Moore’s chariot ride finds bumpy road to state college

Jennifer Knight

Monday, Jan. 28, 2002 | 9:40 a.m.

If the Nevada State College at Henderson were to open today, it would have only 15 students -- not even enough to fill a classroom.

"I've been asked a number of times how many people have applied," Richard Moore, president of the state college, told regents Friday. "We do have 10 to 15 applicants, and I wish they didn't submit applications yet."

The college reported last year that it had handed out at least 700 applications to prospective students but would not say how many had turned in their forms.

Moore addressed the state Board of Regents Friday at the Community College of Southern Nevada, where he was formerly president. Moore told regents about new additions to the staff and the progress of getting the nursing and teaching programs credentialed.

Playing on two projection screens before Moore's speech began was the 1981 movie "Chariots of Fire," a film about the struggles of two long-distance runners to win the 1924 Olympics. The excerpt was supposed to exemplify Moore's struggles to get the college off the ground.

"(The movie) says you can fall down and you can still make it," Moore said.

Eyes rolled when Moore ended his speech on the same melodramatic note, with a scene from the movie where the main character wins the race.

"So where does the power come from?" the runner said. "It is contained from within. I believe God made me for a purpose. He also made me fast."

The college, however, still has major hurdles to clear. And they must be cleared quickly.

Moore announced that Bob Johns, the principal of Foothill High School, will take a year off his job to become the interim director of admissions. Moore admitted that the job never went out for a competitive search, but dodged several other questions about the college's progress.

Johns will make $39,397 from February until June 30, and then renegotiate his contract for the remainder of the year after second-year funding kicks in from the state.

Johns will be paid by the Nevada State College Foundation, which has raised $650,000, Moore said. There was no news, however, on Moore's obligation to raise $10 million toward the construction of the college.

So far, Moore has four more key administrative positions to fill and about 15 teaching positions. Moore would not give an update on those items.

He did, however, talk about the college's new director of nursing, as well as eight paid consultants hired to help get the college up and running.

The consultants' fees, $1,000 a day for a 20-day contract, raised eyebrows. Moore defended the fee, saying it was the going rate.

"One last question then," Regent Linda Howard said. "Do you need somebody else? Because I'll step down and work for $1,000 a day."02