Silverman says goodbye to CCSN

Jennifer Knight

Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2001 | 11:18 a.m.

By late afternoon Monday the corner office inside the fuschia-colored building at the Community College of Southern Nevada was blank and clean. All signs of Bob Silverman had been removed from the bookcases and walls.

It was Silverman's last day. The last day he would have to field reporter's calls about the supposed sins of his former boss, past President Richard Moore. The last day he would have to prove to staff and faculty that he was his own man.

"I did what I thought was right," Silverman said. "I was asked to do things I didn't feel comfortable with, and I didn't do them."

Silverman promised himself one thing: that he would leave with his head held high when he walked out the door of his offices in Building D that day. He began recounting the sweet promise of his future there and his belief that CCSN is a great institution. But he also recalled, with almost bitter resolve, the way things ended.

It was Valentine's Day 1995 when he began working at the college -- a seemingly good omen. He started out as a consultant to help with academic programming and, after getting hired permanently, he quickly rose through the ranks.

Silverman's job at CCSN wasn't the first time he had come to a career crossroad. After graduating from UCLA with a master's degree in anatomy, he was faced with a difficult decision. Take a job researching at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., or teach at a local college.

"I sat there one day and looked at the decision, and that was the moment when I chose teaching," he said. "I enjoy changing people's lives."

Silverman went on to get his Ph.D. in higher education at UCLA, and after coming to CCSN years later, he was appointed the academic vice president in just two years.

Several months later he was given the title of senior vice president of students and academic affairs, a position he held until January 2000, when he was tapped as the interim president.

"I always had misgivings (about becoming interim), but at the time it was a good opportunity." He paused and added, "It was not a mistake."

When Moore stepped down to become the founding president of the proposed Nevada State College at Henderson, CCSN seemed in good shape. Enrollment was up to 30,000 students, nearly double the amount in 1995.

Money was flowing in from the community. During that time the school constructed more than $120 million worth of new buildings. Things were good. Almost too good.

"Building CCSN as fast as it did shook the system," Silverman said. "What we faced this year were the aftershocks. The aftershocks were, how did it happen? Was it real? Was it honest?"

Those questions grew more ominous after the university and community college systems office performed a standard end-of-the-administration audit. The report told of accounting irregularities throughout the system. Expenditures were "consistently charged to incorrect accounts," the audit said. "We noted that seven projects were not approved according to the Board of Regents policy."

The audit also found $159,151 deficit in a maintenance account and a $439,351 deficit caused by overspending on free classes. Out of 90 items reviewed on host accounts, 53 did not follow IRS guidelines.

A flurry of allegations followed, which included manipulation of enrollment numbers, misuse of foundation money to pay for busts and myriad of other items.

"Richard Moore came from one of the most regulated states in the nation when it comes to community colleges to one of the most unregulated states," Silverman said. "When Richard came here, he thought he had died and gone to heaven, because there were no rules."

In many ways Silverman was tarred with the same brush of suspicion as was Moore by the audits.

During the Board of Regent's search for a permanent president, Silverman submitted his name for consideration but failed to make the final cut. After public outcry restored his name to the list, Silverman bowed out of the race and began to look elsewhere.

Meanwhile, support for him grew on the campus. The man who was originally eclipsed by his dynamic predecessor had won the favor of the faculty and administrators.

"When he bowed out of the race, he did it with style," said Frank Lassus, CCSN's interim provost. "I don't know if Dr. Silverman had a chance to come into his own until Dr. Moore left. I think he ended up coming into his own, and people liked what he was doing." Regardless, Silverman did not have the support of all the regents. Regent Howard Rosenberg vocally opposed his appointment.

"I think when internal candidates take over for other people, CCSN and faculty can expect more of the same," Rosenberg said. Now with the quick and quiet exit of Silverman, some observers fear he may make a convenient scapegoat on which to pin all of CCSN's problems. "I think Bob really is the fall guy here. I think people will pin it all on him," Regent Steve Sisolak said. "He did a good job over there. I think he got stuck with a lot of problems." Silverman said he did his best to clear up some of the problems, such as changing the accounting system and being more clear about enrollment counting procedures.

"The thing I would like to be remembered for is that I was asked to put things right. It was a very difficult task. I think I did that."

Now, looking toward the future at his new job as president of Mount Hood Community College in Gresham, Ore., Silverman says he is going to "God's country" at what he hopes will be another sweet beginning.

"I look at Oregon and think to myself maybe there could be some peace in my life."