Christina Littlefield

Story Archive

Friday, May 18, 2007

The search committee that unanimously recommended Richard Carpenter for the presidency at the Community College of Southern Nevada in 2004 had two major qualms:

They thought Carpenter was too long-winded. And they were worried he wouldn't stay long at the helm, given that he had been at his previous job only two years.

High-tech CCSN project gets low marks

Sunday, May 6, 2007

When it opened in fall 2004, the $20 million telecommunications building at the Community College of Southern Nevada Cheyenne campus was promoted as a state of the art facility that would prepare graduates for high-tech fields.

UNLV brushes up on what students should learn

Friday, May 4, 2007

Even as he tries to elevate UNLV as a research institution, President David Ashley wants to reexamine whether his undergraduate students are getting the most appropriate fundamental education.

Little room for pork, fight expected for scraps

Saturday, April 28, 2007

CARSON CITY - Higher education projects are usually magnets for legislative pork, but this year politicians will be hard-pressed to bring home the bacon.

Prognosis improving

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Nevada's chronic need for health care professionals is being addressed by the likes of Matthew McGauran, who is a few weeks shy of getting his physician assistant license.

Robots, money, whatever it takes, UNLV goes recruiting

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Engineers usually don't have fans screaming their name.

United they stand on education in Nevada

Monday, April 16, 2007

Even as they plead for the same sparse funds, Nevada's school superintendents and the university system chancellor have arrived in Carson City this budget season arm in arm, promoting public education as a continuum from kindergarten through graduate school.

Higher education gets no love from lawmakers

Friday, April 13, 2007

CARSON CITY - Nevada lawmakers gave a cold shoulder Thursday to higher education, leaving university presidents resigned to the fact that they will have to make some deep cuts to their budget.

Enough already with the cuts to colleges

Friday, April 6, 2007

Jim Rogers, chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, says enough is enough, and he's saying it to the governor.

Contracts show conflict of interest

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

When Community College of Southern Nevada construction chief Bob Gilbert was questioned by the Sun in late February about the appropriateness of hiring college contractors to help build his home, he said there was no conflict of interest because he had no influence over the awarding or execution of their contracts at the college.

The contracts tell a different story.

Side jobs come under scrutiny

Friday, March 30, 2007

The attorney for the Nevada System of Higher Education questions whether college employees should be allowed to moonlight for college-hired contractors, because of potential conflicts of interest.

Sun's probe hindered by college's slow response

Monday, March 26, 2007

Efforts by the Sun to investigate allegations of misconduct by Bob Gilbert, chief of construction at the Community College of Southern Nevada, have been stymied because college officials have not responded to some of the newspaper's requests for information.

Gilbert blames disgruntled employees

Monday, March 26, 2007

Bob Gilbert says allegations of misconduct swirling around his activities as construction chief at the Community College of Southern Nevada spring from employees disgruntled over his management decisions.

Flags raised, chief probed

Monday, March 26, 2007

The state attorney general's office and Community College of Southern Nevada administrators are investigating whether college construction chief Bob Gilbert used his position to help build his ranch home off Kyle Canyon Road.

Q+A: David Ashley

Sunday, March 18, 2007

David Ashley is not one to hurry an opinion. He is cautious and methodical. When he arrives at a decision, he makes it with confidence based on his research.

Regents vote to keep elected board

Saturday, March 17, 2007

CARSON CITY - Facing legislation to change the elected university system Board of Regents to an appointed board, the regents took a somewhat shaky stand on the issue Friday.

Gibbons delivers good news, bad news

Friday, March 16, 2007

CARSON CITY - Gov. Jim Gibbons brought good news and bad news to the state's higher-education board Thursday.

Think tank idea picks up steam

Monday, March 12, 2007

The literati are coming.

Rogers, regents agree to disagree once again

Monday, March 12, 2007

Chancellor Jim Rogers and the Board of Regents are again feeling strains in their relationship.

Lower turnout bad for higher education

Saturday, March 10, 2007

CARSON CITY - Lawmakers and higher education officials swallowed hard Friday while reviewing updated enrollment figures for the state's universities and colleges.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons and Democratic Assemblywoman Bonnie Parnell will meet with the Board of Regents next week when it gathers for two days of discussions about legislative issues, including funding requests, the future of the Millennium Scholarship and the health science system proposal.

Ashley begins to build his team with hiring of No. 2 Smatresk

Thursday, March 8, 2007

Incoming UNLV Executive Vice President and Provost Neal Smatresk - the campus' day-to-day operations boss - is ready-made for Nevada's tumultuous higher education system.

Harter opened purse for parties

Monday, March 5, 2007

When UNLV launched the public phase of its $500 million fundraising campaign in September 2005, officials invited 600 guests to a sit-down, three-course dinner featuring Angus beef filet in a shiitake mushroom sauce and shrimp scampi.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Sunday, March 4, 2007

University system Chancellor Jim Rogers isn't the only employee speaking out in favor of seeing his 13 bosses appointed instead of elected.

