Dr. Peter Gray

“Bob Downer has it right,” The Gazette’s Editorial Board said in an editorial published Wednesday commenting on the UI’s investigation of the Peter Gray case. “The University of Iowa’s rehiring policy demands scrutiny. And apparently more accountability.

“Downer, an Iowa City attorney and member of the state Board of Regents, commented on a UI internal investigation into an Athletics Department adviser accused of sexual harassment violations,” the editorial continued. “Peter Gray resigned last week. UI officials aren’t commenting because it’s a confidential personnel issue.

“To his credit, Downer asked questions no doubt on the minds of many Iowans, including the most important: ‘As far as the difficulties that he (Gray) apparently got into during his first employment, it’s hard for me to see, assuming these (news) stories are accurate, how he passed muster for re-employment …,’ he said, adding that it will be important for regents to review rehiring policies at the state’s three public universities.

“It’s certainly not fair to extrapolate from this report and compare it to Penn State’s Jerry Sandusky debacle, which involved criminal sexual activity against minors,” the editorial concluded. “Still, red flags are waving. Follow-up action must ensure that university hiring practices are vetted and adjusted as warranted.”

What do you think about how the UI is handling this situation? Do  you think university leaders or regents should change rehiring policies, or respond otherwise to the case?