Counselor leaves legacy at WNC's Douglas campus

Dick Kale, former coordinator of academic and student affairs at Western Nevada College in Minden, said it would probably take another week before the sense of loss fully sank in.

"I'm grieving, but it probably won't really hit me for another week or two," he said.

The 65-year-old Carson City resident has spent the last six years commuting to the Douglas campus to help more than 500 students a year select classes, choose career paths and handle finances.

"I've worked with the best people, because everybody who comes in here wants to make their lives better," he said. "The last six years out here have been some of my best."

July 1 was Kale's last day. He is one of many educators who were "bought out" by the college, offered a year's salary in exchange for vacating their position.

"Even though things are crummy, I understand their reasoning," he said. "They are talking about having to cut their budget next year by 14 percent."

Kale was there last winter when Gov. Jim Gibbons asked higher education to cut their budget by 8 percent, and educators feared the Douglas campus would be closed. The 8 percent was lowered to 4.5, and the campus remained open, but the state's budget shortfall continued to grow, and the college continued to cut costs.

"A counselor from Carson will come down on Wednesdays," Kale said. "I am concerned students with no gas money or poor transportation won't be able to get to Carson if they need additional services. I believe they need a full-time counselor down here."

Kale moved to Nevada in 1973. He worked for rural mental health services and practiced marriage and family counseling before starting at the college in 1986. At the Carson City location, he worked as a job counselor for single parents and displaced homemakers and as a grant writer. He was the division chair for continuing education before taking the helm of the Douglas campus in 2002.

The Douglas campus, known as Bently Hall, was built in 1997 with $2.3 million in private contributions from individuals and businesses, including Bently Nevada's donation of 10 acres of land and a grant from the Nevada Legislature.

"The most rewarding part of the job was watching students transform their lives," Kale said. "Everybody had a story. There was a young lady in her thirties with four kids who was terrified to start school. Every semester she would tell me she couldn't do it. But she did do it; she made the honor roll and graduated with honors. Now she works for a legal office, and her employer sought her out."

Kale said working with students' residency and financial issues were the most challenging parts.

"Anyone can pass out a class catalogue or schedule," he said. "But you need to listen to what a student says, probe further and find the potential barriers to a successful education."

Dayton resident Denise Moots has been Kale's assistant for a year. Like many employees at the campus, she is losing her job because of the budget cuts.

"The students loved Mr. Kale and thought he was a blessing," she said. "His counseling style was to take the whole person, their education, social and financial situation, and create a program that specifically fit them.

"He eliminated their fears and turned hopelessness into success. And there were a lot of success stories."

Kale was planning to retire at age 70. He said he'll look for another counseling job, but will stay active in Douglas County. He will remain on the board of directors for the Partnership of Community Resources, and he will fight to keep the Douglas campus open.

"Emotionally, this is where my heart is," he said. "I will miss the people I worked with, and I will miss my students."