The task force, during a meeting Wednesday in Des Moines, approved 15 recommendations that will go to the regents in August for consideration. The group, appointed by the regents this spring, worked for several months to formulate recommendations to help the regents and the three state universities with issues of transparency and openness.

Recommendations of the task force include: holding public comment hearings of at least one hour at each university, the board office and the two special schools prior to each regents meeting, with those hearings videotaped and made available online; establishing a written public comment option for all regents agenda decision items; posting conflict of interest papers for each regent on the website; establishing a transparency data page with information on each university; and holding at least one board meeting in each Iowa congressional district annually.

“This framework going forward gives us that much more chance to have input,” said Regent Nicole Carroll, who led the task force. “It’s kind of open season. What is it the public wants the board to know?”

The recommendations do not establish open public comment times during regents meetings, a move supported by the group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement and by task force member and state Sen. Jeff Danielson, a Democrat from Cedar Falls who was absent from Wednesday’s meeting.

After the meeting, Danielson said the recommendations fall short of his goal of having the board itself “bask in the sunlight of public scrutiny.” The recommendations are small steps, he said, but still make it difficult for opportunities of public interaction with the board.

“I’m not sure the lessons learned of the past couple of years come out in these recommendations,” he said. “The idea that you would record and forward a comment period falls short of face-to-face interaction. There is a value in speaking truth to power before they actually decide something.”

It’s possible some of the recommendations pushed by Danielson that weren’t adopted by the task force will come up in the next Legislative session, he said.

“The board itself really needed to open up,” he said. “And in these recommendations, the board itself is largely tangential.”

Members of Iowa CCI, who have been critical of the board, said they were disappointed with the task force recommendations, which they said don’t go far enough.

“The public is not allowed to speak at board of regents meetings, they still haven’t addressed that problem,” said Barb Lang, Iowa CCI member from Des Moines.

Members of the public can request to speak before the regents at a meeting — a process that already was in place, Carroll said. Having open public hearing times around the state — separate from board meetings — will be more convenient for the public to attend and will give regents time to react to information presented and gather more information if needed, she said.

“We like to have a chance to make considered decisions, not just spur-of-the-moment decisions,” she said.

But Iowa CCI members said that creates a “filtration process” that insulates the regents from the public. Group members also took issue with the fact that the recommendations were released Wednesday morning and the task force voted on them after one hour of discussion, without a chance for public input.

Iowa CCI and Danielson also supported a recommendation to implement a new conflict of interest/ethics policy to allow for publicly vetting all complaints, including those initiated by the public.

The task force did not include that recommendation in what was approved, because state law already governs how ethics complaints are handled against regents, Carroll said.

The approved recommendations also would appoint a transparency officer at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, to maintain a log of and track public records requests.

Several task force members said the recommendations will lead to better governance, and said they address past concerns that have arisen regarding transparency at the universities and with the board.

“I think this is an example of good self-governance, and I think this is a step in the right direction,” said task force member and state Rep. Peter Cownie, a Republican from West Des Moines.

The task force, appointed by the regents this spring to address transparency issues, meets Wednesday in Des Moines and is scheduled to discuss possible recommendations to the regents. One member, Sen. Jeff Danielson, D-Cedar Falls, sent an e-mail to all task force members Tuesday with the recommendations he’d like to see, because he likely will be able to attend only a portion of the meeting by phone.

Danielson recommends all regents meetings have a minimum of 30 minutes for open public comments; that the board require a public process for hiring all staff, including legislative liaison staff; that the regents implement a new conflict of interest/ethics policy that allows for publicly vetting all complaints, including those initiated by the public; and that the regents hold at least four meetings per year in the four Congressional districts outside of where the regents institutions are located.

He also recommends that campus administrative meetings that deal with policy decision making should be open to the public and allow public input.

Danielson on Tuesday said many of the recommendations he’d like the task force to make deal with the board of regents specifically, because he thinks the board can lead by example for the universities on transparency.

“I’m hoping these are recommendations we’ll make to the full board,” he said.

The transparency task force meets at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Pappajohn Education Center in Des Moines.

The planned University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, looking south, is seen in a rendering.

The ceremony, to be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, will be held on Colloton Patio at the UI Hospitals and Clinics. Pediatric patients who have received care in the Children’s Hospital will lead the groundbreaking event.

The $292 million, 480,000-square-foot facility is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2016.

UI Health Care and the UI Foundation are raising $50 million toward the cost of building the new children’s hospital. More than $26 million toward the $50 million goal has already been raised.

As workers prepare for the flood-damaged Hancher-Voxman-Clapp complex to be razed in the coming months, University of Iowa photographers and videographers are capturing the work before, during and after the demolition for an eventual documentary film about the process. (Brian Ray, The Gazette)

As workers prepare for the flood-damaged Hancher-Voxman-Clapp complex to be razed in the coming months, University of Iowa photographers and videographers are capturing the work before, during and after the demolition for an eventual documentary film about the process.

The documentation is required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which designated $200,000 for it via a Memorandum of Agreement with the university, said Rod Lehnertz, director of UI planning, design and construction. Hancher-Voxman-Clapp was significantly damaged in the 2008 flood.

When a facility is scheduled to be demolished, FEMA and the State Historic Preservation Office consult to determine any “adverse effects” that will result to historic resources, and, where possible, find ways to avoid or minimize those effects. A Memorandum of Agreement is reached, outlining required steps to offset adverse effects to historic buildings that result from FEMA-funded undertakings.

Hancher Auditorium, opened in 1972, was deemed historically significant because it was designed by noted architect Max Abramovitz and because of events that occurred there during its history, Lehnertz said. The feature-length documentary will chronicle the demolition process but also look at the architecture of UI buildings in the Iowa River basin, including others designed by Abramovitz, Lehnertz said.

“It’s worthwhile. It’s a collection of and a keeping of history, and that’s important,” he said. “Max Abramovitz on a world-wide basis is an important architect. Losing that facility, though we still have works of his on our campus, losing that major facility isn’t just a loss to us and the programs, it’s a historic loss on an architectural perspective.”

That same FEMA assessment process is what resulted in the decision to keep the original 1936 portion of the Art Building complex, while the rest of the flood-damaged structure will be razed this fall. The 1936 portion was deemed historic.

A new Art Building will be constructed up the hill to the northwest, on River Street, and another FEMA Memorandum of Agreement covers a structure that will be razed to make way for that facility. A former medical fraternity at 109 River St. that in recent years was used for graduate painting studios will be demolished. Due to the age of 109 River St., FEMA required the UI to work with the Salvage Barn, an architectural salvage warehouse, to recycle or reuse as much of that building as possible, Lehnertz said.

In a typical demolition, the reuse or recycling of materials is left up to the contractor on the project, Lehnertz said. In the case of 109 River St., the Salvage Barn went through and essentially “picked the building clean” before demolition, he said, which is what FEMA specified. The contractor will save the clay roof tiles during the demolition to give to the Salvage Barn, which also will take the trees torn down on the site.

After the demolition, the UI and the Salvage Barn, in coordination with FEMA, will host a symposium on the recycling of materials from demolished projects, Lehnertz said.

Materials such as metal and concrete from the Hancher demolition also will be reused and recycled by the contractor, Lehnertz said, though that’s not specified in the FEMA memorandum for that structure. Asbestos abatement work is happening inside Hancher, and visible demolition work likely will start in the late summer, he said.

The flood of 2008 was a catalyst that in many cases accelerated plans for development and redevelopment in Cedar Rapids, Coralville and Iowa City, said officials in those three communities that saw major damage five years ago.

Many projects were in the back of city leaders’ minds or on wishlists that they thought would be years down the road, officials said. The flood presented the opportunity for focused community discussion and re-envisioning — and in some cases, funding sources — to make those ideas reality faster.

“What the flood did was it all the sudden accelerated all these opportunities we had,” said Jeff Davidson, planning and community development director for Iowa City.

It also caused a rethinking of priorities and a discussion about how city leaders and residents wanted their communities to look, officials said.

In Cedar Rapids, for example, the idea that things near the river must be built to flood became gospel for redevelopment, said Councilwoman Monica Vernon, who heads the City Council’s Development Committee. That philosophy can be seen in the new riverfront amphitheater that is part of a floodable entertainment venue and a piece of the city’s new flood-protection system.

“Obviously it makes us more aware of the river and the need to allow it to breathe in some places,” she said. “It doesn’t mean you can’t have anything on the river, it just means whatever you put there, you better be able to hose it down.”

Before the flood, Cedar Rapids had a complement of plans and many neighborhoods had individual plans, but post-flood it was important to bring everything together since “we really used planning to drive our recovery,” said Jennifer Pratt, a planner in the Community Development Department.

The Cedar Rapids plan aims to make the river a focal point and connect it with the community by allowing some green space there, rather than walling it off and hiding it, said Adam Lindenlaub, a planner with the city.

