Return to Nicholas Johnson's Iowa Rain Forest ("Earthpark") Web Site

Return to Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
 
 

[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.]

Regent president Michael Gartner said after the meeting that it was a “productive session,” but there was no announcement beyond that.

UI Faculty Senate President Sheldon Kurtz was dismayed by the lack of a hire yet again. Faculty were hop-ing that today’s closed session was about hiring a president.

“As always, I am mystified by the Iowa Board of Regents,” Kurtz said after the meeting. “I have to assume they are going to have a further conversation about a particular candidate.”

Kurtz did say that the fact that the regents talked for 90 minutes was a positive sign, and that he remains optimistic that a new UI president will be hired by the end of the week.

The regents voted 8-1 to go into closed session. Regent Bob Downer of Iowa City didn’t think the closed session was necessary.

"It seems to me if this is a threshold question that doesn't involve personnel, we don't need to go into closed session," Downer said.

"It was my understanding we are going into closed session to discuss the finalists," Regent Presi-dent Michael Gartner responded.

The regents have been dogged with criticism from the university that the presidential search has been far too secretive.