership.

Shirley Chater, senior consultant for Academic Search Consultation Service in Washington, D.C., called the semi-finalists a "strong pool."

"All six have a variety of leadership skills," Chater said.

There were 44 applicants for the job. Richard Jarvis resigned in June 1999, and there have been two interim chancellors since.

Chater was hired by the search committee to get a list of candidates and then select the best ones. She presented six names to the committee Wednesday. And the committee decided to interview all six instead of narrowing the list.

The list includes Nichols, who has been vice chancellor for academic and student affairs since 1997 and in the university system since 1984. She has helped develop a new funding formula for the university system, planned the administration of the Millennium Scholarship program and says her commitment to Nevada has been longstanding.

The other woman is Lindsay Ann Desrochers, senior vice chancellor for capital resources at the University System of Georgia, which has 210,000 students and a $4 billion budget. She says she oversees accounting, budgeting, auditing, capital outlay planning, business policies and works on strategic planning for the system.

The other applicants are:

The regents did not set any timetable but are looking to act quickly after the interviews to get a new chancellor on board in time for the 2001 Legislature. Regent Dorothy Gallagher of Elko quipped the board wants somebody who "can walk on hot water." Chater said she told the semi-finalists, "We want them as soon as possible."

Chater said it was "most likely" these candidates also are applying for jobs in other universities.

The salary is negotiable but is expected to be more than $200,000.

The regents will start checking the references of the six candidates. After Jarvis resigned last year, Thomas Anderes, who was vice chancellor for finance, was named interim director. But Anderes got a job at the University of Oregon and Nichols was selected as his replacement for interim chancellor.

Each candidate will have an interview of about one hour. Chater said regents will know in the first five minutes if there is a "chemistry" between the board and the applicant. And she said the board will be able to assess the leadership qualities during the one hour.

The search committee is headed by Regent Thalia Dondero of Las Vegas. There is also an advisory committee from the various schools to make recommendations to the search committee.