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[Note: This material is copyright by The Gazette, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of The Gazette.]

  Downer of Iowa City said he hasn’t talked to the new search leader, UI College of Dentistry Dean David Johnsen, since last week. But Downer said he intended to speak to Johnsen soon to voice his strong support for having one UI undergraduate student and one UI graduate or professional student on the committee.

  Downer said he knows slots are limited because Johnsen wants to keep the committee to about 12 members, and six already are in place.

  However, ‘‘I would gladly sacrifice the regent position to gain another student,’’ he said.

  Johnsen said Wednesday he and the five other committee members, approved by the regents last week, have discussed membership but he was reluctant to comment about it until their recommendations go to the regents for approval.

  Whether to include a student has drawn a lot of feedback, Johnsen said. ‘‘Definitely it’s an issue we’re hearing about — that and many others,’’ he said. ‘‘We are getting a lot of recommendations.’’

  Johnsen said he has met individually with the five other members. He hopes the remaining committee recommendations can be submitted soon to the regents, though he didn’t want to guess on a time frame. The regents’ next scheduled meeting is Feb. 67 in Ames.

  ‘‘The regents are very interested in moving this process along as quickly as possible, as are we,’’ he said.

  The regents chose Johnsen Dec. 18 to lead a second search for a successor to David Skorton, who left the UI in June for the Cornell University presidency. Skorton announced one year ago Saturday he was leaving the UI.

  The presidential search stalled Nov. 17, when the regents voted 6-2 to reject four finalists and disband an initial search committee. That led to votes of no confidence by UI faculty, staff and student groups. Downer said the two students on the first committee contributed good questions and offered distinct points of view during candidate interviews in November.

  Regent Jenny Connolly of Cedar Falls, a University of Northern Iowa graduate student, has several times stated her support for having a student on the search committee.