Board News - Page 22

(DES MOINES) – Gov. Terry Branstad today named University of Iowa student Hannah Walsh as the student member to the state Board of Regents.

(URBANDALE, IA) – The Board of Regents commends President Sally Mason for initiating an internal investigation of athletics compliance in response to recent concerns with the hiring of former Athletics Department official Peter Gray.  The Board thanks President Mason for her leadership and readiness to investigate critical compliance issues, including University hiring practices.  

(Urbandale, Iowa) – Executive Director Robert Donley announced today that Ann McCarthy, the Board of Regents state relations officer assigned to Iowa State University, will assume a new role for the Board of Regents effective November 19, 2012. In her new duties, McCarthy will focus on the coordination of economic development policy for the Board. 

(URBANDALE, Iowa) – At its meeting on September 12, 2012, the Board of Regents received proposed recommendations from the Board’s Student Financial Aid Committee on the replacement of tuition set-aside funds to support need-based student financial aid for Iowa undergraduates. The Board also authorized the Board Office to solicit public input on this issue for the Committee’s consideration in developing its follow-up report to the Board to be presented at the October 24-25 meeting. 

(URBANDALE, Iowa) – At its meeting on Monday, August 27, the Board of Regents, State of Iowa approved the composition of the UNI Presidential Search and Screen Committee. Among the members of the committee will be three representatives of the public. 

The Iowa Education Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (IESBVI) and Iowa School for the Deaf (ISD) have scheduled the second of two public hearings on increasing efficiencies and effectiveness in their service to Iowa students who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired or deafblind, including services provided at the state’s two special schools (the Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School).  Interested parties are invited to participate in the hearing, either in person or through written comments.  Sign language interpreters will be present at the hearing

UNI President Ben Allen has notified the Board of his plans to retire from the University of Northern Iowa no later than July 1, 2013.

On Monday, June 25, the Board of Regents announced that Board leadership met with President Mason and would be talking to leadership of the UI Foundation.  In this conversation, which took place Tuesday, Board leadership and the UI Foundation had very productive discussions, particularly related to the solicitation of funds from patients, and they agreed to keep open their channels of communication.

On behalf of the Board of Regents, we would like to thank the Governor, legislative leaders and all members of the Iowa General Assembly for their strong commitment to public higher education this legislative session.  We are extremely pleased that the Governor and legislators of both parties came together to provide funds needed to enhance our student success initiatives and to spur additional research and innovation at our universities.

RE: Ken Mason’s compensation - While I will not comment on contractual arrangements made during the presidential hiring process that pre-dates my term as Board President, it is not uncommon for informal discussions of this nature to take place during the presidential hiring process. Ken Mason plays an important role in helping the University of Iowa President Sally Mason in promoting and raising money for the university. As a spouse, Ken’s daily schedule, including teaching, is very demanding as he is expected to attend almost every event on campus with President Mason. He attends most, if not all athletic events, including networking, and entertaining donors and alumni at hundreds of other university events throughout the year. Ken is an invaluable partner to President Sally Mason and the university community, helping to raise over $800 million dollars for the university since their arrival in 2007.