Creating sustainable neighborhoods and repopulating neighborhoods is another goal for Cedar Rapids, but doing so while avoiding the impulse to build everything back as it was is important, Pratt said.

Some major public-sector projects have opened or will open soon in Cedar Rapids, marking post-flood recovery: the hotel and convention complex, the new downtown library, the new central fire station and the new riverfront amphitheater. The “recovery momentum” also has impacted neighborhoods that weren’t directly impacted in 2008, Vernon said, citing plans for a revamped Westdale Mall as an example.

“You start something and you do it the right way, it extends far beyond that neighborhood,” she said. “We want to be a vibrant urban hometown.”

In Iowa City, the planning process will soon get underway for a wetland park area that will be part of the Riverfront Crossings District, Davidson said. The development as envisioned will include condos and retail space overlooking the park in a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, bordered by Burlington Street to the north, Highway 6 to the south, Gilbert Street to the east and the Iowa River to the west.

Demolition of one of the city’s wastewater treatment plants in that area as part of flood mitigation opens up redevelopment possibilities, Davidson said.

“We’ve had for years this notion of the area south of Burlington Street as a high-density urban neighborhood,” he said.

The city is also “pretty serious about” the consideration of creating a white-water rafting course on the Iowa River near the Riverfront Crossings District, Davidson said. The project also would improve riverfront stability and safety, officials have said.

A local-option sales tax passed since the flood also will allow Iowa City to elevate Dubuque Street, which flooded again this year to the point of closure, a project that has long been “in the back of a lot of people’s minds,” Davidson said.

Looking at an area of town that flooded in 2008 and seeing a chance for something difference is what happened for Coralville with an area known as Old Town, where ground will be broken in a few months on the first phase of a five-stage project.

The project will combine housing, commercial space and public entities in Old Town, which lies south of Fifth Street, between First Avenue and Biscuit Creek. Most of the former houses, apartments and city buildings in the area have since been demolished and future flood mitigation will protect the areas from water up to one foot above the 2008 record level, said Ellen Habel, Coralville assistant city administrator.

“It’s a great area, right in the heart of town,” she said.

The Kirkwood board of trustees Thursday voted to put the levy extension on the ballot in the numerous counties Kirkwood serves. It requires a simple majority vote to pass.

The 6-cent levy has been in place for 3o years, and the current levy runs through June 30, 2015. But Kirkwood officials are putting it on the 2013 school election ballot for renewal through 2025 because a legislative change to how board members are elected in Iowa means there will be no 2014 school election, Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich said.

The instructional equipment levy provides Kirkwood with about $1 million per year, to be used on equipment, which ranges from tractors to computers, Starcevich said. When equipment ages and needs to be replaced, revenue from this levy pays for that, he said.

“This equipment levy is super, super important for us,” he said.

The levy is 6 cents per $1,000 in assessed valuation, which means it costs about $3 a year for the owner of a $100,000 house.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, the Kirkwood board approved a total pay and benefits package increase of 4 percent for faculty and staff for 2013-14. The increase covers Kirkwood’s nearly 860 employees.

The additional cost of the package increase for Kirkwood is $250,000, well below a normal year, Starcevich said. That’s because the college cut $2 million in pay and benefits costs, through the reduction of positions via retirements, Starcevich said.

The planned University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, looking south, is seen in a rendering from January. An underground parking garage will be located underneath the green space shown. (image via University of Iowa)

The University of Iowa Children’s Hospital ranked in seven specialty categories in the latest U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings.

The 2013-14 list, released Tuesday, ranked the UI Children’s Hospital 30th in cancer; 34th in cardiology and heart surgery; 43rd in diabetes and endocrinology; 25th in nephrology; 30th in neurology and neurosurgery; 27th in orthopedics; and 47th in pulmonology.

The rankings highlight the top 50 U.S. hospitals in the pediatric specialties of: cancer, cardiology & heart surgery, diabetes & endocrinology, gastroenterology & GI surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology & neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and urology. Eighty-seven hospitals ranked in at least one of the 10 specialties.

The publication looked at reputation among doctors and an analysis of patient outcomes and data each hospital has for pediatric care.

“We are honored to be the only hospital in Iowa nationally ranked for children’s health care, and this recognition reflects our continuing commitment to all of Iowa’s children,” UI Children’s Hospital Executive Director Scott Turner said in a statement.

The Mount Mercy University Center is seen on Friday, Sept. 30, 2011. (David Scrivner/SourceMedia Group)

CEDAR RAPIDS — Mount Mercy University received a full 1o-year re-accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, school officials announced this week.

The commission’s decision came this spring after a vote by the committee overseeing the re accreditation, a regular process for colleges and universities, Mount Mercy officials said.

The university was assessed in five areas: mission clarity and incorporation; acting with integrity, as well as demonstrating ethical and responsible behaviors; providing a high quality education; demonstrating responsibility for quality programs; and learning environment, resources, structures and educational opportunities.

The University of Iowa has built HESCO flood walls along the river in preparation for higher water this week. At right, he Iowa Advanced Technology Labs (top) and the Iowa Memorial Union are on the east side of the river, and the arts campus is on the west side of the river, seen Sunday morning, June 2, 2013, in Iowa City. (Liz Martin/The Gazette-KCRG)

IOWA CITY – The University of Iowa will mark the start of construction on several building replacement projects that are part of recovery from the 2008 flood with an event Friday on the UI Pentacrest.

“Arts and Minds: A Celebration of Partnership” will open with a performance by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and feature remarks from government officials, university leaders and UI faculty, staff and students. Performances, exhibits and a reception will follow on the Pentacrest and in the Old Capitol.

State Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter, state Sen. Bob Dvorsky and state Rep. Vicki Lensing will be among those taking part in the event. The program begins at 3:30 p.m.

Site work is underway on three new replacement facilities: Hancher Auditorium, the School of Music and the Art Building, with completion expected in 2016 for all three.

“State and federal leaders, including officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), have been instrumental in helping us establish a shared vision for a revitalized arts campus,” President Sally Mason said in a statement.

The search committee is in the process of identifying finalists for the position and hopes to bring them to campus for public interviews in the “relatively near future,” UI Spokesman Tom Moore said. There is no set number of expected finalists, but it’s typical to have three or four finalists visit campus after a national search, he said.

The search is on track to have the process concluded and a new vice president for strategic communication on campus for the start of the fall semester, Moore said.

The vice president reports directly to UI President Sally Mason and is the “chief communication officer responsible for conveying, internally and externally, the university’s mission, vision and values,” according to the job description. The position also has administrative oversight for university communication and marketing, the UI Alumni Association and Hancher Auditorium.

The former vice president for strategic communication, Tysen Kendig, left the UI in December for a similar job at the University of Connecticut after nearly three years at Iowa.

Mark Braun, chief of staff to Mason, is serving in the vice president role on an interim basis.

Teresa Wagner

The Iowa Attorney General’s office, which represents the university in the matter, declined the settlement offer.

Attorney Stephen Fieweger sent the settlement letter, dated April 29, to Assistant Attorney General George Carroll. It was copied to Gov. Terry Branstad and all nine members of the state Board of Regents. Fieweger is an attorney for Teresa Wagner, whose lawsuit claiming the law school improperly passed her over for jobs because of her conservative views was tried last fall. The jurors returned a mixed verdict, finding Wagner didn’t face discrimination under the First Amendment, but deadlocked on whether her constitutional rights to equal-protection were violated. A magistrate initially declared mistrial on both counts, before accepting the verdict on count one.

In his letter to Carroll, Fieweger asks if former law school Dean Carolyn Jones and the Board of Regents would like to resolve the matter at this stage “before we complete the process of a second appeal, and, in my analysis, a retrial of this case.”

His letter says the jury foreperson in the case told the Des Moines Register that jurors all felt Wagner was discriminated against.

“When we try this case again in 2014, Ms. Wagner will have accumulated substantial back pay damages in addition to the compensatory damages and attorney’s fee,” Fieweger wrote. “Further, any retrial will bring, again, substantial negative publicity to the University of Iowa Law School and its liberal faculty.”

Wagner, who is on staff at the UI College of Law writing center, wants a full-time position as a legal analysis, research and writing instructor at the UI, according to the letter. In addition, Fieweger asks in the letter for a settlement of $400,000 — $100,000 for attorney’s fees, $200,000 for lost wages and $100,000 for emotional distress.

A response from Carroll to Fieweger dated May 16 said “defendants are not interested in settlement.”

The regents office provided the letters to The Gazette in response to an open records request.

Demonstrators gather near the steps of the old Capitol during a rally protesting proposed tuition increases at the University of Iowa on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, in Iowa City, Iowa. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Campus policies that cover where students can gather for rallies or demonstrations vary among Iowa’s public universities and several other Eastern Iowa colleges, but officials with those schools say a recent Iowa-based lawsuit on the issue won’t prompt changes for them.