Rogers again alienates regents by publicly backing appointed board

Friday, March 2, 2007

University system Chancellor Jim Rogers, risking his recently repaired relationship with regents, is telling state lawmakers he would support a state constitutional amendment to have his bosses appointed instead of elected.

There's a new temple in town

Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007

Even as Rabbi Sanford Akselrad prepared for the grand opening of Reform Congregation Ner Tamid's new temple in Henderson this weekend, he was dreaming about ways he could further nurture the growing Jewish community in Henderson and beyond.

NBA players reach higher

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2007

While other NBA players may have been sleeping off the "Babes and Ballers" party from the night before, Miami Heat forward Wayne Simien was front and center Sunday morning, offering the opening prayer for the 27th annual NBA All-Star chapel service.

Reform hurting UNLV's coffers

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007

Reform hurting UNLV's coffers

Ex-regents can now work for system

Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007

Former university system Regent Linda Howard and others who have left the board recently are no longer barred from applying for jobs with the system.

Saving a scholarship

Monday, Feb. 5, 2007

State lawmakers are wondering how to stretch the life of the Millennium Scholarship, which is credited with boosting the number of Nevada college students but is running dry.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2007

University system Chancellor Jim Rogers and regents bumped heads only once during their two-day meeting Thursday and Friday. It was over a contract extension and salary supplement for Patricia Becker, executive director of the UNLV International Gaming Institute.

THE SAGA OF CHANCELLOR JIM ROGERS AND THE REGENTS

Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007

The scene: The 13 regents who oversee the state's university system are seated at a long table inside a college auditorium in Henderson. Two weeks earlier, in a fit of pique, Chancellor Jim Rogers wrote a two-word memo to regents: "I quit." He then mended relations and wrote another curt memo: "I hereby withdraw my resignation."

Nevada's goal for health sciences: Unity

Friday, Jan. 26, 2007

By trying to create a statewide health science system, Nevada's universities and colleges are going against the grain.

College of Urban Affairs to get new home

Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007

Efforts to marry UNLV's journalism program with 21st century technology advanced Wednesday with the groundbreaking of a new academic hall to house the Greenspun College of Urban Affairs.

As legislative session approaches, Rogers' importance is debated

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007

One of the contributing factors in convincing university system Chancellor Jim Rogers to withdraw his resignation on Monday was the persuasive tactics of Sen. Bernice Mathews, D-Reno.

Inside the eruptive world of Jim Rogers

Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007

Jim Rogers' propensity for temper tantrums was in full view last week when the chancellor of higher education quit for 36 hours. The episode illustrated just how ferocious and abrupt the chancellor's temperament could be.

Rogers-regents rocky marriage hits a wall

Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007

From the moment three years ago when Jim Rogers took over as chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education, his maverick, authoritarian ways made him a candidate for either the guillotine or sainthood - or in the eyes of some regents, both.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Sunday, Jan. 7, 2007

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Bigger rewards from smaller resolutions

Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006

Navel-gazing is at a high point this week as Americans - and especially the hedonistically inclined among us - ponder what they want to change about themselves in the New Year.

Energy-efficient house passes first test

Friday, Dec. 29, 2006

A model home has lived up to its promise of producing more energy than it consumed in a yearlong test, leading to the next - and more critical - test in the experiment: Gauging energy use when the house is occupied.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Thursday, Dec. 28, 2006

Nevada State College officials are voluntarily reducing the size of their proposed nursing building in hopes of improving their chances that state lawmakers will pay for it.

Carpenter accused of breaking own rules

Monday, Dec. 25, 2006

When Richard Carpenter took over the Community College of Southern Nevada in August 2004, one of his first acts as president was to attack what he said was rampant nepotism, cronyism and excessive bureaucracy at the college.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Friday, Dec. 22, 2006

The former Community College of Southern Nevada diversity director who is alleging college officials kept her from doing her job is now modifying her equal opportunity complaint to include Chancellor Jim Rogers.

Have faith, there's a match

Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006

If any Jewish woman should be able to find a good Jewish man, you'd think it would be Sidra Shapiro, a Las Vegas genetics counselor.

CCSN hit with complaints

Friday, Dec. 15, 2006

Click here for a printable chart.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2006

The Community College of Southern Nevada has earned an unprecedented, positive accreditation review.

Outgoing regents give inside views

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006

Last week's university system Board of Regents meeting was the final one for outgoing Regents Jill Derby and Linda Howard.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION

Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2006

University system regents don't appreciate state lawmakers telling them what to do, not even the premier state lawmaker, Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno.

LOOKING IN ON: HIGHER EDUCATION