Dear Colleagues,

I want to thank you for your patience and resilience after a very intense week at UNLV. I truly appreciate the support and outreach I have received, and I offer my sincerest thanks for your continued dedication and commitment to our university’s mission. 

Following last Monday’s announcement by President Whitfield, I had the privilege of representing our university as its Officer in Charge on Thursday and Friday at the quarterly meeting of the Nevada Board of Regents.

First, I want to commend members of our academic faculty who were awarded tenure by the Board, which will become effective July 1, 2025. We congratulate all of them, along with others who have been promoted during this year’s cycle, but today I want to underscore that the work of each member of our faculty is more important than ever. At moments of immense uncertainty like we are experiencing on the national scale, our students need all of us more than ever. They have chosen UNLV because they believe in the value we bring to their lives. It is critical that we remain laser focused on delivering that value each day in a caring, welcoming, and personal way. Whatever your position is in our university, thank you for showing up each day to play your vital role.    

The Board also awarded Claytee White, the founding director of the UNLV Oral History Research Center, an honorary doctorate and named her a Distinguished Nevadan! I know I speak for all of us in extending a heartfelt congratulations to Claytee. She has had an incredible and inspirational career and made immeasurable contributions to preserving the history of our region. She is a shining star on campus and in the Las Vegas community, and we are so privileged to call her a Rebel. The Board also honored our longtime friend and supporter, Joe Murphy, with an honorary doctorate. Among his many involvements with UNLV, he previously served on the UNLV Foundation Board of Trustees and is an active supporter of UNLV Athletics and the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine.

Regents approved construction of a new parking garage by the RTC Transit Center on the southeast end of the Maryland Parkway campus (behind the In-N-Out Burger), and we received input from the Board on future uses of the 42-acre parcel of land on west Tropicana Avenue. The Board recognized the UNLV PRACTICE as an institute of mental and behavioral health training and policy for our mental health graduate programs. It will work to unify and advance our mental health care infrastructure. Additionally, the Board heard a report on mental health services for students, a developing collaboration between our School of Dental Medicine and the CSN Dental Hygiene program, and weighed in on the Athletics’ budget.  

Chancellor Charlton also led a robust discussion with the Board about the current landscape of higher education and the executive orders from the new federal administration. The conversation centered on the uncertainty of these orders – related to research grants, DEI, DACA, etc. – and the anxiety they have generated among employees and students on campuses across our system. This will be an ongoing discussion among the institutions, the Board of Regents, and NSHE leadership as we await and respond to rulings from the federal courts on these matters. 

I will have more to say on this issue soon as I work with our team to formulate our campus response to the current slate of directives. At this moment, I commit that we will not back away from celebrating and serving all of our diverse communities. Diversity is an inherent part of the human condition and we are blessed to have an abundance of it on our campus. It is a strength and point of pride, and will remain both going forward.     

I will be in Carson City during the first part of this week to advocate for UNLV’s funding priorities at the Nevada Legislature. The Nevada System of Higher Education is presenting its systemwide budget to a joint hearing tomorrow with the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, and I feel it's important to represent UNLV and meet with legislators to address any questions they may have. 

To help meet the immediate needs of the university during this transitional period, I have appointed Dr. Kate Korgan as Officer in Charge for the Provost’s Office. This is a temporary assignment to ensure continuity of our academic operations as I focus on the responsibilities of Officer in Charge for the broader university. 

As we reach the midpoint of what has been a tumultuous spring semester, I am inspired by the unwavering passion and drive of our university’s students, faculty, and staff. I believe that by working together, we will meet any challenges in front of us and continue to grow stronger as a university community. 

Warm Wishes, 

Chris Heavey
Officer in Charge