Allen Appointed Interim President at Iowa State

March 27, 2017

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The Board of Regents voted to begin the search process for the 16th President of Iowa State University in a telephonic meeting March 27. 

Dr. Ben Allen was appointed interim president and will begin his service as such on May 9. He also was appointed as Iowa State’s senior policy adviser and will serve in that capacity between April 17 and May 8. Previously, Allen was the ninth president of the University of Northern Iowa and was vice president and provost at Iowa State from 2002-06. 

“It is indeed an honor to be asked to serve as interim president of Iowa State University, a leading land-grant university on a steep upward trajectory and a place that Pat and I care deeply about,” Allen said. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve Iowa State University, the Board of Regents, and the state of Iowa. We especially look forward to meeting and serving the ISU students.”

Steven Leath, who was named Auburn University’s 19th president on March 20, will finish his Iowa State presidency on May 8.

“Thanks to President and Mrs. Leath, and the leadership team of the university, Iowa State is in an excellent place with record enrollment and fundraising, growing research expenditures, and the highest graduation rate in the university’s history, among other accomplishments,” Allen said. “I look forward to working with the outstanding faculty and staff at Iowa State to keep moving the university forward as the Board of Regents searches for a permanent president.”

Allen joined the Iowa State faculty in 1979 and became the university’s first distinguished professor in business nine years later. He was dean of the ISU College of Business from 1995 to 2001 and became vice president for academic affairs and provost in 2002. Allen received his bachelor’s degree in business/managerial economics from Indiana University in 1969. He earned his master’s (1973) and Ph.D. (1974) in economics from the University of Illinois.

“The appreciation that Pat and I have for Iowa State has not waned with time; in fact, it has only grown. We spent most of our professional lives in Ames and developed many life-long friendships. We look forward to developing even more friendships with members of the Cyclone family as we engage with Iowa State University and the Ames community once again.”

The Board also authorized Executive Director/CEO Bob Donley to begin the search for the next president of Iowa State. Donley, in consultation with Board leadership, will establish the process and timetable for the search, including the hiring of a search firm and the creation of a search committee. Donley will report on the status of the search at the April 19-20 Board of Regents meeting at the Iowa School for the Deaf in Council Bluffs

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