Nevada State College post down to one man

David Kihara

Thursday, Dec. 16, 2004 | 9:55 a.m.

The search for a new president for Nevada State College moved one step closer to completion on Wednesday after a search committee unanimously recommended Fred Maryanski for the position.

Maryanski is the interim provost and executive vice president for the University of Connecticut, Storrs-Mansfield.

The Board of Regents is scheduled to vote on Maryanski in the first week of January. Regent Jack Lund Schofield, who was on the search committee, said he expects the 13-member board will approve Maryanski as the college's next president.

"My goal is that Nevada State College will provide a remarkable education for Nevadans seeking careers that will contribute to the economy of Nevada," Maryanski said by telephone from Connecticut on Wednesday. "I understand the mission of the institution and am determined to make it one of the best teaching colleges in the country."

If he is approved by the Board of Regents, Maryanski said he could start working as the president of the college by Feb. 1 of next year.

Although he declined to comment in detail about salary, he said he was "comfortable" with what has been discussed.

Maryanski said he and his wife are also looking forward to moving Las Vegas from Connecticut, saying, "We have visited Las Vegas frequently and enjoy the city -- not just the tourist activities bu the energy, the vitality."

The chairman of the 17-member search committee, Regent Mark Alden, said, "I'm very pleased with the choice."

The search committee recommendation was unanimous because "we are always looking for what fits best with us," and the committee figured Maryanski was a good fit, said Regent Jill Derby, another member of the search committee.

In addition to five regents, the search committee included 10 members of the Nevada State College faculty and students and two community representatives.

A specific salary has not yet been set for next president of the college, but the range is $196,000 to $330,000.

One of the main reasons Maryanski was recommended for the presidency of the college is the committee was convinced that he will work well with the Legislature, will communicate ideas to the community and will raise funds for the university, committee members and others said.

"This is a job where you are going to be hustling a lot of bucks from the Legislature and the community," said Jim Rogers, interim chancellor for the University and community college system of Nevada. "He is a little more sophisticated and and would be better with the business community."

Although Rogers is not a member of the commmittee, he interviewed the candidates and gave recommendations to the search committee.

Rogers' praise of Maryanski was echoed by other members of the committee.

"Maryanski spoiled it for the rest of the candidates," said Schofield. "He went to the core of what we wanted. He showed leadership right from the get-go."

Lyle Smith, a search committee member who is on the faculty member at Nevada State College, said he respected Maryanski's previous work with ethnically diverse communities and his enthusiasm for the position."

Maryanski also was popular with the students.

Two representatives from the student body attended the meeting on Wednesday and said they supported Maryanski because he appeared to connect well with students when he met them this week.

"Dr. Maryanski was favored by students because he seemed enthusiastic," said Nichole Shaffer, Nevada State College's student body president. "Our students seem to be a little spoiled because we are a small campus and we get to interact with the faculty often. He (Maryanski) fit with what they felt their needs were."

Maryanski has a long career in academia. He earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Providence College, a master's degree in computer science from Stevens Institute of Technology and a doctorate in computer science from the University of Connecticut, according to the University of Connecticut Web site.

He taught at two universities, Kansas State University and Worcester Polytech Institute, before joining the teaching staff of the University of Connecticut in 1983, according to the university's Web site.

There are about 27,000 students at the University of Connecticut, compared with 1,102 at Nevada State College.

Maryanski beat out Andrew Bodman, the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash. Bodman served as the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Western Washington University for a little more than five years.

"I think Bodman is overly cautious, and Las Vegas will run you over" if you are overly cautious, Rogers said.

Before taking the position at Western Washington University, Bodman was employed as the vice provost for the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt., for four years. He was on University of Vermont faculty for 21 years, mainly in the geography department, he said.

"Naturally, I'm disappointed with the decision," he said by telephone from his home in Bellingham. "My wife and I thought the job would have been a fantastic opportunity."