The lawsuit, filed in April by a student at Des Moines Area Community College, challenged a policy that required students to distribute materials from a “speech zone” in the student center and to get permission 10 days in advance. The suit argued the policy unconstitutionally prohibited students from speaking in reaction to current events on the open spaces of the campus. DMACC officials said they would stop enforcing that policy, and the case was settled.

Officials with Iowa’s three public universities and with several other colleges said the issues raised in that case won’t impact their policies about student usage of campus spaces, because their policies don’t contain the same restrictions.

“We want to see students taking interest in politics and social issues, so we try to make that as easy for them as possible,” said Tom Rocklin, vice president for student life at the University of Iowa.

Rules vary

The UI, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa, Kirkwood Community College, Coe College and Cornell College all said they do not require prior approval of any fliers or literature students want to distribute on campus. And while the schools said they don’t limit where students can gather or hold demonstrations, some of the colleges do require advance notice for student use of specific high-demand spaces or campus areas.

The aim of those policies is not to limit free speech, the officials said, but rather to manage conflicting use of a space if more than one group wants to use it.

A number of colleges nationally have revised so-called “free speech zone” policies in recent years, in response to challenges. A recent study by a watchdog group, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, reported that 62 percent of the more than 400 universities and colleges reviewed have policies that violate students’ rights to free speech, including Iowa’s public universities. The study pointed to “free speech zones” or required advanced notification for usage as common policies that hamper student speech.

ISU’s policy has two high-traffic areas of campus as “designated public forums” that can be used on a first-come, first-served basis. If students want to hold a “public forum activity” — an event where more than 50 people are expected — in other outdoor campus space, they must give advance notice. ISU officials said that’s to minimize conflicting uses of space.

Having the two designated areas for any non-commercial use directs students to high-profile spots on campus, said ISU attorney Paul Tanaka.

“The idea is that that’s the classic community square where there’s a lot of traffic, and if people want to get a crowd, that would be the place to do it,” he said.

UI policies

The UI does not designate free speech zones, but use of a few popular campus spots, including the Pentacrest, requires advance reservation, Rocklin said. Reservation is only required when a group plans or advertises an event in advance. “Casual use,” something that’s not advertised ahead of time, is generally permitted anywhere so long as it doesn’t disturb normal university functions or damage property, he said.

“We only manage it to avoid multiple groups wanting to use the same outdoor space, not for the content of the message,” Rocklin said.

ISU and UI officials said they don’t track how often students notify them or apply for use of campus spaces, but it typically happens several times every week. It’s unusual for an event to be denied, officials said, and that would typically happen because of another event in that space.

DMACC officials are still working on the specifics of their new policy, but it will separate use by students versus use of space for commercial solicitations, President Rob Denson said. The old policy — the one that required 10 days notice and approval — was aimed at commercial solicitations but unintentionally applied to students as well, he said, and this was the first time a complaint arose.

When he was made aware of the 10-day rule, Denson said, that policy was immediately stopped because “as soon as I saw it, I knew it was not reasonable.”

The new policy will have no waiting period for free speech gatherings or literature by students, Denson said.

The state Board of Regents gave approval to proceed with planning Wednesday.

The design and budget for a removable flood wall to be built around the Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories was also approved by the Board of Regents. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)

There’s no cost estimate on the museum plan yet, but UI officials said they will pursue a public-private partnership in seeking ideas for the best way to house the university’s collection in a location where students and faculty can easily access it. The museum was displaced by the 2008 flood.

The new museum might be a multiuse facility that houses the UI art collection along with commercial entities, such as restaurants or retail shops, UI President Sally Mason said. The possible costs will vary depending on how much of the facility is the museum and how much is something else, she said. The plan will be paid for with private gifts and university funds.

“It really is going to depend on who steps forward to join us in a partnership, then we’ll have a better idea of what an estimate might be,” Mason said. “We’re not going to rule anything out at this point.”

Pursuing a public-private partnership is made easier by the fact that no federal dollars are involved in the project, said Doug True, UI senior vice president for finance and operations. UI officials will gather information and ideas and ultimately return to the regents with a plan for approval.

“We’re anxious to move forward on this,” Mason said. “You can expect the next year will be pretty active in terms of getting to a resolution.”

The Federal Emergency Management Agency denied UI appeals for replacement funds to build a new art museum away from the Iowa River, so UI officials will explore options for a new museum without FEMA funding. Since the 2008 flood, most of the UI collection has been housed at the Figge Museum in Davenport. The collection has nearly 12,500 objects valued at more than $500 million.

University leaders also received approval to proceed with planning on permanent recovery of the former Museum of Art building. The collection can’t be returned to that building for insurance reasons, but FEMA will help pay to repair it to pre-flood condition. That project is estimated at $2.5 million. The building, part of which is being used by the displaced School of Music, will in the future be used for an academically-related function to be determined.

Other UI flood-recovery items approved by the regents include:

* The design and budget for a removable flood wall to be built around the Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories. It will be similar to the removable wall built around Art Building West after the 2008 flood, which was installed last week in preparation for possible flooding. The permanent flood recovery of IATL is estimated at $18.3 million and includes the wall, repairing damaged portions of the building’s exterior metal skin and an extensive below-ground dewatering and pumping system.

* The UI purchase of property at 1100 N. Dubuque Street from Nathaniel and Samantha Kaeding at a price of $6,000. The vacant square-shaped parcel consisting of 1,480 square feet is adjacent to Mayflower Residence Hall and is needed to enable flood mitigation and flood wall construction at Mayflower already approved by the regents.

Iowa DNR district forester Mark Vitosh and host Charity Nebbe broadcast a horticulture day episode of "Talk of Iowa" at Iowa Public Radio's studio in Iowa City in March 2011. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

The service operating agreement between the state Board of Regents and Iowa Public Radio was renewed for six years by the regents Wednesday, and it includes clearer language that IPR will conduct itself consistent with Iowa open meetings and open records laws.

Jim Leach, former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is shown in his office in the Old Post Office Building, 1100 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. in Washington, DC on Thursday afternoon, June 23, 2011. (Stephen Mally/Freelance)

Jim Leach, who represented Iowa for 30 years in the U.S. Congress, will join the University of Iowa faculty this summer as a visiting law professor and the UI Chair in Public Affairs.

It’s a three-year renewable term, and Leach will begin on campus full-time starting Aug. 1, UI President Sally Mason announced during a state Board of Regents meeting Wednesday. Leach’s annual salary will be $240,000, coming partly from private donations for the new chair position and partly from UI College of Law funds, Mason said.

Leach will work with the UI Center for Human Rights, advise law students and help secure field placements in Washington D.C., give campus lectures on subjects such as foreign policy and teach courses to undergraduates and law students on American government and the legislative process, Mason said

“We’re delighted that we were able to compete against the likes of Princeton, Harvard and others who were looking to bring Jim back to their institutions,” Mason said. “I know he’ll contribute a lot in the world of public affairs. My guess is his voice on the national scene will continue to be strong.”

Leach last month retired as chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, a post to which President Barack Obama appointed him in 2009. Before that, he was a professor at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University and interim director of the Institute of Politics and lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Before his positions in higher education, Leach served Iowa for 30 years as a Republican representative in Congress, where he chaired the Banking and Financial Services Committee, the Subcommittee on Asian and Pacific Affairs and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

The UI Chair of Public Affairs position is meant to honor an individual with a distinguished career in public service, Mason said.

“I can think of no one better than Jim Leach to hold this chair for the coming three years,” she said. “We’re thrilled.”

Dean of the College of Law Gail Agrawal noted Leach has a distinguished record of public service with expertise in varied areas such as international relations, finance and the humanities.

“We are delighted to welcome him to the College of Law,” Agrawal said in a statement.

Board of Regent president pro tem Bruce Rastetter. (AP)

New state Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter said he thinks the idea of partisan rifts between the regents and the Legislature has been overplayed, and he said the board will remain committed to openness under his leadership.

The regents elected Rastetter Wednesday as president during a meeting in Iowa City. Rastetter, of Alden, has been serving as interim president of the board since May 1, after the six-year board term of former president Craig Lang expired.

Rastetter was chosen by unanimous vote, though he abstained and Regent Ruth Harkin was absent. Gov. Terry Branstad appointed Rastetter, a businessman and Republican donor, to the regents in 2011; he will serve as board president through April 30, 2014.

Lang, a Republican farmer from Brooklyn, had another year on his term as president but his reappointment for another six-year term as a regent was not confirmed by the Iowa Senate in April, amid concerns from some Democrats about academic freedom issues.

Rastetter has drawn criticism during his board term from the advocacy group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, who say Rastetter acted unethically in trying to use Iowa State University’s involvement to further his company’s proposed land deal in Tanzania. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board last summer discussed an ethics complaint against Rastetter, but dismissed the allegations.

