Unity focus of regents’ retreat, but two won’t go

Jennifer Knight

Tuesday, March 18, 2003 | 9:37 a.m.

A planned two-day retreat designed to foster unity on the state Board of Regents won't be attended by all of the board's 13 members.

At least two regents said they probably won't attend the weekend retreat, or workshop, as it's being called, tentatively scheduled for June.

Regent Steve Sisolak said the retreat is too costly, while Regent Mark Alden said it's too long.

The two-day workshop is expected to cost between $1,700 and $2,900 apiece for a total of 18 attendees.

It would be held at one of three resorts. Regents are expected to select a location Wednesday.

Two sites under consideration are in the Lake Tahoe area: the Cal-Neva resort in Crystal Bay and the Horizon resort in Stateline. The Cal-Neva would charge $109 for nightly stays; the Horizon's rate is $89.

Both resorts charge a $1,000 fee for two days of meals and a meeting room.

The other site under consideration is the Oasis in Mesquite, which would charge $39 a night plus $1,000 for meals and a meeting room.

Sisolak said the retreat is too expensive no matter what the cost.

"These are hard times here," Sisolak said. "Right now I don't think it would be a wise use of taxpayer money."

Alden had an issue with the length of the trip rather than the cost.

"I didn't realize it was two days," Alden said. "Jeez, that's incredible. Are we going to discuss the war on Iraq?"

Regent Stavros Anthony said he thinks the benefits of a retreat would outweigh the costs.

"This is really going to be inexpensive," Anthony said. "And I think the long-term results are going to far outweigh the $3,000. Just remember, we are not a paid board."

Anthony, along with Regents Bret Whipple and Jack Lund Schofield, proposed the retreat to help bring harmony to the board. Last year the board's relationship deteriorated amid continual bickering, for which the board drew criticism.

The retreat would take place either June 6-7 or June 20-21. Regents would not only use the time to build trust among themselves, they said, but would also use the opportunity to be updated on the outcome of the legislative session, which is scheduled to wrap up in early June.

Suzanne Ernst, the board's chief administrative officer, said the retreat could be paid for either through regents' host accounts or through the operating budget of the University and Community College System.

"I think it's a really good investment," Ernst said. "There are so many things that we need to have time to talk about and really do some planning."