Henderson school to benefit from loan

Jennifer Knight

Friday, Aug. 17, 2001 | 11:12 a.m.

RENO -- The Nevada State College at Henderson will get its start with the help of a $700,000 loan from the estate tax fund, and the school also may have to rely on the continued generosity of another institution to remain viable.

Richard Moore, president of the Henderson college, told the Board of Regents Thursday that he wants to partner with the Community College of Southern Nevada, which would provide classrooms, registration services and possibly teachers.

Much needs to happen before a partnership can be formed. CCSN must determine whether it has sufficient classroom space to accommodate 500 full-time students, Moore's goal.

Ron Remington, CCSN's newly appointed president, said he is willing to help, but his hospitality has it limits.

"When I say no, it means no, and so when we are asked to provide services, there's a point that we won't be able to do that," Remington said to regents.

Because of cutbacks in state funding, enrollment at CCSN must continue to grow if the school is to remain financially healthy, said Remington. Resources, including space, are at a premium, he said.

The Board of Regents voted 6-1 Thursday to approve the loan. Regents Jill Derby, Linda Howard, Mark Alden and Steve Sisolak did not attend the meeting.

The $700,000 loan would fund the salaries of a planning team, composed of 10 to 12 professionals who would work on teacher licensing, the preparation of health professionals, general education courses, human resources, enrollment and financial aid, Moore said.

The 2001 Legislature did not fund the new state college, and Moore has so far been unable to raise the $1 million necessary to fill that gap. Moore said he needs $2 million -- in addition to the $700,000 estate tax loan -- to "open the college on a quality basis."

Moore said that he has raised more than $1.3 million in total resources over eight weeks.

So far Moore said he has raised about $405,000 in donated time, has secured $305,000 because of previous commitments and has obtained $380,000 in deferred payment services -- books, furniture, student recruiting services -- the bills for which will come due in July. The city of Henderson has also committed $225,000 to renovate a building on Wagon Wheel Drive, Moore said.

Not all regents are convinced, however. Moore had promised to raise $1 million by Aug. 15.

"It's extremely disturbing to me the way you gathered some of these resources," said Regent Tom Kirkpatrick, who voted against the loan. "It disturbs me because it seems like smoke and mirrors. What's so critical about starting the state college this next year?"

Moore has switched gears several times during his tenure as state college president. In June he declared he would raise $1 million to pay his salary and those of three staff members. But on June 30 Vice President of Administration Orlando Sandoval was let go because there was no money to pay him.

Critics say the partnership with CCSN will only give Moore a greater foothold at an institution that has tried to distance itself from its former president. Moore stepped down as CCSN president in January 2000.

During the past year Moore has been the subject of several audits, including one that turned up spending irregularities while he was CCSN president. The state Attorney General found that he had spent state money to lavishly furnish his office, and Sandoval now faces criminal misdemeanor charges in connection with abusing his position to benefit his father-in-law.

"I don't think that this puts (Moore) back at CCSN in any inappropriate way," said Jane Nichols, Nevada's higher education chancellor. "I think this will be a healthy partnership."

Moore on Thursday also proposed adding five trustees to the Nevada State College Foundation. The addition requires regents' approval and could mean monetary donations from each of the new trustees.

Among the names submitted was Cliff Findlay, a UNLV booster who has publicly criticized president Carol Harter's leadership.

Findlay said volunteering to be a trustee for the new Nevada State College does not mean that he would stop donating to UNLV.

"They've asked me to be a trustee, but I haven't officially been put on," Findlay said. "I told Jim Gibson (Henderson's mayor), I would do it. I'm not real crazy about the timing because of the Carol Harter issue."