Iowa City Press Citizen, IA
01-08-07
Regents could get new look
Culver to reshape board
By Brian Morelli
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Gov.-elect Chet Culver has a tall task when he takes office Friday. He must
appoint four regents by March 15, and his choices could give the Iowa state
Board of Regents a considerably different look.
The makeup, though, of the board that governs higher education in Iowa with
primary duties in naming university presidents and strategic planning, is tailored
by regulations and expectations that its members represent a broad base of Iowa
and function well together.
"It is a very prestigious and highly responsible position. You choose people of
high knowledge and stature," former Gov. Terry Branstad said. "You want people
who have the ability to get along with others, consensus builders, people that are
strong personalities and aren't afraid to speak out, but will also be able to respect
other people.
"It is a delicate balance. You want people of integrity and that will have the
respect of people of the state."
Branstad, now president of Des Moines University, appointed more than 30
regents while serving as Iowa's governor from 1983 to 1999.
Regents are Iowa citizens appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa
Senate. Six-year terms are staggered such that three expire every two years.
The governor, with reasonable cause and Senate backing, also can remove a
regent.
Selections are based on a variety of factors. The only regulations are that there
can be no more than five people of one political party, there must be gender
balance, and there must be at least one full-time student from one of the state
universities. Traditionally, the board also is balanced geographically and
professionally. Branstad said he typically appointed one physician because of the
demands of University Hospitals.
"It is a highly sought after position. You want people who are really fair-minded,
and you look to try to reflect the entire state," Branstad said. "I chose (Marvin)
Pomerantz, (David) Fisher, people I know very well. I (also) chose people I didn't
know so well but did know by reputation."
One of the hardest challenges was finding the right mix of personalities.
"If someone might have a particular ax to grind, or maybe a personality that might
not be the best in terms of working together and cooperating," Branstad said. "A
lot of them are very talented in their own right, and a lot are strong-willed and can
be headstrong. That can be a problem."
Branstad said along with the Department of Transportation, regent appointments
are the most sought after in the state, and regents are one of the most important
appointments a governor makes.
Margaret Hough, now an executive assistant at Des Moines University, served as
Branstad's staff leader of appointments for part of his tenure.
Hough said the regent process would begin at the end of the year, and names
would roll in until March 15. For each regent post, there would be 25 or 30
names, she said.
"You constantly would get calls from people looking for an appointment," she
said.
'We wanted a strong leader'
One of the regent appointments Branstad was most proud of was Pomerantz, a
Des Moines businessman who served as regent president from 1987 to 1993,
and again from 1995 to 1996.
"We wanted a strong leader, someone who was personally committed to higher
education," Branstad said. "One of the things you want are regents that would be
willing to talk about ideas. Marvin was willing to talk to faculties. He did a good
job working with me to put more money into appropriations."
Branstad indicated he preferred Pomerantz as board president when he
appointed him, and the board at the time elected Pomerantz in his first meeting.
"I am a busy guy, but the governor asked me to be on the board, and I agreed,"
Pomerantz said. "I felt it a duty because I thought it a worthy thing."
Pomerantz said he remains confident in Iowa's regent system, though problems
can arise in the way it is administered. He has been particularly critical of current
Regent President Michael Gartner because of the strife between regents and the
UI community over a controversial search for a new UI president that restarted
after seven-months and $215,000.
The problems led to eight groups passing or endorsing no confidence resolutions
in the regent leadership.
"Of course there are differences of opinion, and we work through them,"
Pomerantz said. "How do I know (how I would have handled the current
situation)? My record speaks for itself. I would have handled it."
'There is a lot of change'
Regent Tom Bedell of Spirit Lake resigned his post over the presidential search
turmoil but will serve until Culver replaces him.
Bedell said he hoped his spot could be used to appoint a new board president.
Gartner has said he will not relinquish his post.
Board presidents are elected every odd year for two-year terms. Presidents
appoint regents to the various committees.
Bedell is the fourth regent to resign in less than two years. John Forsyth, CEO of
Wellmark, resigned from the board in January 2005 amid a contract battle
between the state's largest health insurance provider and University Hospitals.
Following Forsyth's resignation, regents David Neil and Sue Nieland resigned.
If four new regents are appointed, only three would have been on the board since
before 2005 because of the resignations.
Regent Amir Arbisser, a physician from Davenport, and Regent Mary Ellen
Becker, from Oskaloosa, both were appointed by Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2001 and
have their terms expiring this year. Vilsack has appointed all current regents.
Though members are not traditionally reappointed, both said they would like
another six-year term.
"The fact that the board is a relatively new board, there is some value in retaining
some senior members," Arbisser said. "There is a lot of change that has
occurred."
But Arbisser said, "It is the governor's prerogative whom he puts on the board."
Iowa City Regent Bob Downer appreciates Arbisser's contributions.
"Someone with specialized knowledge in certain areas could be important. Dr.
Arbisser is one of the few who have served in this sort of capacity. He has been
very unselfish in the amount time he has spent and been very valuable," said
Downer, whose term ends in 2009.
Downer said he hopes the next group of regents has people that have worked
well on boards before and create geographical diversity. He also hopes for a
representative from Iowa State University.
"At this time, there is no one on board that is an alum of ISU. That is a
shortcoming, in my view," Downer said.