A statement from Iowa CCI Wednesday called Rastetter a “corporate-political kingpin” and said his ability to effectively lead the board is in doubt because “there is not public trust in him to put the common good before corporate profit after months of controversy surrounding him and his predecessor Craig Lang.”

Rastetter said the regents will remain committed to transparency, along with other priorities that include replacing tuition set-aside dollars and finding more budget support for the University of Northern Iowa. He also said partisan bickering has not been a problem among the regents, and he doesn’t think it’s been a problem between the regents and the Legislature, either.

“I think that partisanship has been much overplayed,” he said. “I think Craig’s priorities were the board’s priorities, so they’re going to remain the same.”

The regents also on Wednesday elected Katie Mulholland as president pro tem, a position Rastetter previously held. Mulholland is a Democrat from Marion who is superintendent of the Linn-Mar School District. She was appointed to the board in 2011.

Wednesday was the first meeting for three new regents: Dr. Subhash Sahai of Webster City; Larry McKibben of Marshalltown; and Milt Dakovich of Waterloo. The appointments of McKibben and Dakovich were announced by Branstad Tuesday.

Rastetter, of Alden, has been serving as interim president of the board since May 1, after the six-year board term of former president Craig Lang expired.

Lang, a Republican farmer from Brooklyn, had another year on his term as president — regents presidents are elected for two-year terms — but his reappointment for another six-year term as a regent was not confirmed by the Iowa Senate in April.

Rastetter was chosen by unanimous vote of the board, though he abstained from the vote and Regent Ruth Harkin is absent from today’s meeting. Rastetter, a Republican, was appointed by Gov. Terry Branstad to the regents in 2011; he will serve as regents president through April 30, 2014.

The businessman has drawn criticism during his board term from the advocacy group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, who charge that Rastetter acted unethically in trying to use Iowa State University’s involvement to further his company’s proposed land deal in Tanzania. The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board last summer discussed an ethics complaint against Rastetter, but dismissed the allegations.

A statement from Iowa CCI after the board vote called Rastetter a “corporate-political kingpin” and said his ability to effectively lead the board is in serious doubt because “there is not public trust in him to put the common good before corporate profit after months of controversy surrounding him and his predecessor Craig Lang.”

After his election as president, Rastetter said he appreciates the accomplishments of the board in the past two years and he looks forward to future board work to “continue to make a difference in the fine institutions that we represent.”

The regents also today elected Katie Mulholland as president pro tem, a position Rastetter previously held. Mulholland is a Democrat from Marion who is superintendent of the Linn-Mar School District. She was appointed to the board in 2011.

Today also is the first board meeting for three new regents: Dr. Subhash Sahai of Webster City; Larry McKibben of Marshalltown; and Milt Dakovich of Waterloo. The appointments of McKibben and Dakovich were announced by Branstad Tuesday.

Milt Dakovich (left) and Larry McKibben have been appointed as new members of the Iowa Board of Regents by Gov. Terry Branstad. (contributed photos)

Gov. Terry Branstad Tuesday named former state Sen. Larry McKibben and construction business owner Milt Dakovich to the state Board of Regents.

Branstad announced the appointments Tuesday morning, in advance of the regents meeting Wednesday at the University of Iowa. The regents on Wednesday will vote on a new board president, to fill the presidential term of Craig Lang, who was not confirmed by the Iowa Senate for another six-year term on the board.

Two of Branstad’s three regent appointees — Republicans Lang, of Brooklyn, and Robert Cramer, of Grimes — were rejected by the Senate in April after a politically-charged confirmation process. A third Branstad appointee — Webster City physician Subhash Sahai — was approved and he will have his first board meeting Wednesday.

The appointments of McKibben and Dakovich run through April 30, 2019, though they will be up for Senate confirmation in the 2014 legislative session.

The nine-member Board of Regents oversees the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, the University of Northern Iowa and the state’s two special schools.

“I have chosen two passionate public servants who will help guide our regents institutions through the next six years,” Branstad said in a statement. “Larry’s legislative expertise and Milt’s construction background will provide both of them with the knowledge and experience needed for these two seats on the board.”

McKibben, 66, served as a Republican in the Iowa Senate from 1997 to 2008, where he chaired the Ways & Means Committee, also serving as the president pro tem. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UNI, served as a graduate teaching assistant at ISU and earned his law degree from the UI. He is an attorney with the firm of Moore, McKibben, Goodman & Lorenz in Marshalltown

His legislative background and knowledge of the budgeting process and public policy are skills he can offer to the board, McKibben said Tuesday. He attended all three of Iowa’s public universities. McKibben recalls how he was able to work his way through college and graduate with no debt, something that seems harder for students today.

“I’m interested in that, and efficiencies and looking after the students,” he said. “We have great universities in this state. I’m proud of them, and anything I can do to contribute to help make them even better from a university and student standpoint, I’m interested in.”

Dakovich, 58, has bachelor’s degrees from ISU in both civil engineering and construction engineering. He is president of Aspro, Inc. in Waterloo and a past president of both the Associated General Contractors of Iowa and the Asphalt Paving Association of Iowa. He is a Republican.

As a product of Iowa public higher education, he recognizes its importance to the state, Dakovich said. His construction background will be a strength for the board as the universities, especially the UI with flood recovery, work on numerous building projects in the coming years.

“I feel like I can have some impact there and do some good,” he said.

An advocacy group that has been critical of the Board of Regents in the recent years said Branstad “continues to stack the Iowa Board of Regents with big business insiders.”

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement in a statement called on the new regents to share publicly where they stand on issues such as academic freedom and accountability and transparency of the regents.

University of Iowa President Sally Mason explains some of the UI's flood preparations to Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds during a short tour Monday, June 3, 2013 in Iowa CIty. (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG)

IOWA CITY – No University of Iowa buildings have taken on floodwater, and officials hope damage to campus will remain minimal and costs contained to the estimated $5 million for setting up and eventually tearing down temporary flood barriers.

Workers built seven miles of temporary walls along the Iowa River on campus using HESCO barriers in just three days, UI President Sally Mason told Gov. Terry Branstad during a campus visit Monday.

“They’re having the right effect. They’re keeping water out of the buildings, so they’re keeping us from sustaining any more damage,” Mason said. “At this point we’re very encouraged.”

The lack of rain in recent days has helped, as has the university’s proactive stance on flood protection, Mason said.

Any damage sustained thus far would be to the landscape as workers have prepared for possible flooding since last week, but there has been no flood damage to UI facilities, said Rod Lehnertz, director of campus planning, design and construction.

The HESCO barriers on campus likely will stay up for much of the summer, to be safe, Mason said.

Branstad, who also made a stop in Coralville before visiting the UI campus, said he was encouraged by what he saw and heard from local government and university officials Monday. It’s especially heartening to hear Coralville Lake is now projected to stay below the spillway, he said.

“I think the city of Iowa City and Coralville, the University of Iowa, have all done a great job preparing for this,” Branstad said. “Obviously this is a big task putting up all these HESCO barriers, but it was an important precautionary measure so we didn’t have the kind of devastation that we saw in 2008.”

Iowa City Mayor Matt Hayek said institutional collaboration between local governments, the university and state and federal partners was much better in this round of flooding compared to 2008. He also noted the importance of flood mitigation efforts the cities and the UI have made since the flood five years ago.

“You will see the fruits of that labor, you’re seeing it right now,” he said.

Congressman Dave Loebsack, a Democrat from Iowa City, said such disasters underscore the importance of having federal funds set aside to help individuals and communities. All levels of government must be prepared to provided the needed resources after disasters, he said.

Loebsack said he also would like a closer look at watershed management nationwide, and he thinks the UI-housed Iowa Flood Center can be used as a model for a national flood center.

Branstad agreed it makes sense at the state and federal levels to have  funds set aside specifically for emergencies.

“I think we need to recognize that every year there’s going to be some emergencies instead of treating them as a one-time occurrence,” Branstad said.

The Fiscal Year 2014 salary policies for nonorganized faculty and staff at the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa will be considered this week by the regents during a meeting in Iowa City.

The UI will allocate to general fund supported units a 2 percent increase to faculty and professional and scientific staff salary budgets, with the overall salary increases averaging between 2 percent and 3 percent, according to the meeting information. Individual salary increases proposed to exceed 6 percent must be approved by the Office of Provost or Human Resources.

At ISU in FY 2014, the minimum salary increase for satisfactory performance is 1.5 percent for individuals with salaries of $60,000 or less and 1 percent for individuals who earn more. Merit salary increases beyond the minimum are determined by the employee’s supervisor. Any increase more than 5 percent requires senior administrative approval.

At UNI, salary increases for nonorganized professional and scientific staff are budgeted at 2 percent on July 1, which is comparable to the increases for the organized UNI-United Faculty.

Faculty and staff in collective bargaining units at the universities are covered by negotiated agreements.

Culshaw comes from the University of Colorado, where he is senior associate dean of libraries. He has been with the University of Colorado since 1991 in various positions. As senior associate dean, Culshaw provides administrative and budgetary leadership for libraries that have that have an annual budget of $20.9 million and staff in six locations.

