Rogers won’t reveal plan to get college funds

Monday, Jan. 10, 2005 | 11:08 a.m.

University and Community College System of Nevada Interim Chancellor Jim Rogers has a deal in the works to secure the remaining $9 million in state money for Nevada State College's first liberal arts building, but he isn't yet sharing any of the details with university regents or the public.

Rogers took the state's portion of the liberal arts building off of the Board of Regents' capital construction priority list on Friday, cryptically telling regents that he was in discussions to receive that funding from other state sources.

Rogers said he could not discuss where the money might come from until the deal was finalized, per the instructions of those in the Legislature and the governor's office he is negotiating with. But he did say that the money would not come from private funds.

The item remains as No. 5 on the capital construction list, but the funding for the project is listed as outside resources. A comment on the item says the system will "eliminate need for direct state contribution by increasing donor and UCCSN funding."

Regents approved the change without question, and also gave Rogers the authority to negotiate with the governor and lawmakers over how other items on the list were to be funded as long as their priorities were met.

Newly appointed Nevada State College President Fred Maryanski said that while nothing is definite, he had confidence in the chancellor's negotiations.

Currently wrapping up his duties as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Connecticut, Maryanski will take the helm at the college just as the legislative session opens.

But Maryanski said he's already privy to some of Interim Chancellor Jim Rogers' ongoing negotiations with the governor and other lawmakers to secure funding for the college.

"I think it's the right investment for the state to make in terms of making Nevada State College a reality and building the economic diversity of the state," Maryanski said. "We'll be educating the next generation of professional teachers, nurses and businessman."

Greg Bortolin, Gov. Kenny Guinn's spokesman, said he was "not at liberty to disclose the governor's budget" until he formerly releases it Jan. 24.

But he did say that Guiin always tries to accommodate the Board of Regents top priorities into budget as best as he can within the confines of the available revenue.

"I think what the governor and the chancellor are trying to do is be creative in how they address the needs of Nevada State College," Bortolin said. "It might not be in the same format but they are making sure that monies are available for them."

Rogers' previous push to get the building on the capital construction wish list refueled controversy over the state college last summer. Several regents and state lawmakers believed college officials had broken their promise to raise at least $10 million of the $23 million building privately.

State lawmakers had previously allocated $13 million toward the building with the condition that the rest be raised from private sources.

But Rogers lobbied for the college and the building, telling regents and state lawmakers it was impossible to raise seed money for a start-up college from private sources. After nearly five years and now on its fifth president, only $1 million is in the bank.

Rogers has secured an additional $5 million, including $2 million of his own money, for the college on the condition that the state first foots the bill on the liberal arts building.