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

Return to Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
 
 

William Stanford, "It's More Than a 'Radical Minority'"

Ilse Bendorf, "Why Are Regents Bullying Faculty?"

John Solow, "Using This Mess to Do Some Good"

Paul Maske, "Dems Are Right About Regents"

Thomas Miller, "Leave Politics Out of UI Search"

Harold L. Hammond, "It's Time for the Regents to Act"

Kirsten Jensen, "Get Rid of the Entire Structure"

Charles Miller, "Don't Lose Sight of UI's Mission"

Bill Decker, "More Than Just a Power Struggle"

Daniel C. Zwiener, "Request Designed to Intimidate"
 

[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.]

I am professor-emeritus from the University of Iowa. I am not a radical. If Teresa Wahlert’s comments are accurate (“Wahlert: Criticism from ‘radical’ minority,” Dec. 9) then I consider them a direct affront to UI students, staff, faculty and emeritus-faculty. She is out of touch with reality and needs to resign.

William Stanford
Iowa City

Regent President Pro-tem Teresa Wahlert recently claimed that only a radical minority of UI community members is disgusted by the regents’ mismanagement of the UI Presidential search (“Wahlert: Criticism from ‘radical’ minority,” Dec. 9). I could not suppress a snicker of disbelief when I read that headline. Wahlert is sadly mistaken, and the entire Board of Regents is sadly in denial (save for maybe Bob Downer).

My grandfather, proud UI alum who played baseball for Iowa, first briefed me on the dishonorable situation over one of our regular Village Inn breakfasts. Since then, it has gotten more out of hand, and I have witnessed many more people vocalize criticism.

As a UI student and native of Iowa City, I feel increasingly nauseated by the regents’ ongoing antics, which are tarnishing the university’s reputation and mocking the intelligence of our community. Now they are trying to turn the UI community against the UI faculty members who sat on the search committee (“Request called intimidating,” Dec. 9). Divide and conquer, anyone? This self-indulgent, shifty behavior has got to stop.

I have always respected Gov. Tom Vilsack. But, as a presidential candidate for a White House recently synonymous with secrecy, denial and stubborn leadership, he should be eager to prove to Iowans that he is willing to stand up against bullying bureaucrats; instead, he continues to vocalize trust in the regents.

Ilse Bendorf
Iowa City

Like many at the University of Iowa, I have been dismayed at the ongoing disaster that has become the presidential search — a failure I lay entirely at the feet of the Board of Regents.

Having spoken with many about this fiasco, I was surprised to hear Regent Teresa Wahlert’s comment that only a “radical minority” of faculty were upset. With that in mind, I have ordered several hundred buttons, in Hawkeye black and gold, that read, “Radical Minority.”

They will be sold for a dollar apiece, with all profits to be donated to the Iowa City Crisis Center. Perhaps by wearing them, we can give Wahlert a better understanding of the extent of our displeasure — and also use this mess to do some good.

John Solow
Iowa City

Great resolution (“Dems call for resignations,” Dec. 9)! Sometimes people think they are over and above everything and everyone else. The regents’ president and president pro-tem need to step down and save themselves any more embarrassment.

Paul Maske
Iowa City

Leave it to the Johnson County Democrats to make a search for the new University of Iowa President political (“Dems call for resignations,” Dec. 9). The temper tantrum being thrown by Johnson County Democrats fits the definition of “sore winner” perfectly. We just went through a very emotional mid-term election and for the Democrats to call for the replacement of the two Republicans on the search committee is wrong.

If the majority of the regents thought the four candidates at hand were not up to the standards set for being UI president, please let the process continue without introducing politics into the search.

Democratic intrusion into the process is only making the search that much more difficult as any potential candidates of either party will reject any overture to consider the position of being president if it’s based on politics.

Thomas Miller
Wildwood, Mo.

This is a time of great need. The inaction of our Board of Regents — its delay in naming a permanent University of Iowa president — has caused irreparable damage to the core of our university.

Our gallant Hawkeye football team is at this very moment preparing to defend the honor of our once great university against the evil hordes of University of Texas Longhorns. And, the regents have left us leaderless. Our Hawkeyes are adrift in an endless sea of purposeless competition, rendered impotent by uncaring regents.

Are we to send these brave young men off to Texas without a reason to do their best, without a university they can be proud of, I say, ‘No.’ The regents must act now.

Harold L. Hammond
Coralville

Regent President Pro-tem Teresa Wahlert is dead wrong. I could amass a mountain of names of people who have expressed dissatisfaction with this current group who comprise the oligarchic board of regents. Politically liberal and conservative alike, these people think the regents are bad for the University of Iowa.

Personally I’m fed up with the entire system of “regents.” Get rid of all of them. Better yet, get rid of the entire structure.

At least wipe away the current board and start from scratch with them. What decent candidate for the position of UI president would want to enter into indentured servitude under these awful people?

Kirsten Jensen
Iowa City

Although I agree with many others who have commented on the arrogance of Board of Regents members, I must also conclude that the problem originates within the governor’s office.

Gov. Vilsack’s actions in regents vs. UI have been inadequate, giving the impression that he is most interested in saving his face. This is surprising, given the apparent conflicts of interests among board members, the regents’ poor judgements, and Vilsack’s long-long shot at the U.S. presidency.

Recklessness among the regents and Vilsack has characterized this debacle. We shouldn’t forget that Vilsack appointed the regents who have behaved in such irresponsible ways. If he were less invested in the regents’ priorities, this whole mess could have been concluded long ago and could have capped his largely forgetable governorship with leadership that would have better served UI’s educational mission.

Charles Miller
Iowa City

That Regents President Michael Gartner would refer to recent events as a power struggle is very telling. I doubt that anyone at the University of Iowa would question the important governance role of the regents. Gartner doesn’t seem to understand that those being governed simply want to be afforded common courtesies.

The best-run companies and organizations are those that treat their employees with respect and that value their judgment and ideas. The very best CEOs communicate and are consultative and collaborative. If Gartner sees this merely as a power struggle, it suggests that for him this is all about the power he is trying to assert.

Recent no-confidence-vote tallies also make it clear that these feelings and reactions are not the work of an imagined “radical minority.” Gartner and Regents President Pro-tem Teresa Wahlert seem intent on pushing these issues away from themselves and onto others. Such behavior is usually called defensiveness.

Can these two regents do that? Not if they merely wish to win a power struggle.

Bill Decker
Iowa City

Add to the list of people embarrassed and frustrated by the behavior of the Board of Regents at least one or more University of Iowa alumni.

Even more shocking is the revelation that the regents engaged in blatant intimidation of search committee members. Board President Michael Gartner’s contention that he was just requesting public information would be laughable if it were not for his shocking ignorance of the time and place that this request was made.

If I were to write “let’s burn the courthouse” in this letter, it would be a lot different that if I were to shout it out while standing with torch in hand in front of an angry mob at the courthouse.

No matter how Gartner tries to run from reality, the choice of time and place for this request says everything.

I can’t imagine another presidential search with these regents in charge.

Daniel C. Zwiener
Oro Valley, Ariz.