“I am excited about the future for research libraries,” Culshaw said in a statement. “The library must maintain its prominent place as the academic heart of the campus.”

Culshaw succeeds Nancy Baker, who is stepping down after serving as UI librarian since 2000. Between July 5 and Aug. 1, Paul Soderdahl, associate university librarian for information technology, will act as interim university librarian.

The $18.7 million total raised in the Real World Success campaign topped the $12.5 million goal by nearly 50 percent, Kirkwood officials announced at a celebration event.

Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich called it a “landmark day in the history of Kirkwood.”

“This effort has been a magnificent success,” he said. “This is important because of who is helps.”

Money raised in the campaign will fund more than 400 additional scholarships per year, Kirkwood officials said. The college’s scholarship program has tripled in the past 10 years, going from $800,000 awarded in 2003 to $2.4 million distributed in 2013. And students who receive Kirkwood scholarships are more than twice as likely to graduate in three years as students who did not receive scholarships, officials said.

“We’re looking forward to passing that $3 million mark in the next few years,” said Kathy Hall, vice president of development. “The words thank you just aren’t enough to convey our gratitude. Every last gift is important because they all point us toward higher educational achievement for this region and a stronger regional economy as a result.”

More than 2,100 donors — nearly 1,000 of them new Kirkwood alumni donors — contributed to the campaign, an increase of 40 percent compared to Kirkwood’s previous fundraising effort.

The campaign total includes a $1 million gift from Henry and Patricia Tippie, longtime supporters of Kirkwood and of higher education in Iowa. The gift will be used to establish an endowed scholarship fund for Kirkwood students in the business and information technologies department, one of the college’s largest enrollment areas. An event room at the Kirkwood Center also was named for Henry Tippie to recognize the gift.

Tippie told the crowd that without the G.I. Bill, his chances for a college education would have been slim. He sees supporting higher education and scholarships as a way to give back.

“To me, it’s a form of repayment for benefits received,” the Belle Plaine native and University of Iowa graduate said.

IOWA CITY — Two University of Iowa programs completely displaced by the 2008 flood — art and music — experienced enrollment losses after the disaster, but officials say the programs are rebounding and excitement is building for new facilities.

Undergraduate enrollment in music was down about 25 percent following the flood, but it has climbed back to nearly pre-flood levels, says David Gier, School of Music director.

“At this point, I think we are far enough along in the process, so we are really kind of over that hump,” he says. “If there’s any silver lining to this dark cloud, it’s that it has been said over and over again that the arts are central to what the University of Iowa is, and they have made a commitment to that.”

Twenty-two UI buildings were damaged in the 2008 flood, and three were damaged enough to qualify for Federal Emergency Management Agency replacement funding: Hancher Auditorium, the School of Music and the Art Building. Site work has started or will start soon on the replacements, with completion of all three slated for 2016.

This year’s Iowa River flooding is affecting the UI, including temporarily shutting down the arts campus, but university leaders are hopeful that no facilities will be damaged. Flood-protection efforts this year are expected to cost about $5 million, officials say, but they wanted to be safe rather than sorry after the 2008 experience.

In the wake of the 2008 flood, UI President Sally Mason spoke with other communities effected by past flooding. The message she heard was that recovery from such a large-scale disaster takes 10 years and that she should “be patient, be vigilant, be persistent.”

“When people remind me that it’s only five years and we’re just now getting some of the large projects under construction, I look at how far we’ve come,” Mason says. “It’s tremendous.”

UI flood damage, mitigation and recovery from 2008 is expected to total nearly $1 billion, and about $240 million of that has been spent in the five years since the flood. That means much of the expensive work remains.

The three replacement projects total an estimated $402 million, of which FEMA will cover $266 million. About another $30 million will be spent on demolition of the damaged facilities. A lot of noticeable site work will start this summer.

The new School of Music is planned for the southwest corner of Clinton and Burlington streets in downtown Iowa City. The new Studio Arts building will go up on River Street, northwest of Art Building West. The new Hancher Auditorium will be built up the hill north of old Hancher, which will be demolished in coming months. This year’s flooding is not expected to delay any of that work.

“While campus will be one large construction site for the next few years, when the projects are completed we will have a campus with world-class infrastructure for our world-class arts programs,” UI Provost Barry Butler says via email. “I have been very impressed with how positive the faculty and staff have been over the past five years. It has clearly been a difficult five years, but they have maintained a positive attitude and a focus on the future.”

The adjustments and stresses in the months following the flood were hard, officials with art and music say. Both programs had to find new locations for classes, faculty offices, rehearsal space and workshops. Some programs were temporarily displaced again this summer because of flood-protection efforts.

Music was in nearly 20 locations in the fall semester after the 2008 flood, with practice and performance spaces in local churches, West High School and downtown rental units. The school has since consolidated down to fewer than 10 locations around campus and downtown. The biggest drawbacks that remain are not having a concert hall and not having everyone under one roof, Gier says.

The School of Art and Art History moved programs to a former Menards store a few miles from campus in time for the fall 2008 semester. That facility, renamed Studio Arts, has been a good temporary home but has drawbacks, school director John Beldon Scott says. The building has been tweaked to meet the needs of programs like painting, ceramics and metal arts, but some issues remain, like lighting problems and ambient noise from the lack of ceilings in the warehouselike building.

“You can only compensate to a certain point (with a temporary building), and we’re there,” he says.

The facility does have upsides, including having the studio programs in one location with a fairly open layout, which creates a sense of energy and community. Studio Arts programs also have mostly new equipment, since the old equipment was lost to the flood.

“At first I was deterred, because I didn’t want to work in a warehouse. But in terms of functionality as an art building, it’s been really great, because everything is on the same floor and there’s access between the different areas,” says Jim Busby, 36, a graduate student in ceramics.

The reopening in January 2012 of flood-damaged Art Building West on campus also was a boost to the school, Scott says, with about 40 percent of the programs moving back into that building, giving the program a campus home again. That facility was evacuated for this year’s flooding threat and an outside flood wall constructed, but it has not taken on water.

“When you have a catastrophe like a flood, it’s in the news for a while … but if you weren’t directly affected by it, it kind of goes out of your thinking,” Scott says. “But the effects of floods go on for years, and that is what we have experienced.”

Details on some of the remaining UI flood projects:

HANCHER: Site work for the new Hancher has begun, though the performance facility won’t be completed until Spring 2016. The new 1,800 seat auditorium will be built seven feet above the 500-year floodplain near the Leavitt Center on Park Road and adjacent to the old site. The planned $176 million facility, which has about 700 fewer seats, includes a three-level lobby looking at the Iowa River and campus. The Hancher-Voxman-Clapp complex, which blended the School of Music and other performance space, was built in 1972. Demolition of the old Hancher-Voxman-Clapp site is expected later this year, following a large asbestos abatement project, and will be turned into green space.

IOWA MEMORIAL UNION: The lower-level remains closed while university officials proceed with the process for a complete lower-level renovation. In addition to repairs that will bring the IMU back to pre-flood conditions, the FEMA-approved plan will create external permanent flood protection. A new brick-faced flood wall will be constructed and encircle the site at 2 feet above the 500 year flood level, and the wall will be topped by a pedestrian-accessible platform. The project is expected to be completed in June 2015, with estimated cost of recovery and mitigation at $39.5 million. As of early June, UI officials believed work on this project would not be delayed by this year’s Iowa River flooding, which was not expected to damage any campus buildings.
IOWA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY LABORATORY: The research-rich building, designed by Frank Gehry and built in 1992, received almost 2 feet of water on its main level in 2008. It’s now being used, but permanent repair to its exterior wall system and a secure protection against future major flooding still remains. FEMA has approved a repair and mitigation plan that will see much of the building’s exterior metal skin system replaced. Additionally, the building will be protected by a new “invisible wall” system, similar to one constructed at the fully-recovered Art Building West. Completion is expected in March 2015. Recovery and mitigation is expected to cost $30 million. As of early June, UI officials believed work on this project would not be delayed by this year’s Iowa River flooding, which was not expected to damage any campus buildings.
MUSEUM OF ART REPLACEMENT: Repeated UI appeals for funding to replace the Museum of Art building at a new location were denied by FEMA. UI officials this month will review with the state Board of Regents initial plans to establish a new art museum to house the collection, insured at $500 million, at a location that is accessible to students, faculty and visiting Iowans. The university will proceed with this new building plan without FEMA participation. No budget estimate was available in early June.
MUSEUM OF ART RECOVERY (existing building): The damaged Museum of Art was partially restored so the north wing could be used as temporary space for the School of Music. The remainder of the building will have flood damage corrected and installation of HVAC systems, and no flood mitigation capital improvements will be undertaken. Future use of the this space will be to meet academic needs, and recovery plans will be reviewed with the regents this month. Recovery and mitigation is estimated at $5.4 million. As of early June, UI officials believed work on this project would not be delayed by this year’s Iowa River flooding, which was not expected to damage any campus buildings.
THEATRE BUILDING: A majority of the Theater Building is in operation despite significant flood damage. The lower level remains closed, with displaced programs using space in a nearby former fraternity. Plans for permanent recovery, approved by FEMA, include the relocation of mechanical and electrical systems to a new rooftop enclosure. The lower level will be permanently repaired and “hardened” so it is flood tolerant. This project is scheduled for completion in August 2015, with repair and mitigation estimated at $16.3 million. As of early June, UI officials hoped work on this project would not be delayed by this year’s Iowa River flooding, which was not expected to damage any campus buildings.

