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UNLV president back early to deal with crisis
Status of Ashley’s employment likely will be resolved next week
Wednesday, June 10, 2009 | 6:47 p.m.
UNLV President David Ashley speaks Saturday during graduation ceremonies at UNLV's satellite campus in Singapore. Ashley conferred 34 bachelor's degrees and seven master's degrees. Some in the university community were uncomfortable with Ashley making the trip.
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- Decision on Ashley wanted soon (6-9-2009)
- UNLV Singapore campus graduates first class (6-6-2009)
- Wife of UNLV president sends apology note to Rogers, regents (6-6-2009)
- At UNLV, president's wife raises eyebrows (6-4-2009)
- Editorial: Performance on the job (5-12-2009)
- UNLV president recommended his own grader -- but hey, it's SOP (5-11-2009)
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Calling the swirling storm around his job performance “a touch surreal,” UNLV President David Ashley said Wednesday that he cut his trip to Singapore short to come deal with the crisis head-on.
Ashley returned to his Lake Las Vegas home late Tuesday evening and made a brief visit to his campus office Wednesday. He had previously been due back in Las Vegas this coming Saturday.
University officials told the Sun they expected the question of Ashley’s employment status to be resolved early next week, when the UNLV president is scheduled to meet with system Chancellor Jim Rogers. It’s widely expected at that meeting that Rogers will tell Ashley he does not have the support of the regents.
Ashley’s current contract guarantees him a tenured professorship in the engineering department should he be terminated as president. That type of parachute is standard in the highest ranks of academia.
In a telephone interview with the Sun this afternoon, Ashley said the preliminary report on his performance evaluation “looked good and solid” and that he was in a positive frame of mind leading up to his trip to Singapore to participate in the first commencement ceremony for UNLV’s satellite campus. He and his wife Bonnie had planned to take a few personal days in Singapore following the official events.
The mood shifted June 2, the day prior to his departure, when he met with university system Chancellor Jim Rogers.
“That was the conversation where he gave me his feedback,” Ashley said. Ashley declined to discuss the specifics of his conversation with Rogers, other than to say that the chancellor “has been very public in his opinion.”
Rogers told the Sun he warned Ashley that he had no support among the regents and that his contract was not likely to be renewed. Rogers urged Ashley to stay in Las Vegas and deal with the crisis.
Based on that discussion, Ashley said he briefly considered not going overseas. But given that his participation was expected not only in commencement but also in several other campus events, Ashley said, “I saw no benefit in canceling.”
However, the day after Ashley and his wife arrived in Singapore June 3, media reports erupted detailing concern among university officials about his job performance. Of particular concern was Bonnie Ashley’s behavior toward staff. As reported by the Sun, Bonnie Ashley sent an apologetic e-mail late Friday, expressing her dismay that her “zest and zeal” on behalf of the university had been badly received. (Read Bonnie Ashley's note)
Rogers said Ashley’s decision to go to Singapore showed poor judgment, a viewpoint echoed by several regents.
Rogers said he was also dismayed that Ashley had indicated he wanted to make several changes to his contract, including access to a vehicle from UNLV’s "pool." Rogers said the university president already receives a generous car allowance and it was his understanding that Bonnie Ashley would use the second vehicle.
"I said, 'Absolutely not,'" Rogers said.
Ashley declined to comment on the specifics of his contract negotiations. He said he planned to spend the time between now and the August board meeting talking with individual regents to address their concerns.
As for the criticism of his wife, Ashley reiterated that she had always acted with the best interests of the university at heart.
"She’s a strong woman," Ashley said. "I respect her for the way she’s enduring this."
He added that he will be reimbursing UNLV for the $1,167 cost of Bonnie Ashley's airfare to Singapore. The UNLV satellite campus, funded by the Singapore government, covered couple's the hotel costs.
Wednesday evening, Rogers said the timing of his own return from Idaho was based upon his understanding that Ashley wouldn't be back from Singapore until Saturday.
"His secretary said he would be back on Saturday so we set up to meet on Monday," Rogers said. "That was fine with me. I guess I could meet with him on Friday if he wanted to do that. I haven't heard from him. I assume if he had wanted to see me Friday he would have called me."
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He can't resign, his wife told him not to.
Keystone Cops could do a better job than Rogers and his regents puppet goobers.
The best thing that could happen at this point is that the Regents make a decision regarding David Ashley. Personally after seeing the way he has treated faculty and the general public it is time for him to move along. His heart was never in Las Vegas and he truly never wanted to be part of this community.
i dont like ashley at all. did not like him at all while at school, but to not go to singapoire for the school's very first commencement is bad judgment in itself imo.
what will be, will be, so Ashley will get to be a tenured professional, not a bad deal. Now if he had been working for a i g or some other joints he could have gotten a large golden parachute and then be criticized by the leader of the free world. Go figure!
IS this what Ashley worries about? UNLV is going through the worst budget crisis in history and all he can think of is changing his contract so HE can have access to a car from UNLV's pool? This man needs to go. No leadership, no guts to stand for UNLV's future--this man has very little talent to even be a mediocre politician, let alone president of a university the size of UNLV.
Given the budget crisis, why would we pay for him and his wife to fly first-class to Singapore???? Someone needs to investigate.
""By LightPal: Given the budget crisis, why would we pay for him and his wife to fly first-class to Singapore???? Someone needs to investigate.""
Nice idea...........spend more $$$ to see why they flew 1st class !!!!
After the investigation, we can learn why we spent $5000 investigating the $1000 1st class tickets........then we can have another $10,000 investigation on why we spent $5,000 to investigate $1000.
BRILLIANT !!!!!
The previous report had indicated that the Ashleys flew coach, so no investigation into their flying first class needed. Make your comment relevant, by using the facts, not what's sensational, yet not true. It is UNLV Singapore's first commencemnet. I agree with Ashley, that there was no reason to cancel all the important appearance. Jim Rogers was PO'd that Ashley didn't cancel Ashley's trip because Jim Rogers threatened Ashley with wife issue. We applaud Ashley for being a big-picture person, instead of being the nitty-gritty narrow-minded ego-maniac Jim Rogers.
Regents should vote Ashley in. Do it after Rogers leave, of course. We don't want to hear his deafening shouting, and receive his phone calls and emails crying foul.
How about if the system fires Rogers and appoints Ashley in his place?
Things might improve so that UNLV could be a first class national public university instead of a regional public mediocre university.
Wait until its made public that David and Bonnie are not actually married. I wonder if the NSHE will demand a refund for the tens of thousands of dollars he has spent on his "wifes" expenses?
This is a classic example of how the wrong woman can ruin a mans life and all he's worked for. Maybe she will leave him once his title and his salary are gone. After all, she didnt "marry" David Ashley, she married the university President.