Board of Regents could decide WNC presidency

Nevada’s Board of Regents may decide to appoint Chet Burton permanently as Western Nevada College’s president or opt to conduct a national search for candidates to serve in the position at its next meeting.

The meeting will be held at 8:30 a.m. Thursday and at 8 a.m. Friday at the Sierra Building Elizabeth Sturm Library at Truckee Meadows Community College, 7000 Dandini Blvd.

As agenda item No. 19, the board is scheduled to consider if a national search is warranted at approximately 3 p.m. Thursday. At its April 25 meeting, the board appointed Burton to be WNC’s interim president through June 30.

Nevada Higher System of Education Chancellor Daniel J. Klaich met with WNC on May 12 to receive input on the matter.

Before the board makes Burton’s appointment permanent, it will hear a report from Klaich from that May 12 meeting. Input from the public also can be given on the matter during the public comment period at the meeting and also at the time the agenda item is addressed at the meeting.

At their December 2013 meeting, the Board of Regents voted to appoint Burton as interim president of WNC.

Burton spent 20 years on active duty with the Navy as a supply officer. He retired in 1996 in Fallon after completing his final tour at the naval air station. His other assignments included serving as a legislative liaison at the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. His family moved to Reno in 2007.

Burton succeeded Dan Neverett as WNC’s new vice president of finance and administrative services during the summer of 2013. Burton previously worked at WNC as the controller and fiscal director from 2009-11.

Burton has taken an active role in knowing the needs of the Fallon campus, which had drawn strong support from Churchill County.

A request for a national search appears on the agenda. It states: “This is to respectfully request that the Board of Regents embark on a national search for a permanent president for Western Nevada College. This will enable Mr. Burton to compete with other candidates to ensure that he is the most qualified to lead the College during a very challenging and formative time in its history.”

As agenda item No. 26, the board will consider if it should appoint Burton as WNC’s president permanently. At that time, the board can also consider employment terms and conditions of a new contract and offer Burton a new contract if it decides to appoint him as permanent president.

Other major items on the agenda include possible action on the Nevada Higher System of Education’s 2015-2017 biennial budget. As it considers the budget, the board will hear a report on action taken during the legislative session as it relates to the budget for the state’s higher education system.

The board could also take action on issuing a promissory note of $20.9 million for the proposed Hotel Management School at UNLV. The note would be paid for by donor contributions and capital improvement fee revenues.

The agenda for next week’s meeting is available at http://system.nevada.edu/tasks/sites/Nshe/assets/File/BoardOfRegents/Agendas/2015/jun-mtgs/BOR0615MURAwithappendixA.pdf.