Lawmakers will look at regents, open meeting law

Tuesday, May 25, 2004 | 9:25 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A legislative committee is going to look into whether the regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada violated the open meeting law when it demoted two top officials of the Community College of Southern Nevada, including its president.

The Legislative Commission agreed Monday to expand the duties of its Committee to Study Higher Education to see if the regents followed the law in its closed-door sessions that led to the demotions of President Ron Remington and lobbyist John Cummings.

"This is the most bizarre and intriguing problem I have come across," Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, the chairman of the Legislative Commission, said, noting that Remington and Cummings were not allowed to present a defense during the closed sessions.

Remington and Cummings were demoted to faculty status after two days of closed-door meetings on allegations of pushing for a four-year program at CCSN without the regents' approval, among other allegations. The demotions were made in open session.

Attorney General Brian Sandoval has sued in District Court in Las Vegas, alleging the regents violated the open meeting law. He has asked the actions taken by the regents be voided.

Earlier this year, Thomas Ray, general counsel for the university system, said he relied on past opinions by the attorney general's office and the open meeting manual published by that office in advising the regents.

Townsend said the inquiry is part of a larger problem that the 2005 Legislature will examine -- an inconsistent application of the open meeting law among agencies and boards.

"The (legislative) commission will review all agencies because there appears to be a lack of clarity or consistency in interpreting the open meeting law," Townsend said.

"When this gets before the session (the 2005 Legislature), we want to make sure every agency has the same interpretation," Townsend said.