Norm Nielsen named interim president of Mount Mercy University. (The Gazette)

Norm Nielsen, who was Kirkwood president from 1985 until his retirement in 2005, was chosen by the Mount Mercy board of trustees as interim president, according to a university statement. Nielsen also serves as chairman of the Buena Vista University board of trustees.

Nielsen will serve as Mount Mercy interim president while the board conducts a nationwide search for a permanent replacement, to begin soon. Nielsen will play an active role in the presidential search, officials said in the statement.

Mount Mercy President Christopher Blake last week requested and was granted a one-year sabbatical, and university officials confirmed this week that Blake will not return to the school after that leave ends in May 2014. Blake led the school for seven years. Mount Mercy officials also confirmed this week that Provost Melody Graham has taken a leave of absence.

With a full endorsement from Buena Vista University President Fred Moore, Nielsen will take on all responsibilities of the interim president and oversee day-to-day operations of Mount Mercy, officials said.

“His experience and commitment to higher education will continue to push Mount Mercy to new levels of achievement,” board of trustees Chairman Brandt Worley said in a statement.

Gartner, who served as board of regents president while a member of the board, filed the second lawsuit Thursday in Iowa District Court for Polk County. Gartner, of Des Moines, filed the first lawsuit against IPR on Tuesday. The first lawsuit deals with an IPR meeting in December, while the second lawsuit deals with an IPR closed session on Feb. 26, after which the board voted 6-1 to fire former chief executive officer Mary Grace Herrington.

Both suits charge the Iowa Public Radio board violated Iowa code by holding unlawful closed meetings, and ask that the court compel the board to comply with Iowa open meetings laws. The second lawsuit also asks the court to void all action taken during or as a result of the Feb. 26 closed session, including voiding the termination of Herrington’s employment.

The second suit names four IPR board members, including Mark Braun, chief of staff to University of Iowa President Sally Mason who was appointed to the board in January.

The state Board of Regents at a meeting next week will consider a renewal of the service operating agreement between Iowa Public Radio and the regents that includes a provision for IPR to conduct itself consistent with Iowa open meetings and open records laws.

The regents meet next week in Iowa City, and the agenda information was released Wednesday.

Under the renewed agreement, Iowa Public Radio has agreed to conduct its meeting consistent with Iowa Code Chapter 21 (the open meetings law) and to make its records regarding operation management accessible to the public consistent with Iowa open records laws, the meeting information states.

Questions arose in recent months about IPR’s status, when the IPR board of directors in February voted after a closed session to fire former chief executive officer Mary Grace Herrington. The organization’s attorney argued IPR is not a governmental body.

The regents approved the initial public service operating agreement between Iowa Public Radio and the board in May 2007, for a term of six years. The proposed renewed agreement also is for six years, until June 30, 2019.

The purpose of the agreement is for IPR to manage the day-to-day operations of the radio groups on behalf of the regents and the three state universities.

“We are now advancing to more aggressive stages of protection,” said Rod Lehnertz, UI director of planning, design and construction. “While 20,000 (cubic feet per second) is not to our campus yet, the current projections are that it’s very likely that it will be, so our plan is protecting to that level and beyond.”

The outflow of water from Coralville Lake was increased by the Army Corps of Engineers to 10,000 cubic feet per second Wednesday, and that could rise to 14,000 cfs Friday, with the potential for it to increase to 20,000 cfs next week, Lehnertz said. Much depends on how much rainfall is received and where in the state it falls, he said.

“We are putting on the full protection efforts on our campus because once the water gets up to a certain level, we can’t do the protection at that point,” he said.

A wall of HESCO barriers under construction in front of Mayflower Residence Hall, on N. Dubuque Street, will be built to three barriers tall and three wide, which is a 12-foot wall, Lehnertz said. That work at Mayflower, which closes one lane of traffic on N. Dubuque Street, will continue through Saturday, he said.

More HESCO barriers are being added around buildings on the east and west sides of the Iowa River, which runs through the UI campus.  The protection will encircle several facilities, including Iowa Advanced Technology Laboratories, the Iowa Memorial Union, the Theatre Building and the now-vacant Hancher Voxman Clapp complex, which were all among the 22 UI buildings damaged in the 2008 flood.

As of 5 p.m. Friday, three UI buildings — Art West, Theatre Building and the former Museum of Art — will be emptied of people, with instruments and equipment removed or secured, and closed until the flood threat subsides, Lehnertz said. All three structures were flooded in 2008, when water outflow from Coralville Lake hit nearly 42,000 cfs. But the university has made flood mitigation improvements since then, Lehnertz said.

Programs and summer classes in those buildings will be relocated for now.

“We are preparing for the campus to be altered like this for some time this summer,” he said. “We have to make sure our interim solutions for residents, classes and programs can stand the test of time.”

Christopher Blake, President, Mount Mercy University

Mount Mercy University President Christopher Blake is not expected to return to the university after his one-year sabbatical ends next May, a school spokeswoman said Wednesday.

The Mount Mercy spokeswoman also confirmed that Provost Melody Graham has taken a leave of absence.

“From what I understand, they are two separate employee matters and they were addressed by the board of trustees independently,” said Lisa Lafler, assistant vice president for communications and marketing at Mount Mercy. “Certainly, we have great confidence in our board of trustees and the work that’s being done to appoint our interim president.”

Mount Mercy officials last week announced that Blake requested and was granted a one-year sabbatical, to run through May 2014. Blake has been president for seven years, leading the school through the launch of new programs and a move to university designation. Mount Mercy has provided no details about the reason for the sabbatical.

Lafler on Wednesday said details remain to be determined, but it’s likely Blake will leave the university upon completion of his one-year sabbatical.

“It is not expected that Dr. Blake will return to his position at the close of his sabbatical,” she said.

The Mount Mercy board is getting close to appointing a transitional president, Lafler said, and those details likely will be announced this week or early next week.

Regarding the university provost, Lafler said Graham has taken a leave of absence, but no details were available about the length of that leave or when Graham might return. Graham has been with Mount Mercy since 1991, serving in numerous faculty and leadership roles.

“Details of Dr. Graham’s leave are still being decided, so I’m not in a position to be able to comment on that further,” Lafler said, calling it a personnel matter.

Jan Handler, vice provost and professor of education, is serving as acting provost during Graham’s leave, Lafler said.

The Phifer presidency were years of growth and change at Coe, but the retiring leader said he’s most proud the college remained unchanged in one important way.

The enrollment growth, expansion of the campus footprint, construction of new buildings and a move to a different athletic conference — those things all were done “without changing the nature of the college,” Phifer said.

“We’re delivering the same liberal arts education with selected high quality professional programs that we did 20 years ago,” he said. “There are places that in order to grow become a different kind of school. That’s not what we’ve done. We’ve been true to who we are.”

It was important to improve the size and the reach of Coe without abandoning the core principles of the college, Phifer said. In fact, the 30 percent enrollment growth came about while the college also managed to increase the academic profile of students and become more selective in admissions.

“To grow and to become more selective and to remain true to yourself, that’s what we’ve done and that’s what I’m proud of,” he said.

Phifer joined Coe in 1985 and served for 10 years as dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs before being selected as the 14th president in 1995. Upon retirement in June, Phifer and his wife Linnie will move to a southern suburb of Denver; both attended the University of Colorado and his wife’s family remains in the area.

But Coe will remain a part of his life, Phifer said. The Coe board of trustees has asked him to serve as a life trustee, and Phifer was surprised at spring commencement on May 12, when he was awarded the status of President Emeritus and Professor of History Emeritus.

When he became president, Phifer saw a strong college that nevertheless needed to grow enrollment in order to flourish and remain competitive going forward, he said. The past decade also has brought a greater reliance on fundraising, both for the operation of the college and as a source of financial aid for students, he said. Phifer oversaw two record-setting campaigns for Coe, with more than $150 million raised during his presidency.

It pleases him to know that as he leaves Coe, the college is “positioned to go on delivering the kind of education it has delivered for 150 years,” Phifer said.

“Every generation or so, it becomes popular at one point or another … to talk about the demise of the liberal arts,” he said. “We provide a liberal arts education. We believe in training students to do nothing but preparing them to do everything. This school is ready to go on with that tradition proudly.”

