Iowa City Press-Citizen, IA
11-01-06
Faculty president: Concerns to be heard at next Regents meeting
Council passes resolution asking Regents to halt process
By Brian Morelli
Iowa City Press-Citizen
The University of Iowa Faculty Council passed a resolution Tuesday that asks
the Iowa state Board of Regents to halt an ongoing strategic change process
until a permanent UI president is named.
About a month ago, faculty rejected virtually the same resolution regarding the
meetings between Regents President Michael Gartner, President pro-tem Teresa
Wahlert, director Gary Steinke and presidents from the University of Northern
Iowa, Iowa State University and UI. Faculty fear the process could lead to
fundamental changes.
"Things have been moved further along than they were four weeks ago," Faculty
Senate President Sheldon Kurtz said Tuesday after the council meeting in the
Penn State Room in the Iowa Memorial Union. "Four weeks ago it was a little
premature to ask for that. It is no longer premature."
Because there is no Faculty Senate meeting between now and the Nov. 8 and 9
Regents' meeting in Ames, the council, a subcommittee of the senate, was able
to make the decision in lieu of full approval.
This resolution dovetails a resolution the Faculty Senate recently passed that
asks that the meetings become more inclusive and more open, Kurtz said.
Kurtz said it is his understanding there will be an agenda item for the Nov. 8 and
9 Regents meeting to consider the resolutions and allow Kurtz, Staff Council
President Mary Greer and UI Student Government President Peter McElligott to
discuss concerns about the strategic process and hear the Regents' perspective
on the issue.
The Regents have not publicly announced their agenda. By state law, the
Regents must post the agenda at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting.
In other faculty news:
• The council approved an early textbook adoption proposal presented by student
leaders.
The request asks to advance the date faculty select course textbooks. The
proposal cited insufficient time for disabled students to acquire an alternative
copy of the materials and inhibiting a buy back of old books that allows students
to recoup some costs.
This proposal will next go before the Faculty Senate.
• The council retreated to a closed door executive session to hear a UI
Presidential Search Committee update.
Kurtz said after the session that faculty are eager to meet the short list
candidates when they are brought to campus.
The presidential search committee and its process are closed to the public. The
most recent update from September said they had about 150 nominations and
they hoped to have a president named by the end of the year.