Nursing director joins state college

Jennifer Knight

Monday, Jan. 21, 2002 | 9:22 a.m.

Nevada State College at Henderson's nursing program just got a shot in the arm with two key appointments.

College officials announced Friday that Connie Carpenter will be its first director of nursing. Carpenter comes from Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Okla., and has been an educator for 30 years.

Her job will be to carve out the curriculum and begin recruiting students for the program in time for the school's opening on Sept. 3.

"I can say that we are directly online with what I have made a commitment to do," college President Richard Moore said.

The goal of the state college is to train students to fill state nursing and teaching shortages. To that end, Moore has also hired consultant Marcia Bandera to help get licensing for the college's two programs, he said.

All of the college's new hires are to be paid $1,000 a day for up to 20 days. The money will be paid out of newly raised funds from the Nevada State College Foundation. Permanent positions like Carpenter's will be paid by the state after July 1, when legislative funding comes through.

Moore said he has hired a total of eight to 10 consultants since 2001 at $1,000 a day to help the college out at various stages.

"That's the going rate for consultants," Moore said.

The two key appointments follow that of George Ann Rice, a Clark County School District administrator who is taking time off of her job as assistant superintendent of human resources to create the teacher licensing program.

Rice, who is also making $1,000 a day, will be bringing her proposals on the teaching program before the Board of Regents in February.

Moore said the new appointments will put the college ahead of schedule. Four other administrative positions are yet to be filled, as well as at least 10 teaching positions.

In the meantime, Moore said, the college's main campus at 1125 Dawson St. will double its space.

The city of Henderson has agreed to give the college the entire 28,000 square feet in the former vitamin factory, Moore said. Originally, the city had planned to use half of the space while allowing the college to use the other 14,000 square feet.

"This is a huge advantage for the college now," Moore said.