Carter and Associates employee Jose Reyna of Wapello builds HESCO Barriers along Dubuque Street in front of the Mayflower Residence Hall as they prepare for the possibility of flooding Tuesday, May 28, 2013 in Iowa City. Outflow at the Coralville Lake Dam is expected to increase to 10,000 cfs Wednesday morning which should only cause minor flooding but with more rain in the forecast later this week preparations are underway for a more severe situation. (Brian Ray/The Gazette-KCRG)

The University of Iowa is placing sandbag and HESCO barriers around several campus buildings and relocating 84 students and conference participants from one residence hall in flood preparation efforts that officials say are proactive and careful.

The Army Corps of Engineers was expected to increase the outflow of Coralville Lake to 10,000 cubic feet per second on Wednesday morning. UI officials Tuesday afternoon said they are preparing for that projection.

“We’re ready for it” if outflow is raised to 15,000 cfs, said Rod Lehnertz, director of planning, design and construction. “We feel confident the things we are doing now follow the strict and careful plan we have laid out to protect the campus.”

Flood barriers are being built in front of Mayflower Residence Hall, on N. Dubuque Street, and at the UI water treatment plant. The university also is starting to assemble the “invisible flood wall” at Art Building West, a mitigation feature added after the 2008 flood. That process should take about four days.

The UI is relocating 84 students and conference participants from Mayflower to another dorm this week. That building in the future will be protected by a permanent flood wall yet to be constructed.

Beckwith Boathouse, also on N. Dubuque Street, might take on water, but it was built to be “flood tolerant,” and workers are disconnecting systems and moving equipment to higher levels.

Michael Gartner, of Des Moines, filed the suit Tuesday in Iowa District Court for Polk County. The lawsuit names Iowa Public Radio and five members of the board of directors who participated in a closed meeting on Dec. 13, 2012.

Gartner says that closed session violated Chapter 21 — the Open Meetings Act — of the Iowa Code.

His suit seeks judicial enforcement “to protect the rights of the public and the press to attend meetings of governmental bodies and to guarantee the openness necessary so that Iowans can understand the process and rationale for governmental decisions.”

The conduct of Iowa Public Radio and its board of directors relates directly to the expenditure of public monies and the provision of public services through Iowa Public Radio’s operation of the non-commercial radio stations licensed to and owned by Iowa’s Regent universities, Gartner argues in the suit. Yet statements made in the press by Iowa Public Radio’s attorney, Wayne Reames, take the position that the IPR board is not a governmental body, and therefore does not have to adhere to Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit seeks a declaration that Iowa Public Radio was on Dec. 13 and remains today a governmental body subject to provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 21, and a court order requiring that Iowa Public Radio and its board comply with open meetings laws under penalty of contempt.

“This lawsuit seeks to restore the ‘public’ into ‘Iowa Public Radio,’” the document states.

The suit also asks that all actions taken during or as a result of the unlawful closed meeting on Dec. 13 be voided, including the voiding of a consulting agreement or contract with the meyvn group for an employee culture survey, and that damages be assessed as required by Iowa Code in amounts as required for the willful violations by the board members who participated in the Dec. 13 closed meeting.

Questions regarding Iowa Public Radio’s status arose after the organization’s board of directors on Feb. 26 voted after a closed session to fire chief executive officer Mary Grace Herrington.

The extension was a unanimous decision by the Loras board of regents, chairman John Schmidt said in a statement.

Collins began as Loras’ president in June 2004. In June 2008, the board gave Collins a six-year contract, which was set to expire in May 2014. The new contract replaces his current agreement and extends his term as president through May 2018.

A comprehensive evaluation in the past year showed support among the board, faculty, students, staff and alumni for Collins’ strong leadership, Schmidt said.

“Jim has brought stability to the presidency, renewed confidence in the college and provided an unwavering commitment to the people of Loras, especially our students,” Schmidt said in the statement.

Collins began his career with Loras in 1984 as an admissions representative. In his 29 years with the college, he held positions as director of special projects, director of alumni and college relations, interim director of development, assistant to the president and vice president for institutional advancement.

IOWA CITY — A small team of University of Iowa officials began meeting in February 2008 to discuss flood planning for the spring.

But for many who remembered the 1993 flood, it seemed inconceivable 2008 could be worse. The 1993 disaster, which up to that point was the worst flood for this stretch of the Iowa River, caused $6 million in damage at the university.

Rod Lehnertz, UI director of campus planning

“To most people, including me and others, 1993 was the flood to end all floods,” said Rod Lehnertz, UI director of planning, design and construction. “We had done a lot of work after 1993 to better protect the campus and to prepare for events if another 93-level flood occurred.”

But by mid-May, as the news became more serious and projections more dire, the daily flood meeting grew to 50 or 60 university officials. By early June, they were told to prepare for flooding worse than 1993.

Sally Mason, UI President

“By June 7th or 8th, we knew we were in serious trouble,” recalls UI President Sally Mason, who had been on campus less than a year. “It was quite clear that we were going to experience something unprecedented, and something that none of us could have seen or could have prepared for previously.”

In the 10 days leading up to the June 15 crest of the Iowa River, thousands of volunteers joined with UI staff to fill sandbags and build temporary dikes around campus buildings on the west and east sides of the river. Faculty and staff scrambled to empty classrooms and offices, moving equipment and materials to upper floors. More than 12,000 pieces of art valued at half a billion dollars were evacuated from the Museum of Art.

Kristin Thelander, then director of the School of Music, remembers word coming down June 12th that flood water would come into the first floor “a significant amount.” There was a rush that day to move as much as possible to the second floor of the Voxman Music Building, including dozens of grand pianos and musical instruments. Students used rolling chairs to ferry items to the freight elevator.

Dan Heater Director of University of Iowa Facilities Management (right) and UI Building and Landscape Services Engineer Elson Byler (left) examine damage in the Voxman Music Building during a media tour of damage on the UI campus Thursday, June 19, 2008 in Iowa City. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)

“The upstairs hallway got to be so full of pianos that you couldn’t even get by,” she said. “It think it was just a completely amazing thing, what people did to save as much as they did.”

Those efforts leading up to the flood saved a lot of things, but late on June 12, officials knew the sandbag dikes would not keep the rising water out of some buildings, Lehnertz said.

The Iowa River crested at 31.53 feet on June 15th.

As the water slowly receded, UI officials tallied the damage: 22 buildings damaged; more than 2 million square feet — one-sixth of the campus space — affected; 24 percent of general assignment classrooms lost; and the campus power plant knocked offline by 22 feet of standing water.

The final tally of damage, recovery and mitigation is expected to approach $1 billion for the university.

“So we had a bit of a shock,” Lehnertz said. “Everybody wanted to know what happens next, and it was tough to know what happens next.”

Mason soon announced summer classes would resume and the campus would reopen, after just one week of being closed. She was even more determined the university would not postpone or cancel the fall semester, at this point a short eight weeks away.

The University of Iowa converted a former Menards store into the Studio Arts building following flooding in June of 2008. Taken in Iowa City on Thursday, May 9, 2013. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette-KCRG TV9)

That meant finding new locations for hundreds of fall classes and temporary homes for two displaced programs — art and music. University officials zeroed in on four major repair projects critical for the fall semester to proceed: Mayflower Residence Hall, which houses 1,000 students, and three academic buildings on the east bank of the river. Round-the-clock work also helped ready a former Menards store as the new home for art programs, and the School of Music found space in nearly 20 locations around campus and the city.

“There was a huge effort to get up and running that first year,” said John Beldon Scott, director of the School of Art and Art History. “I remember the families of some of the workers would bring out their dinners in the evening, so they could continue working.”

Once those four critical facilities were reopened in August, the power plant became top priority, with an ambitious date of Nov. 1, in time for the winter heating season. Mason blew the power plant whistle, to mark reopening, on Oct. 28.

The power plant and several other buildings actually were flooded via underground utility tunnels that connect campus buildings to necessary heat, cooling and steam. Repairing the tunnels and finding ways to protect buildings from future tunnel flooding also was a top concern in the months following the disaster.

There was the immediate flurry of repair work and relocation of programs, but behind-the-scenes planning and work has continued daily in the five years since, officials say. And more visible signs of progress are coming, with construction starting soon on the three major building replacement projects — Hancher Auditorium, the School of Music and the Art Building.

“I think we can all look back and feel very proud about the way we conducted ourselves and in the way in which we have forged ahead, even in the face sometimes of what seemed like insurmountable odds,” Mason said.

Harkin and Drake leaders made the announcement official Friday in Des Moines.

Drake will create the Tom Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement, a nonpartisan center designed to serve as a hub for public policy research and programming, university officials said in a statement. The institute “will support research, collaboration and education for Drake faculty members, students and scholars from around the country” and provide access to public-policy related programming to the community, the statement said.

