Long-time Nevada college administrator J. Kyle Dalpe was appointed interim president of Western Nevada College on Thursday after a vote by Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents.
Regents met at Nevada State College in Henderson on Thursday and Friday.
System Chancellor Melody Rose, in consultation with then-Chairwoman Pro Tem Carol Del Carlo, proposed the 13-member Board of Regents forgo a national search and appoint Dalpe as interim president from March 4 through Dec. 31, 2023. An interim appointment may be converted to a permanent appointment after one year. Should Dalpe be named the position permanently, he will be the ninth president of the college.
In addition to Carson City, Western Nevada College has campuses in Minden and Fallon.
Dalpe has served as provost, senior vice president, vice president of finance, and legislative liaison since coming to WNC in 2019, and was named officer in charge earlier this year.
“I am humbled and honored to be selected for this position,” Dalpe said in the news release. “Western Nevada College plays a vital role in higher education in our region, providing access to programs and services for our diverse communities. I look forward to leading the college, and its outstanding faculty and staff, to better serve our students.”
Rose and several regents attended listening sessions with college faculty, staff and students, as well as community partners, foundation members and other stakeholders at the college.
“President Dalpe is a highly respected higher education leader and administrator,” Rose said. “I am confident his vast knowledge and understanding of Western Nevada College makes him the right person to lead the institution at this time.”
Dalpe has more than 25 years of experience in higher education, with nearly 20 at Nevada institutions.
Prior to coming to Western Nevada College, Dalpe devoted 16 years to Truckee Meadows Community College in various leadership positions, including acting president, director of institutional advancement, associate dean and chief of staff, and dean of the technical sciences division. He also served as the interim executive director of legislative affairs for NSHE for the 2019 legislative session.
Dalpe earned a bachelor of arts degree in photojournalism from the University of Connecticut; a master of arts degree in journalism, speech and political science from the University of Texas at Tyler; and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Nevada, Reno.
