HIGHER EDUCATION:

Rogers: UNLV President Ashley should be fired

Tuesday, June 16, 2009 | 6:05 p.m.

Letter from Rogers to the Board of Regents

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)

Archive of Sun education stories

UNLV office of the president

Outgoing higher education Chancellor Jim Rogers has recommended to the Board of Regents that it fire UNLV President David Ashley.

In a letter dated June 16, Rogers said Ashley’s recent performance evaluation didn’t reflect concerns Rogers has heard about Ashley’s leadership.

Those concerns include the treatment of UNLV employees by Ashley’s wife, Bonnie; whether Ashley attended the necessary university events; the working environment at UNLV; Ashley’s connection with the faculty, students, Las Vegas community and Board of Regents; Ashley’s management style and Ashley’s response to concerns that were raised.

Rogers said he heard the concerns after spending a day calling stakeholders who had an interest in the university.

“Based on my consideration of the concerns that have been raised, I recommend that Dr. Ashley’s contract not be renewed and that you consider immediate termination of the contract as president,” Rogers wrote.

Ashley’s four-year contract is ends in June 2010, and regents are expected in August to consider extending it.

Rogers, who is leaving his state higher education post June 30, said he would make himself available to the board at any time and would appear publicly to discuss his recommendation.

“I have done what I can in good conscience do to amicably resolve this matter, but my efforts have not been successful,” he wrote.

Rogers concluded that he long ago had asked Ashley to address the problems, which have become the subject of media scrutiny.

“In my conversations with Dr. Ashley he has not identified any action he has taken to decisively address these issues, and in fact, I do not believe he acknowledges there are serious issues,” Rogers wrote.

Discussion: 6 comments so far…

By SgtRock

6/16/09 at 7:54 p.m.

Suggest removal

The Keystone Cops should immediately offer Lord Rogers the kingdom of Higher Ed forever.

Only a whack job or a total idiot will accept the job of UNLV prez.

Perhaps they should send unsolicited emails to people in other countries asking them to apply for the job and they could get a $10 million bonus only if they mail us $10,000 up front to a secret checking account.

Whoever responds will be immediately hired.

This is so funny.

They ran the other prez of UNLV out of town to make room for this hand-picked Rogers success story.

Now they are running out of town another UNVL prez.

I am sure that they will have top notch people waiting in line just for the pleasure to be run out-of-town in a few years.
By whats_in_the_box

6/16/09 at 8:37 p.m.

Suggest removal

Make Jerry Tarkanian president of UNLV.

First job, fire AD Hamrick. Then Sanford and Tinsmith to follow.
By Wayne

6/16/09 at 8:57 p.m.

Suggest removal

If you ever doubted the difference between these two publications, go view the RJ's version of this. The RJ give's much of the space to Mark Alden. I guess the RJ reporters have never attended a regent's meeting.

It reminds me of the old pickup line.

Girl: I'm sorry, I'm married.

Boy: I have two goldfish.

Girl: What???

Boy: Oh, I'm sorry, I thought we were talking about things that don't matter.

The post timing and the Ensign revelations are completely coincidental.

It is really about Alden. He doesn't matter.
By Raymond

6/16/09 at 9:29 p.m.

Suggest removal

I'm grateful the chancellor is holding Ashley accountable. He was a bad hire who seems to have misrepresented himself during the hiring process. Once he got to UNLV, all he cared about was "playing" the part of president. He hasn't provided leadership, engaged community leaders on a meaningful level, offered a vision for the campus beyond "research," etc. Obviously, he deserves a fair vetting of the issues. Just hope a number of perspectives are taken into account.
By LasVegan

6/17/09 at 10:32 p.m.

Suggest removal

How long does it take for Jim Rogers to know David Ashley's management style? Why cry foul after 3 years? And now Jim Rogers claimed that Bonnie was not married to David Ashley when Ashley was hired. Why does it matter? Jim Rogers' last attemp to make himself relevant, has failed miserably.

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