Iowa City Press Citizen, IA
11-01-07
Regents OK arming campus police
Also vote on tuition increase, naming policy
By Brian Morelli
The Iowa state Board of Regents on Wednesday reversed a 40-year-old policy
by allowing police officers at the University of Iowa and the other two state
schools to be armed.
UI, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa had been among
a small number of schools nationwide without armed officers.
The regents approved a comprehensive campus security policy, which includes
the arming provision, on a 6-2 vote during a board meeting in Iowa City. The
decision culminates a controversial issue that gained steam after the Virginia
Tech massacre in April.
"I am relieved," said regent Jenny Connolly, a student representative on the
board. "For students, I don't know if it will make them feel safer, but hopefully
they will be more aware of the campus security policies.
"These officers are the same as officers you see in Grundy Center."
Board president Michael Gartner, one of the dissenting votes -- regent Rose
Vasquez was the other -- said the measure did not address drugs and alcohol,
which he said were two big issues on campus.
"The board had the same argument 40 years ago and 20 years ago,and could
have the same argument 20 years from now," Gartner said. "I don't believe
routine arming of campus police will have any impact on what the real problem
is."
Gov. Chet Culver, who supported the measure, commended the regents.
"As I have stated repeatedly, public safety is my top priority. I commend the
regent presidents, public safety directors and the Board of Regents for taking this
important step to increase the safety and security of our campuses," Culver said
in a prepared statement.
Chuck Green, the University of Iowa public safety director who has strongly
supported arming his officers with the support of UI President Sally Mason, said
he was pleased with the news.
"I know that everyone probably doesn't agree with this policy," Green said during
a break from the board meeting. "But I am glad it is resolved and happy with the
outcome. One way or another, I was looking for closure on this."
Green said it will take some time to detail a policy, which is necessary before the
measure takes effect.
In other news:
• The regents, after considering reducing tuition increases to 2 percent in part as
gratitude for a strong year in state appropriations, signed off on a 3.2 percent
tuition hike for in-state students for the 2008-09 school year.
For UI in-state undergraduates, the increase translates into $251 to $6,524
annually. Broken down, that is 3.2 percent more for tuition and 8.8 percent more
for mandatory fees.
The University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University also will see 3.2
percent increases for in-state tuition.
The rates will not be officially approved until a board meeting in December in
Cedar Falls.
• The board approved a policy involving the naming of buildings that sets out a
more comprehensive process for accepting donations in exchange for naming
rights to units at Iowa's public universities, and one that is open to naming units
after corporations.
The new policy mandates a greater amount of due diligence in assessing
possible conflicts of interest before bringing the proposal to the regents for
approval.
Miles suggested in a motion that the policy be changed to offer a clearer stance
discouraging corporate naming, but it failed to pass.
"It is likely to be addressed on a case-by-case basis in any event. Individuals on
the board will change over time. This is my view, that (corporate naming) should
be very uncommon," Miles said during a recess after his motion was defeated.
The issue gained prominence last summer in a controversy involving UI and
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.
• The regents received a master plan from UI College of Dentistry officials for $37
million in renovation and expansion to its facility.
The proposed project is broken into two phases. The $17 million first phase is to
construct a clinic addition and the $20 million second phase is to renovate
existing clinic areas.
• UI established a new Iowa Institute for Biomedical Imaging with regents'
approval. The institute coordinates efforts from the College of Engineering with
the Carver College of Medicine to improve training and research for imaging,
which is seen to have a critical role in modern medicine in diagnosis and
treatment, according to UI.