Schools · Valley-wide
Regents vote 10-3 to make Chris Heavey UNLV's permanent president under a three-year, $627,816-a-year contract
Nevada's Board of Regents removed the interim label from UNLV leader Chris Heavey on Friday. Three regents objected to his pay, which matches his predecessor's, but said they still supported his appointment.
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What happened
The Board of Regents voted 10-3 on Friday to appoint Chris Heavey as UNLV's permanent president, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Heavey had been leading the university as interim president. His new three-year contract takes effect Saturday and expires on Oct. 31, 2029.
The vote is the latest leadership decision in local higher education, an area followed in our schools coverage. The dissenting regents said their objection was to the pay package, not to Heavey himself.
What the contract pays
Salary and allowances
Heavey will receive a base salary of $627,816 per year, according to backup documents attached to the meeting agenda and cited by the Review-Journal. The contract also includes annual allowances of $8,000 for transportation, $18,000 for housing and $5,000 for hosting guests.
How it compares
Officials said at Friday's meeting that the new salary matches what former President Keith Whitfield earned. As interim president, Heavey had been paid $540,000, the Review-Journal reported.
How Heavey got here
Heavey has worked at UNLV for more than three decades. He previously served as the university's executive vice president and provost. In March 2025, after Whitfield left suddenly, regents chose Heavey to serve as officer in charge. Whitfield resigned citing family reasons.
Regents named Heavey interim president the following month. Under Nevada System of Higher Education rules, interim presidents must serve at least one year before they can be considered for the permanent job.
Why three regents voted no
Concerns about pay, not the person
Regent Pete Goicoechea, a former state senator, was one of the three no votes. He said during the meeting that he opposed the proposed compensation package. Goicoechea noted that Heavey has never led another university. He argued that matching Whitfield's salary could make future pay negotiations with presidents at other NSHE institutions more difficult.
"Unfortunately, I do feel that we're going to have to start holding the line some place," Goicoechea said, according to the Review-Journal. He pointed to an upcoming legislative session and added, "We're not asking for (Heavey) to take a pay cut." The regents who opposed the contract offer said they still supported Heavey's appointment.
Support from faculty and students
Faculty Senate backing
Michael Kagan, chair of the UNLV Faculty Senate, told regents that staff overwhelmingly favored Heavey. He urged the board to appoint Heavey rather than launch a national search, saying the university needs "stable leadership." Speaking of Heavey, Kagan said, "He wants this place to thrive."
Enrollment and fundraising
Other speakers credited Heavey with helping UNLV reach an enrollment of roughly 34,000 students and raise more than $75 million within the past year, the Review-Journal reported. Several student groups also endorsed his appointment.
After the vote, Heavey said he looks forward to continuing to lead the university. "I'm really excited about the future of the university and working with the community," he told the Review-Journal.
What to watch next
- Heavey's three-year contract takes effect Saturday.
- Goicoechea pointed to an upcoming legislative session as a reason for regents to hold the line on pay.
- The contract runs until Oct. 31, 2029.
