College’s future in doubt after president resigns

Jennifer Knight

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

Just six months from opening the Nevada State College at Henderson, the resignation Monday of its controversial founding president, Richard Moore, has some critics questioning whether the project should continue.

Moore leaves the state college at a critical point: There is no approved curriculum, no state funding until June 30, no teachers and only 35 students signed up at last count, with at least 500 full-time students needed.

"I don't know if the college should open in September," Regent Steve Sisolak said. "Prior to this morning, we had no building, no faculty, no curriculum -- and today, we have no president."

Moore resigned amid a controversy over the $1,000-a-day consultants he had hired to run the college. That was just the latest controversy coming after several others that have surrounded him in recent years. In a letter to regents, Moore admitted his decision was partly due to the increased focus on him.

"It is also clear that when detractors focus on the lead person, at some point, it is wise to step aside and let the project continue," he wrote.

Regent Tom Kirkpatrick speculated that Moore's parting remarks were aimed partly at him and other board members who did not support him.

"Well, good, I hope I am one of his detractors," Kirkpatrick said. "He is talking about Sisolak and myself. I think he is starting to realize that he didn't have the board support he used to."

The Board of Regents will meet next week in Reno to appoint an interim president. They are also scheduled to discuss the future of the college.

Regent Linda Howard said Moore's resignation was an opportunity to scrap the college altogether. Instead she favors establishing four-year teaching and nursing programs be given to the Community College of Southern Nevada.

"I think now is the time to revisit the idea of the state college because I believe that CCSN can provide the same kinds of things that the state college can," Howard said.

State college supporters say that despite the setback, the original opening date of Sept. 3 still stands. The college is expected to open in temporary facilities near U.S. 95 off of Wagon Wheel Drive.

"Richard can be a lightening rod for controversy and I think that's because of his leadership," said Regent Jill Derby, a longtime supporter of Moore and the college. "In some ways it was easier to criticize Richard rather than the college because it is a good concept."

With Moore's absence, it isn't quite clear who is running the college. Consultants hired by the Nevada State College Foundation will work with university system administrators to bring the program together in time for next week's Regent's meeting in Reno.

Nevada's higher education Chancellor Jane Nichols is expected to meet with key regents today to come up with candidates to bring to the board.

"I think the timing is critical," Nichols said. "Those programs will come to the March meeting for discussion. I am confident the board can get this done and I am confident we can get a strong interim president."

Moore's resignation follows a string of controversies that have cast a pall over his leadership since being appointed in December 1999.

Moore's resignation will take effect on March 6. He has asked regents to reassign him to a tenured teaching position instead. Nichols said it is unclear where he will be placed.

"He's just worn out," Regent Mark Alden said. "He's been working 15, 16 hours a day. He has no support from the chancellor. He's been under constant criticism and he's stayed the course. He just ran out of energy."

When called for comment, Moore referred calls to the university system.

Moore had recently fielded criticism over his use of consultants. Among the consultants hired to guide the college was Kent Oram, a political strategist who was paid $60,000 to help Moore field unfavorable media stories.

Kirkpatrick, who started questioning the fees said it sparked more controversy surrounding Moore.

"I don't think he's too happy these days," Kirkpatrick said. "The information that got out about how those contracts were going down caused him problems."

Nichols launched an inquiry into the matter last week saying that she would be reviewing all future contracts.

One of the consultants in question, Dr. David Drew, chairman of the Center for Educational Studies at Claremont Graduate University in Calif., is under consideration for interim president, college officials said. Drew was hired twice by the state college to consult on shaping a curriculum for the education program and the general education requirements.

Other names floated as possible candidates were: Ron Meek, provost of CCSN's Henderson campus, former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan, D-Nev., who was also former governor, and the chancellor, who could play a duel role temporarily.

Moore was thought to be a rising star in the system at first, having doubled enrollment during his five-year tenure as president of CCSN.

When the state college was in its conceptual stage, regents were so convinced of Moore's ability to get things done, he was appointed without a job search, which is required for other state positions.

But Moore's past seemed to follow him to his new institution, beginning with an unfavorable exit audit in June 2000, just six months after he began his new post.

The audit found irregular accounting procedures and deficit spending and created reform measures to prevent such practices from happening again.

As well, news came out that Moore commissioned busts of political figures using college money. Regents were also upset that Moore donated computers to community groups.

In March 2001, the attorney general's office released its report on CCSN under Moore's administration. The report alleged lavish spending, nepotism, enrollment padding and incentives to boost enrollment.

Moore faced pressure as state college president to raise $10 million and build the college. Last year, the Legislature declined to spend $1 million to fund the college's first year of operation.