Henderson college budget approved

Friday, Oct. 20, 2000 | 10:55 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Even though the state college in Henderson may not be open soon, a university regents committee Thursday approved a budget of $549,512 for this fiscal year, mostly to pay the four employees.

The school must be approved by the 2001 Legislature, but it has already started its development program.

Included in the budget is the $175,000-a-year salary for President Richard Moore, a $12,000 housing allowing, a $6,000 car allowance and a $5,000 host fund. His top assistant, Orlando Sandoval, will receive $125,000 salary.

Of the budget, $283,528 will come from a fund set up to study the feasibility of creating the state college. The state college foundation will provide $48,651. And the Clark County Medical Association is giving $200,000 to develop a nursing education program.

Regent Tom Kirkpatrick of Las Vegas questioned whether the $200,000 was being "laundered." He said it was coming from the Clark County Commission, and he wondered why it was going through the medical organization. "It bothers me that we're cooking the books," he said.

But Kirkpatrick and other members of the financing and planning committee of the regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada voted to approve the budget for the year.

Kirkpatrick questioned the small amount of private money raised by the college foundation. But Regent Dorothy Gallagher of Elko said the foundation is collecting money only for operating now. When the school is approved, than the foundation will start its major efforts to get money for buildings.

In other business, the regents also called for a full-scale audit on the enrollment policies at the various campuses.

Regent Steve Sisolak of Las Vegas, who heads the audit committee, said there is a question about "drop policy." The issue, he said surrounds whether a student who enrolls and then drops out after a week or two is still counted as a full-time student for the purposes of receiving money.

"There's a difference between campuses on how they count these students," Sisolak said. The school receives state support based on the number of full-time students.

Also to be examined, he said was the practice of allowing students to take courses for free, failing to show up but getting passing grades. There have been allegations that this occurred at the Community College of Southern Nevada in past years.

University Chancellor Jane Nichols was expected to issue her report on the investigation today at the meeting in Carson City.

The regents received a report that the troubled Fire Science Academy in Carlin was $2.3 million in the red. It was closed and is now the subject of suits by the university and the private contractors over the construction and environmental problems.

University officials suggest "in a worst case scenario" that the system could be forced to pay out $22 million in leased costs over the next 20 years if it loses its lawsuit.

A report was also presented to the regents that the University of Nevada School of Medicine Practice Plan, which was once heavily in the red, ended up with a $1,000 surplus last fiscal year.

Regent Mark Alden said, "This has been like the Titanic being resurrected," referring to the financial turnaround.