Many denied glimpse of new CCSN chief

Monday, Dec. 22, 2003 | 10:50 a.m.

It was supposed to smooth ruffled feathers -- a videoconference that would give faculty, students and staff and chance to meet the man hired sight-unseen to serve as interim president of the Community College of Southern Nevada.

But at Room 118 in Building B at the Charleston campus, one of the three locations where the videoconference was broadcast Friday, dozens of people who came out to get a glimpse of Paul C. Gianini Jr. were turned away because of lack of space.

"This is ridiculous," muttered one man as he gave up trying to see the television screen from the hallway and marched angrily away.

Gianini was hired by the Board of Regents earlier this month in a 7-5 vote to serve as interim president. He replaces Ron Remington, who was demoted by the Regents in a 7-6 vote Nov. 20 following a series of allegations against his administration including charges that his administration lobbied for a bill against the regents' will and provided jobs in exchange for political favors.

Remington has since filed a lawsuit seeking his reinstatement.

Several regents, along with the presidents of the student body and the faculty senate, protested hiring Gianini without first allowing the college community to meet him.

Midway through the conference acting President Thomas Brown called a halt to announce that the overcrowded room was a violation of the fire code and occupancy had to drop to 25 people.

More than two dozen people who had been standing against the walls dutifully shuffled out and the event resumed.

The videoconference was broadcast to rooms at the Cheyenne, West Charleston and Henderson campuses.

"This was badly handled at the system level," said Regent Steve Sisolak, who watched the conference from the Charleston location. "Faculty, students and staff were not accommodated, they were not even given the opportunity to get a glimpse of the man who is going to be their leader, at least for a while."

Chancellor Jane Nichols said this morning she was sorry people who had wanted to take part in the conference were unable to do so.

"The campuses made the decision on the rooms," Nichols said. "(Brown) simply did not think that many people would be there, especially with the holidays."

The hour-long conversation Friday left some people still dissatisfied with what they saw as heavy-handed tactics by Nichols in the selection of Gianini, a veteran community college president from Florida. Nichols said she was directed to Gianini by the Association of Community College Trustees, which refers its members for short-term positions.

Gianini, who participated from Daytona Beach, Fla., was peppered with questions about his management style, his familiarity with the community and his ethics. The most probing queries came from Regent Linda Howard, who said some of her questions had been suggested by a member of the media.

She asked whether he had ever been accused of using capital funds to pay for personal travel or entertainment; Gianini said he had not. In fact, he added, Valencia College has always received "glistening" audit reports.

"There have never been any findings of unfavorable behavior on that issue or anything else," said Gianini, 64. "I'm more concerned about why you ask these questions."

He suggested Howard's source may have confused him with another Florida community college president who was involved in an ethics complaint several years ago.

"I'm sorry to have to ask these questions under these circumstances but that's just the way it is," Howard told Gianini.

Howard also asked Gianini to explain his relationship with the Hites Family Community College Scholarship Foundation, which gave a "challenge grant" to CSSN. If CSSN raises $50,000, the foundation will give the college $100,000.

CCSN was selected for the challenge grant during a meeting of the board of directors at the Venetian in October, Gianini said. The board was studying a map of scholarship recipients and noticed none had ever been given to a Nevada student, Gianini said. The board decided to issue challenge grants to CCSN, as well as community colleges in Pennsylvania and Illinois that also had never received scholarships, Gianini said.

As for the comment by one regent that the challenge grant somehow paved the way for his selection as interim president, Gianini was blunt.

"Why would anybody pay for this job?" he said, a remark that drew some laughter from the audience at the Charleston campus.

Following the conference Sisolak called Gianini's comment "flippant" and said it didn't answer the underlying question.

"(Gianini) didn't put up the $100,000 (for the challenge grant), his foundation did," Sisolak said. "He's the one taking home $13,300 a month."

Gianini led Arcadia Community College in Orlando, Fla. from 1984 to 2000 and retired as president emeritus. In 2002 he did a six-month stint as interim president at Aims Community College in Colorado.

Mitzi Ware, president of the CCSN Faculty Senate which also tried unsuccessfully to delay Gianini's hiring, told Gianini he was coming to an institution where morale had been badly shaken.

"We're at an all-time low right now and we're going to need considerable help building back up," Ware said.

Gianini said he was coming to the job without an agenda -- either of his own or one provided to him. Gianini said he intended to meet immediately with faculty, staff and student leaders and would take his cues from the community.

Rather than spend the bulk of his time behind his desk Gianini said he prefers to visit professors in their own offices.

"You don't have to come to the throne room," Gianini said.

Student Body President Evelyn Flores told Gianini she and her fellow students had asked to meet with him prior to his hiring and the request was denied.

"The Board of Regents has completely disregarded student input," Flores said.

Meeting with students is one of his favorite parts of his job "and not only when you're angry," Gianini said.

"You and the other 36,000 (students) are the only reason this institution exists," Gianini said. "Without you we have nothing."

Following the conference, Regent Thalia Dondero said she was impressed by Gianini's willingness to answer probing questions with candor.

"(Gianini) cleared the air on who he is and his background," Dondero said. "He came across very well under difficulty circumstances."

Larry Mason, dean of workforce development at CCSN and a member of the Clark County School Board, was also pleased with what he heard from Gianini.

"He has the ability to listen, he's interested in people and I think he'll be a straight-shooter," Mason said. "He knows he's coming here to keep the ship afloat and prepare for the next president, whoever that person may be, six or eight months down the road."

Regent Howard Rosenberg, an art professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, said he would have liked the opportunity to watch the video conference but no arrangements were made for regents in the north.

"I hope (Gianini) recognizes what this particular college is going through," Rosenberg said. "There are members of the community who have lost a great deal of faith in the system."

Rosenberg said he was dismayed that Remington was not given the opportunity to tell his side of the story before being demoted from his post.

"I can't see basing a decision that important on the report that was read to us and the bits and pieces I've been allowed to read myself," Rosenberg said.

The circumstances surrounding Remington's removal may have sparked a legislative inquiry into the Board of Regents' actions.