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The provosts from the three regent universities will work together to investigate the best way to retain and graduate diverse populations and will try to present findings and data next year.

At the University of Iowa, the one-year retention rates were almost four percentage points lower than they were for non-minorities, according to an annual report submitted to the board. The six-year graduation rate for minorities was almost 11 percentage points lower than for non-minorities. Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa also showed discrepancies based on race.

UI's overall six-year graduation rate is 65.5 percent, down slightly from the 2006 rate of 66.2 percent.

"I was one of the ones a year ago when we had this report that asked questions around the diversity reports," Regent Teresa Wahlert said. "They're not any better.

"I think it is time for the regents to talk about this issue."

Regent Mary Ellen Becker said special attention needs to be given to minority retention and graduation programs, rather than the student body as a whole.

"It's not a matter of whether these things work for the student body in total, but whether we are closing the gap," she said.

UI Provost Michael Hogan told the regents about initiatives in the works that may alter UI's rates. He said scholarships to minorities at UI don't stop after the first year, but rather renew every year. The University of Iowa also established a recruitment center in Chicago and reorganized its diversity office.

Hogan said the university also tries to recruit minority faculty and diversify its programming.

"My instinct tells me we will see progress, but it will never be what we want it to be," he said.

In other regent business:

• The board unanimously approved the duties of the second University of Iowa presidential search committee and said it was pleased with the committee's progress so far.

The committee will present at least four unranked finalists to the board, assist the regents in selecting a UI president, recommend criteria for the post, conduct a broad advertising campaign and evaluate nominations and applications.

• In an update given to the regents, State Auditor David Vaudt said he would visit UI on Thursday to go over the University Hospitals' security practices.

Todd Stewart, director of Internal Audit for the regents, said at the meeting there are several areas the College of Medicine can improve in its security practices. Stewart will work with Vaudt in the coming months.

He listed physical security of the servers and workstations, data backup, wireless connections and data sharing as areas that could use improvement.

• In an annual human resources report submitted to the board, the University of Iowa laid out its goals to keep faculty on campus.

In FY 2005 and 2006, UI had a 15 percent increase in faculty resignations, according to the report, to bring its turnover rate to 4.3 percent -- the highest of the three regents universities. Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa have 3.5 and 3.7 percent turnover rates, respectively.

UI listed salary increases as its top retention strategy in the report, followed by increased attention to family and career issues. UI is reviewing recommendations made by the Gender Equity Task Force. The university also wants to improve retention of minority faculty, and the report said the Provost's Office is continuing to reallocate resources to expand the Faculty Diversity Opportunity Program. The final strategy in the report was to increase mentoring for junior faculty.

• UI got a nod of approval from the board for a number of big projects around campus. The regents unanimously approved a $90 million Health Sciences Interdisciplinary Research Facility, a $3 million renovation on the Bowen Science Building, a $15 million second phase of renovation and landscaping on the Art Building, a $9 million addition to Burge Hall and roof repairs on 102 Church St., the president's home.