Performance-based funding hurts schools

What makes a great research university? Cutting-edge research? The ability to attract the top students from the nation and the world? Excellence in the arts? The latest health care research and best in patient care? Scholarship that makes an impact on the nation? Outreach that brings cutting edge research to the activities of ordinary citizens?

The proposed performance based-funding model for Iowa's regents universities ignores all of these things in favor of a narrow mission for our great public universities. The people of Iowa have every right to expect excellent performance from our universities in exchange for their tax dollars and the state has a vital interest in the excellence of our universities.

The state should adopt funding plans and performance metrics that embrace the entire diverse and complementary missions of our regents institutions.

Bob McMurray

Iowa City