Thursday, April 15, 2004 | 10:53 a.m.
In a move that surprised many, University Chancellor Jane Nichols announced Wednesday she will resign by Oct. 15 and return to teaching because of a health problem that has caused her to gradually lose her hearing.
Nichols said the ailment, called Meniere's syndrome, has left her with virtually no hearing in her right ear and poor hearing in her left ear even though she uses a hearing aid in each ear.
The ongoing legal battle between the university system and demoted Community College of Southern Nevada President Ron Remington and lobbyist John Cummings was not a reason for her resignation, she said.
"That was the reason I didn't want to leave," Nichols said. "I feel bad leaving before we resolve those issues."
Cummings, Remington and the attorney general's office are suing the Board of Regents over their Nov. 17 and Nov. 20 closed-door meetings, which led to the demotions of both men. They are accusing the regents of voting, deliberating, and forming a consensus during those meetings, all of which would constitute violations of the state's open-meeting law. If the lawsuit is successful, the regents' decision to reassign both men to teaching positions would be voided.
Remington said it was too early to say whether Nichols resignation will affect his case.
Nichols said she would have liked to have continued as chancellor until the lawsuit was resolved, but stress, some of which comes from that matter, and the frequent flying she does -- shuttling between Reno and Las Vegas at least once a week -- exacerbate her ear condition. Sometimes after flying, Nichols said she can't hear at all.
Nichols said the disease first hit her in December 2001, when she suddenly lost hearing and experienced "extreme dizziness."
She brought the dizziness under control with a change in diet and medication, but the hearing problems have grown worse over time, especially in recent months, she said.
Nichols said she decided she had to step down after a Board of Regents meeting last month, during which she couldn't hear some of the questions posed to her and had to turn to her staff for help. Before finalizing her decision to resign, Nichols went to her doctor, "but I didn't get any encouragement. There's no silver bullet," she said.
In a statement released Wednesday, Nichols said: "You never fully appreciate what it is to be incapacitated in some way until it happens to you. This hearing loss affects more than my ability to understand what is being said. It is impossible for me to explain how it feels to be exchanging ideas or advocating for our system and find every ounce of my effort is focused on merely trying to interpret what's being said. Given this handicap, I have come to recognize that I cannot adequately fulfill my responsibilities as chancellor."
Regents and others interviewed Wednesday said they were surprised and saddened by her announcement.
Regents Chairman Stavros Anthony said a search committee will be formed to oversee a nationwide search for Nichols' replacement.
Nichols has agreed to stay on as chancellor until a replacement is found, which she said should happen around August.
"Oct. 15 is just an outside date," she said. Nichols has four years left on her contract, which allows her to leave the position at will. Her annual base salary is $211,000, and she also receives $8,000 a year as a car allowance as well as $24,000 a year for housing.
Gov. Kenny Guinn said Nichols resignation will be a great loss to the university system.
"I was saddened to hear that Jane Nichols will be stepping down," he said. "I've known all of the chancellors going back almost 40 years and when you consider the tremendous growth and the complexity of the university system, she's been one of our best."
Jim Richardson, chief lobbyist for the Nevada Faculty Alliance in the university system, said the departure of Nichols "is a real loss and she did a great job under trying circumstances. ... It's a shame."
Regents, including some of whom had butted heads with Nichols recently, had a similar reaction.
"There are times I've disagreed with her," Regent Howard Rosenberg said. "Sometimes, in education particularly, you disagree violently, but that doesn't mean you lose the respect for that person. ... It's a major loss for the system and higher education."
Rosenberg said that while he's noticed Nichols struggling more lately to hear people, especially in meetings with a large number of people, he also thinks the divisiveness of the Remington and Cummings situation pushed Nichols to resign.
"The constant strain can't be easy. And it's hard to work for 13 people," Rosenberg said, referring to the 13 regents.
Regent Mark Alden, also a vocal critic of Nichols recently, called Nichols' resignation, "a very sad day for Nevada."
"Jane Nichols did a very good job," he said.
Regent Tom Kirkpatrick said he was devastated by Nichols' announcement.
"Dr. Nichols was very dedicated," he said. "It's sad that a health problem had to take her away from what she likes to do."
Regent Thalia Dondero said Nichols has done an excellent job of guiding the state's higher education system through rapid growth, and in dealing with the state Legislature.
Nichols has been chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada since September 2000 and had been given a four-year contract extension last year.
She said her most important achievements as chancellor included implementing of a long-term goals for the system, called a master plan, and easing the transfer of credits from state community colleges to the universities.
Nichols first came to Nevada as a member of the social work faculty at the University of Nevada, Reno in 1983, and looks forward to teaching again.
"I am very sad to be leaving this position, but I am looking forward to returning to the classroom and working with students," she said.
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