Columnist Ruthe Deskin: Moore to ponder about president

Ruthe Deskin

Thursday, Feb. 7, 2002 | 8:29 a.m.

The gift of persuasion.

Nevada State College President Richard Moore has it -- in spades.

The first time I met him was at an editorial board meeting at the Sun. He was there to tell us his plan for the community college to which he had recently been named president.

I was impressed with his innovative ideas, his boundless enthusiasm and knowledge. At the time I wasn't aware of his chutzpah.

Moore has the self-confidence, and in some cases outright arrogance, of a man who is determined to accomplish his goals no matter the obstacles. And he has amazing ability to smooth-talk others, ie: the Board of Regents, into granting his wishes.

One has to admire men of principle with lofty goals. Certainly the education of our youth is a lofty goal.

Few would question Moore's dedication, but certainly he has raised eyebrows over questionable practices while head of the community college, and continuing enigmas surrounding the new state college.

While I might respect Moore's dedication and diligence, I believe someone should rein him in occasionally. I certainly hope my concerns are without basis, but the Board of Regents has an obligation to ride herd on the enterprising president of a state college that is still a costly myth.

My colleague, Mike O'Callaghan, wrote a very significant column recently concerning the quality of health care in our state and nation. He emphasized the dramatic shortage of nurses as a major problem.

Anyone who has been a hospital patient recently can attest to the fact that the quality of care suffers if caretakers are not available.

Unfortunately the nursing staffs are depleted. Long hours and tough working conditions add to the frustration of dedicated nurses whose main goal is to care for their patients. Nurses have been known to collapse on the job. Mistakes are inevitable. It's like some gigantic accident waiting to happen.

My advice to anyone requiring hospitalization is to tuck a friend or relative into the corner to be there in case a need should arise.

As long as conditions exist to discourage young people from pursuing a medical career, the shortage will worse.

A school of nursing is one of the promises made by Moore for the State College in Henderson. It would be a start.

What a contrast. While the thousands of fans at the Super Bowl were whooping it up in the comfort of the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, hundreds of our armed forces were sitting on wooden benches in drafty barracks watching the same game.

Do we realize, or appreciate, the sacrifices our men and women in uniform are making to ensure a better world for all of us? I don't think so.

Local artist Farrel Walbach is flooded with memories as he watches the news from Afghanistan.

Walbach says it is a far different country than when he served a hitch there with the Peace Corps back in the '60s.

A local minister claims we used to worry that our children would run off and get married. Now we worry they won't.