Carson Country locals respond to Crowley's resignation

State Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, was surprised to hear Joe Crowley resigned Wednesday as president of the University of Nevada, Reno.

"Wow," he said. "That's pretty unexpected."

Amodei was a student at the university when Crowley was appointed as the president nearly 22 years ago.

However, that was not Amodei's first exposure to Crowley. Before becoming president, Crowley served as the chairman of the political science department where Amodei was a student.

"My whole point of reference with the university is centered around him," Amodei said. "He's always been affiliated with it."

Connie Capurro, director of admissions at Western Nevada Community College, worked with Crowley at UNR from 1983-1989.

"I'm sorry to see him go," Capurro said. "I have tremendous respect for him as a leader."

She said Crowley's strength was his fairness.

"He worked hard to provide educational equity to minority students and first-generation university students," Capurro said.

Her respect is not only for him as a professional but as a person as well.

"He's a very intelligent person," she said. "He was very responsive to the faculty senate. He showed special respect for the students, too."

WNCC President Carol Lucey said she will miss Crowley's leadership but is grateful for having been able to work with him.

"I have enjoyed working with Dr. Crowley this year," she said. "He is clearly the dean of the (university) system presidents and feel I have learned a great deal from our interactions."

Amodei said he can describe Crowley's administration in two words: "Very effective."

"There was never a question about who was in charge and what direction the university was going when he was president," Amodei said.