I
know that Don Snyder doesn’t need any advice from me nor does he want
any. But I give this to him in any case. If you’re going to make a
phone call from the Phoenix airport
to Las Vegas, screaming and yelling, that someone ought to get control
of me and shut my mouth or there would be serious consequences, then
you’d be wise to understand the legal implication of those threats.
How
does someone who has been the president of a major bank and a major
gaming company and seemingly doesn’t have to work because of his high
net worth, have the gall to ask the
higher education system of Nevada
to pay him $300,000 a year? It seems to me he should volunteer his time for nothing and pay his own expenses.
So much for togetherness, momentum and support for UNLV. The university needs fifty endowed chairs to hire truly productive scholars who will lead the institution notably by attracting others like themselves, setting goals and standards for the university and keeping the enthusiasms of administration in check. They will also stand as a bulwark between the half baked notions of powerful people in the community and the interests of the university in education and research. This is the way to get to Tier One. Hype does not do it; hype such as that promulgated by both Harter and Smatresk only deflects attention from the needs of UNLV, assuring the ever greedy tax payer that all is well and UNLV is forging ahead under their magnificent leadership. Where is the $250 million? This is what true community support would provide the university both from the legislature and from the rich folk who have made billions from the low tax state. What will a football arena provide to the educational mission of UNLV? The university will become a mockery with football as its icon. Again, a reminder that the university's defining role is in education not sports and entertainment. If the Strip needs a palace for events they should put up the risk capital since they will be the major beneficiaries. This and yesterday's note from William M. Epstein, Professor at UNLV.
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