Des Moines Register
11-15-06
Via Facebook, students find voice in U of I president hunt
As a committee searches and many feel left out, groups proposing contenders
pop up on the Web site.
By ERIN JORDAN
REGISTER IOWA CITY BUREAU
Iowa City, Ia. - University of Iowa students and recent graduates are trying to
influence the U of I president search in a way Iowans might expect their age
group to do their lobbying - through the Internet.
More than 150 people have joined the Facebook.com group called "Jim Leach for
President (of the University of Iowa)."
Another Facebook group, this one called "Hogan's Heroes," is supporting U of I
Provost Michael Hogan for the university's presidency. The group had about 180
members as of Tuesday.
The Leach Facebook group is lobbying the Iowa Board of Regents to consider
outgoing U.S. Rep. Jim Leach, an Iowa City Republican, for the U of I's top job.
"It's an interesting tactic," said Peter McElligott, president of the U of I student
government. "Facebook is such a new frontier for so many lobbying efforts," he
said.
James Ehrmann, a U of I senior from Bettendorf, said students have not had
enough input into the search to find a replacement for David Skorton, who left the
university in June to become president of Cornell University.
An e-mail last week from Teresa Wahlert, a member of the Iowa Board of
Regents and chairwoman of the U of I search committee, asked for questions
students had for the candidates for the president's job. But the e-mail did not give
students, faculty and staff enough time to respond, he said.
"It was sent two days before we were supposed to give input," Ehrmann said.
"We're disappointed we haven't been more involved in the search."
Ehrmann shared his views by joining the Facebook group supporting Leach, who
was defeated by David Loebsack, a Mount Vernon Democrat, in last week's
general election.
"He's gained a reputation as someone who carefully considers both sides of an
issue," Ehr-mann, a political-science major, said of Leach.
The list of presidential candidates is confidential. When Leach was asked last
week whether he was in the running, he said there was "no way" he would
comment.
Bridget Henry, a U of I senior from Clinton, said she helped create the "Hogan's
Heroes" group last week because she likes what the provost has done at the U of
I since he was hired in 2004.
"Provost Hogan has a lot of qualities that I would like to see in our president," she
said.
Henry said she did not know whether Hogan is a candidate. Several students
have nominated him, however.
Facebook, launched in 2004 by Harvard University students, has 10 million
registered users over 40,000 regional, work, college and high school networks.
About 50,000 people affiliated with the U of I, Iowa State University and the
University of Northern Iowa had Facebook profiles earlier this year.
The colossal networking tool has revolutionized the way college students
socialize, debate, protest and lobby, students said.
"It's kind of difficult for the average student to get their opinions out there," said
Sarah Milani, a U of I sophomore from Rockford, Ill. "That's a benefit of having
Facebook."
The U of I's United Way campaign is inviting students to join its Facebook group,
and there were many candidate-support groups on Facebook during the recent
general election campaign.
There are less-serious Facebook groups at the U of I, McElligott said. Such as
"Students Against Electric Staplers."