“We are grateful to Senator and Mrs. Harkin for the opportunity to host the papers of one of Iowa’s most prominent and influential public officials,” Drake President David Maxwell said in a statement. “These resources, combined with the programmatic and research activities of the Harkin Institute, will enable us to enrich the teaching and research experiences of our students and faculty in a profound manner.”

Drake’s announcement ends the saga regarding Harkin’s papers. Harkin, an ISU graduate, originally intended to donate his papers and documents to his alma mater, and the state Board of Regents in April 2011 approved the creation of the Harkin Institute of Public Policy at ISU. That vote raised controversy, and some Republican leaders said it was improper to create an institute named for a sitting politician. Harkin has since announced he will not seek re-election when his term expires at the end of 2014.

Harkin in February said he was pulling the donation of his papers from ISU, amid concerns about academic freedom and restrictions on agriculture research. Regents leaders and ISU officials disputed that, saying there would not have been academic freedom restrictions.

Iowa State raised about $3 million from donors for the Harkin Institute. ISU President Steven Leath in a statement Friday said the university will adhere to donor wishes regarding that money. The institute has been inactive at ISU since February, when Harkin pulled the papers, Leath said.

“President Maxwell and I on a number of occasions have discussed the relocation of the Harkin Institute from Iowa State to Drake,” Leath said in the statement. “We’ve had a good working relationship, and I have assured him that we will work with him and members of his staff to ensure a smooth transfer of responsibility.”

Drake officials said research at the Harkin Institute will be guided by policy priorities that defined the his public service career, including: the Americans with Disabilities Act; prevention of chronic disease, healthcare access and reform; access to and improvement of education; federal farm policy, including Farm Bill development and soil and water conservation; childhood nutrition, food access and hunger prevention; labor issues; and human rights and international development.

The papers from his four decades in Congress should reside in his home state, Harkin said in the Drake statement.

“I am thrilled by the plans that Drake has, under the outstanding leadership of President Maxwell, for making use of these materials in the public interest,” Harkin said. “Drake is one of the finest institutions of higher learning in the Midwest, with a reputation for innovative thinking. I hope these materials can serve as a resource for scholars and students to bring a deeper knowledge of national issues and federal processes, as well as to further, in a nonpartisan way, the causes and policies to which I have dedicated my career in public service.”

Christopher Blake

No details were available Thursday about the reason for the sabbatical, and Blake had no additional statement, a university spokeswoman said.

“The sabbatical is a one-year sabbatical. Details beyond that remain a personnel matter,” said Lisa Lafler, assistant vice president for communications and marketing.

Blake, who began at Mount Mercy in 2006, notified officials on Monday that he wished to take a one-year sabbatical, Lafler said. The Mount Mercy board of trustees held a meeting Monday — with some members there in person and some participating via phone — and approved that request, she said.

The sabbatical runs through May 2014, Lafler said. Mount Mercy held commencement Sunday, the day before Blake made his request, and Blake presided over those weekend activities, Lafler said.

Board of trustees Chairman Brandt Worley said in the university statement he appreciates “the leadership Dr. Blake has provided over the years.”

“During the sabbatical, the many leaders of this campus who have made significant contributions to the enhancement of the university will continue to move forward with the same momentum and accomplishment the university has seen under Dr. Blake’s guidance,” Worley said. “In support of these efforts, the board of trustees will establish transitional leadership for the university and will continue to keep our campus as well as the community updated on our progress.”

Worley did not return a message seeking additional comment.

The “transitional president” will handle day-to-day operations of the university during Blake’s sabbatical, Lafler said. There are no plans for Blake to move out of the president’s residence, she said.

“Because a sabbatical is a time to have personal reflection and pursue other interests, there will be an interim president appointed,” she said. “We do not have that name yet, but the board of trustees is working actively on that right now.”

Since Blake came to Mount Mercy in 2006, the school has achieved university designation, launched several graduate programs and achieved re-accreditation under a new system.

David Tiede, Ph.D. (right) was named the interim president of Luther College Tuesday. (image via Luther's Facebook feed)

The Luther College board of regents has appointed David Tiede as interim president of the college, effective July 1.

Luther President Richard Torgerson will leave his post with the college on June 30. Tiede’s appointment at Luther is for a period of 12 months, or until the permanent position is filled, officials said.

Tiede is emeritus president and emeritus professor of New Testament at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. He served as the Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation at Augsburg College in Minneapolis from 2005 to 2010, and as interim president of Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque in 2010. He currently consults with a variety of higher education institutions as they deal with leadership transitions.

University of Iowa graduate Sheri Salata has worked for Harpo Studios for nearly 20 years and now runs the studios and the Oprah Winfrey Network. (Courtesy photo)

University of Iowa graduate Sheri Salata has worked for Harpo Studios for nearly 20 years and now runs the studios and the Oprah Winfrey Network.

But she assured University of Iowa business graduates this past weekend that it’s OK if they don’t have a plan all figured out just yet.

“It took me several tries, up to six tries, to find the entry-level position that would ultimately be my path,” Salata said in a phone interview before her talk. “If I were looking back at myself on my graduation day, with my parents and grandmother standing there so proudly … it would have been great to know that I wasn’t required to have it all figured out that day, or within six months.”

New graduates should be less critical and nicer to themselves, she said. There is an unfolding process that can take place in your life that allows time to figure out what you really want to do and what makes you happy, Salata said.

“The freedom to know that getting the title right on your business card should not be your primary, driving motivation, I think can be very freeing at this time in your life,” she said.

Salata was the featured speaker at the UI Tippie College of Business commencement ceremony Saturday in Carver Hawkeye Arena.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the UI, and is now president of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network and runs Harpo Studios. She first joined the company in 1995 and served as executive producer of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” from September 2006 through its finale in 2011.

Sheri Salata (Courtesy photo)

Between OWN and Harpo Studios, Salata manages about 300 employees. She admits she learned her best leadership skills while working for people who hadn’t developed theirs yet.

“Even a difficult situation with a boss can really be your most valuable in shaping and forming the kind of leader you want to be,” she said. “And remember what it felt like to be the most junior person. If there’s any chance that you can hold onto that even as you’re moving up and getting promoted — if you can see the organization you’re trying to lead through the eyes of your most junior person — you’ve got your feet underneath you then.”

At age 27, Salata entered the television industry via an entry-level job as a personal assistant to an executive producer at a Chicago advertising agency. It was a risk, jumping to that job from a more stable career, she said, but it paid off.

Her solid business background gave her an edge in the television world, Salata said.

She did “win the career lottery” in working for Oprah, who is “exactly like she is on TV, but more fun,” Salata said.

UNI President Ben Allen will be retiring this month. Photographed in the Reading Room at Seerley Hall in Cedar Falls. (Cliff Jette/The Gazette)

Despite a vote of no-confidence by the University of Northern Iowa faculty and criticism from a national academic group, retiring UNI President Ben Allen still believes controversial budget cuts and program closures last spring were the right decisions for the future of the university.

Allen on Wednesday said going into those decisions last year, he expected the faculty no-confidence vote and that the American Association of University Professors would get involved.

“We had a $5 million deficit. The other option would be laying off people across campus,” Allen said in an interview. “If you worry about your legacy you’re going to be making some decisions on a very personal level that won’t be right for the institution.”

Faculty leaders criticized Allen for not including faculty and staff more in the process last year, when dozens of programs were cut and the Price Lab School closed. An AAUP report said UNI administrators didn’t follow proper procedures in the actions.

Allen on Wednesday said these were the kinds of decisions that were never going to be popular. The process of closing Price Lab School, for example, was one where more conversations would only lengthen and enhance the controversy, not lessen it, he said. He also said the academic programs cut affected a very small percentage of UNI students, a message university officials should have better communicated.

The mistake that was made, Allen said, was that those programs were cut in one fell swoop rather than in an incremental way.

“When it’s all done at one time, because we weren’t making decisions each year, that was the mistake,” he said. “We should have been more diligent, and say which programs are … not much in demand, or not high quality.”

Allen, 66, sat down with The Gazette Wednesday as he wraps up seven years as UNI president. He departs the job May 24. His successor is William Ruud, who comes to UNI after six years as president at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

When he first came to UNI, Allen said, he recognized that due to large state funding cuts and enrollment losses, many academic programs had a “weak resource base.” Addressing that, and focusing resources more on quality and priority programs was a top goal, Allen said.

The university also recently wrapped a record $157.8 million fundraising campaign, and much of that money will go to scholarships, faculty support and academic programs, he said.

Allen points to his spearheading of discussion about UNI’s funding model as another major accomplishment. A new regents task force will study how state funding is allocated among Iowa’s three regent universities. UNI’s enrollment is about 93 percent in-state students, which impacts the university’s finances differently than the University of Iowa and Iowa State University.

“I hope there’s recalibration of the model so there’s more alignment between in-state students we serve and the state resources we receive,” Allen said. “That could have a substantial impact on the resources.”