Regents drop open Harter discussion

Jennifer Knight

Thursday, Aug. 16, 2001 | 11:01 a.m.

The state Board of Regents will not openly address donors' criticism of UNLV President Carol Harter and has delayed discussion of pay raises for university system administrators, the chancellor said.

Regents, who are meeting today and Friday in Reno, still plan to address the complaints of donors unhappy with Harter.

Jane Nichols, Nevada's higher education chancellor, said it's likely the allegations, including those brought by millionaire gaming executive Stanley Fulton, will be handled during a closed-door session this month.

Discussion of Harter's salary, as well as the salaries of several university system administrators, will be postponed until the next regent's meeting in October.

Harter is scheduled to receive a $12,000 raise, which would increase her salary to $201,000.

"I am not pulling (the agenda item) because of the allegations against Harter," Nichols said. "For me, the more persuasive argument was pulling everything until we could look at the salaries all at the same time."

Fulton had planned to fly to Reno today to meet with regents. In a letter to regents, dated July 31, Fulton called for Harter's removal. Fulton wrote that Lied Foundation trustee Christina Hixson, the Reynolds Foundation and Cliff Findlay are also unhappy with Harter.

Since Fulton's complaint, estate planning attorney Jeff Burr and Findlay have come forward to voice their displeasure with Harter.