State college official resigns

Jennifer Knight

Thursday, June 28, 2001 | 10:52 a.m.

A top administrator has resigned from the Nevada State College at Henderson because there is no more money left to pay him, officials said Wednesday.

Orlando Sandoval said he is retiring as interim vice president of administration on Friday.

During the past year Sandoval has had an integral role in helping to plan the state college. He was to oversee the construction of the college's first building, but those plans are on hold until more money can be raised.

"Basically, Richard (Moore) cannot offer me a position, because the money just wasn't there," Sandoval said.

Moore, the college's founding president, needed to raise $1 million by June 30 to fund Sandoval's position, along with two other staff members.

Joyce Thomlinson, Moore's assistant, has announced her retirement in five months, and another secretary is on maternity leave for several months.

The state college lost key funding from the Legislature to pay for salaries and other first-year operating costs, because a bill never made it to a vote in the last days of the 2001 session.

The Legislature did, however, set aside $13.4 million for construction of the college and roughly $4 million for second-year operating costs, which would be the first year of classes.

After not being able to scrape up enough money from the community to pay for basic administrative and staff positions before contracts ran out on June 30, Moore moved the deadline to raise the $1 million by Aug. 16, in time for the next regents meeting.

"I have every faith that we will meet our new fund-raising deadline," Moore said.

Moore's position is funded until the end of this year by a donation from LandWell Co. in Henderson. It was written into his contract that if he cannot raise the money for his salary, his position will terminate.

Sandoval quit his position at the Community College of Southern Nevada in January 2000 to join Moore in starting the state college. Both agreed that it was a risky move, but one that was worthwhile.

"I would not count Richard out," Sandoval said. "The only reason why I left the community college is because I felt he could do this."

When Sandoval was first appointed, he was criticized because he lacked a bachelor's degree. More recently, he was named in an attorney general's report as possibly violating the state's anti-nepotism laws while he was at CCSN, a case that has not been resolved.

Moore has defended Sandoval's qualifications saying, "He is an exceptionally effective worker. He built $120 million worth of construction on time and within cost."

Several regents have expressed disappointment that Moore hasn't raised more money for the state college in the 1 1/2 years that he has been leading it. The original goal was to raise $10 million for construction of the college.

So far, the only money the college has is $50,000 in a bank account and the balance of LandWell's pledge that was made a year ago -- money that will pay for Moore's position.

While seeking initial approval of the state college, supporters said the community of Henderson widely supported the project and that plenty of donors were willing to come forward and help.

Since that time, neighbors of the college's new site at U.S. 95 and Wagon Wheel Drive have opposed the institution, saying they do not want it in their rural area.

Chancellor Jane Nichols said it is too early to judge the fund-raising progress, since many donors don't step up until the project gains full approval.

"I am not discouraged at this point that there will not be community support or money for the college," she said. "Fund-raising takes time."

Sandoval has not decided what he will do now, but said that while he considers a number of options, he is willing to donate some of his time to help Moore out.