Embattled Regent Howard gains community support

Jennifer Knight

Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002 | 10:54 a.m.

Black leaders and community members are rallying in support of Regent Linda Howard as she prepares to face possible censure Thursday at what is expected to be the year's most contentious Board of Regents meeting.

Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, is supporting Howard and said board action against her could affect how the board's legislative requests are handling.

"Personally, I think it's probably one of the worst political moves that the board could make," Williams said. "I want to make sure when a representative of the board presents a bill to my committee, it reflects the views of that entire board. That's not a threat, it's just a concern."

Williams is one the members of Black Elected Officials of Southern Nevada who plan to speak in support of Howard during Thursday's 4 p.m. meeting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Community members are also expected to show up in large numbers.

Howard, the board's only black member, allegedly abused her authority by obtaining information from a personnel file and thousands of student records at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Howard said: "I don't consider searching for critical information to frame an argument snooping. I consider it research."

Howard faces censure along with fellow regents Howard Rosenberg and Mark Alden. Rosenberg allegedly intervened in an employee matter and Alden volunteered to speak to the board about his reference to Howard as an orangutan on a local radio show.

Gene Collins, state chairman of the Las Vegas chapter of the National Action Network, said he plans to point out the unfair way in which the board deals with Howard.

"No one has said anything to the regent who made that orangutan comment," Collins said. "Nobody has said anything to the student who called Howard an idiot. No one is jumping on them. Yet everybody wants to say that Howard has abused her authority."

Fliers have been sent out by community members to North Las Vegas residents and minority organizations urging a show of unity from the area's black community at Thursday's meeting.

"(Howard) is just getting a lot of unnecessary flack from her board members," said Elenor Morgan, who said she has passed out 500 fliers so far. "She has definitely shown in the community that she has helped the disadvantaged. Now her own board members, who should be embracing her, are squeezing her out."

Members of the Las Vegas Chapter of Supporting People, Human and Civil Rights have also sent out separate fliers to members of the Urban Chamber of Commerce, the Latin Chamber of Commerce and other minority groups.

"Now is the time to come together to make a difference in our community and support the only minority university and community college regent ..." the flier notes.

According the U.S. Census estimates, there were 136,782 blacks living in Clark County in 2001, constituting 9.5 percent of the county's population.