Three state senators are calling on the Iowa Board of Regents to provide more details about its plans for selecting the next president of the University of Northern Iowa.
In a letter sent last week to Regent President Bruce Rastetter, the Democratic chairmen of three Senate committees said they share their constituents’ concerns about the process being developed for replacing former UNI President Bill Ruud, who moved to Ohio earlier this summer.
“The most recent presidential selection process at the University of Iowa did not adhere to the high standards Iowans expect from our Board of Regents,” the letter stated. “Given the problems with that selection process … we encourage you to use a fair and transparent process in the selection of the next president of the University of Northern Iowa.”
The letter – which was signed by Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, Brian Schoenjahn D-Arlington, and Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids – called on Rastetter to reply with specific steps the board was taking to avoid the controversies that plagued last year’s search at UI.
Dated Aug. 12, the letter was addressed to the Alden headquarters of Summit Agricultural Group, of which Rastetter is the CEO. Regent officials said Monday evening that they were working on a response to the senators’ letter.
The senators specifically called on the regents to adopt a process that “actually and fully involves the faculty and students in the spirit of shared governance.”
Following the regents’ vote in September to hire former IBM executive Bruce Harreld, the UI Faculty Senate issued a vote of no confidence in the board’s leadership. That vote was supported by faculty governments at UNI and Iowa State University, as well as at most of UI’s Big Ten peers.
The national Association of American University Professors later sanctioned UI and criticized the regents for a failing to adhere to the association’s policies for involving faculty in presidential searches.
The senators’ letter comes less than two weeks after the regents announced they were hiring AGB Search of Washington to assist in the search and screening of presidential applicants for UNI.
It is the first time in five years that the regents have chosen a consultant group other than Parker Executive Search. The regents had used Parker in past searches at UNI and Iowa State University, but the Atlanta-based consultants were criticized by the UI community after the process that lead to last year’s hiring of UI President Bruce Harreld.
“Hiring a different search firm, as has been done, may be one small step toward a better process, but more needs to be done,” the letter stated.
Danielson, who chairs the Senate State Government Committee, previously has called on the regents to provide more information about why the board never took steps to renew Ruud’s three-year contract. Danielson's district includes UNI, and he as taught classes at the university off and on for the past decade.
Schoenjahn chairs the Senate Education Budget Committee, and Hogg chairs the Senate Oversight Committee.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...airmen-call-more-details-uni-search/88809884/
In a letter sent last week to Regent President Bruce Rastetter, the Democratic chairmen of three Senate committees said they share their constituents’ concerns about the process being developed for replacing former UNI President Bill Ruud, who moved to Ohio earlier this summer.
“The most recent presidential selection process at the University of Iowa did not adhere to the high standards Iowans expect from our Board of Regents,” the letter stated. “Given the problems with that selection process … we encourage you to use a fair and transparent process in the selection of the next president of the University of Northern Iowa.”
The letter – which was signed by Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, Brian Schoenjahn D-Arlington, and Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids – called on Rastetter to reply with specific steps the board was taking to avoid the controversies that plagued last year’s search at UI.
Dated Aug. 12, the letter was addressed to the Alden headquarters of Summit Agricultural Group, of which Rastetter is the CEO. Regent officials said Monday evening that they were working on a response to the senators’ letter.
The senators specifically called on the regents to adopt a process that “actually and fully involves the faculty and students in the spirit of shared governance.”
Following the regents’ vote in September to hire former IBM executive Bruce Harreld, the UI Faculty Senate issued a vote of no confidence in the board’s leadership. That vote was supported by faculty governments at UNI and Iowa State University, as well as at most of UI’s Big Ten peers.
The national Association of American University Professors later sanctioned UI and criticized the regents for a failing to adhere to the association’s policies for involving faculty in presidential searches.
The senators’ letter comes less than two weeks after the regents announced they were hiring AGB Search of Washington to assist in the search and screening of presidential applicants for UNI.
It is the first time in five years that the regents have chosen a consultant group other than Parker Executive Search. The regents had used Parker in past searches at UNI and Iowa State University, but the Atlanta-based consultants were criticized by the UI community after the process that lead to last year’s hiring of UI President Bruce Harreld.
“Hiring a different search firm, as has been done, may be one small step toward a better process, but more needs to be done,” the letter stated.
Danielson, who chairs the Senate State Government Committee, previously has called on the regents to provide more information about why the board never took steps to renew Ruud’s three-year contract. Danielson's district includes UNI, and he as taught classes at the university off and on for the past decade.
Schoenjahn chairs the Senate Education Budget Committee, and Hogg chairs the Senate Oversight Committee.
http://www.press-citizen.com/story/...airmen-call-more-details-uni-search/88809884/
