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[Note: This material is copyright by the Press-Citizen, 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 Iowa City Press-Citizen.]

After yesterday's news about the UI president search, that plan is wrong. We need a Regents overhaul -- and we need it now!

Unsatisfied with its candidates, the board voted to start over with its search for a replacement to David Skorton, who left this summer to become president at Cornell University.

Regents president Michael Gartner said the final four candidates needed more experience leading "complex health-sciences operations as well as the myriad of other academic and non-academic operations of a large university."

The statement doesn't make sense. Either the comments are hot air or the Regents simply botched the search. We can't help but wonder: What were you searching for?

Katherine Tachau, UI faculty and search committee member, suggested the search was stopped because chairman Michael Gartner didn't get his candidate.

Other search committee members said they thought the finalists were qualified.

Even Regents member Bob Downer, a local attorney who is about as unflappable as they come, voted against the move and expressed frustration by the decision.

The fact is, we really don't know what's going on because the Regents have treated the faculty, staff and students like unruly teens rather than partners in this process.

As president, Gartner's approach has been divisive and secretive. Gartner clearly likes a top-down business model and thinks the university system should operate more like a business.

But businesses are judged by performance and results. And here he and his key supporters on the board are on shaky ground. Consider a few items from his tenure:

• We lost our university president.

• We lost our athletic director.

• The staff and faculty have lost faith in the leadership.

• And now we have a failed presidential search.

And Michael Gartner must go.