Regent: Harter wants Robinson to be AD

Steve Addy

Wednesday, July 25, 2001 | 11:14 a.m.

If John Robinson becomes an official candidate for the UNLV athletic director's job, he also wants to remain football coach.

School president Dr. Carol Harter has begun taking steps to facilitate that scenario, University Regent Mark Alden said Tuesday.

Alden said Harter has requested his support for waiving a State Board of Regents bylaw prohibiting coaches from simultaneously serving as athletic director.

The board adopted the bylaw in 1995 when longtime Nevada-Reno football coach Chris Ault held both positions.

Though waiving the rule wouldn't necessarily make Robinson a shoo-in to succeed outgoing AD Charlie Cavagnaro, Alden said Harter is already stumping for Robinson to "take over as of January 1." That's six months ahead of Cavagnaro's scheduled retirement on June 30, 2002.

A message seeking comment from Harter wasn't returned.

The board will probably vote on the bylaw waiver at its Aug. 16-17 meeting at UNR, Alden said. He told Harter he would vote for the waiver, but with serious reservations, he said.

"I have so much respect for John Robinson, and I think it's great he wants to do both jobs. But I think it would be a mistake," Alden said. "Everywhere they've tried this (combined coach and AD), it hasn't worked. I think for us to do it now would be wrong.

"I don't want coach Robinson to get hurt in this deal. With the (greater) workload, he could wind up failing at both jobs, and none of us wants that. I'm sure he would be promised a lot of structure and (administrative) help, but a promise is one thing. Reality is another."

Robinson, who turns 66 today, has spoken with Harter about the position and said they agreed on many aspects of the AD's job. Harter has said the next AD must take a more active role in fundraising and provide a vibrant presence for UNLV locally and nationally.

It's unknown if Harter has contacted other Regents. Steve Sisolak said he hasn't been called, and he hasn't taken a stand on a Robinson candidacy.

"I'm aware of the rumors, but president Harter hasn't pitched me," Sisolak said. "Did she call (Alden or others) to take temperatures? I can't say. I don't think she would poll the board in advance. But if she feels strongly about this, I will listen."

But Sisolak also has concerns about a combined coach-AD.

"I would like to go back to when the (bylaw) was passed," he said. "To make a policy, the board must have felt there were good reasons for it. I would like to know those reasons.

"In the '80s and early '90s, there was a propensity for schools to have (a coach-AD). But no one is doing it anymore. I want to find out why before we put ourselves in that position."

Even if Harter is championing Robinson, she doesn't have the only say in hiring the AD. University bylaw 10.4.4 states that the search committee must contain 12 voting members, as well as other nonvoting members added at the president's discretion.

The voting committee must be comprised thusly:

When Cavagnaro was hired in 1995 to replace Jim Weaver, a 17-member committee recommended him from among 70 applicants.