Former Iowa chief justice will lead Harkin Institute

Former Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Marsha Ternus will be the director of the Tom Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement at Drake University.

Ternus, who grew up on a farm near Urbana and attended school in Vinton before graduating with honors from Drake Law School in 1977, will assume her duties at the non-partisan center designed to serve as a hub for public policy research and programming later this month.

Drake officials announced in June that the Institute would support research, collaboration and education for faculty members, students and scholars from around the country. It will also provide access to public policy-related programming to the community.

Ternus' name quickly rose to the top of a list of candidates to lead the Institute, due in large part to the integrity, wisdom and balance that she exhibited on the state's highest court, her passionate enthusiasm for the possibilities of the Harkin Institute and her long-term commitment to Drake, according to the university.

“Justice Ternus' efforts on the Iowa Supreme Court reflect a deep commitment to fairness, access and transparency -- principals that form the heart of the Harkin Institute,” said Drake University President David Maxwell.

Harkin said that Ternus will bring a valuable perspective gleaned as an Iowa native, the first female chief justice of Iowa's highest court, and a fair and compassionate member of the judiciary.

“Marsha Ternus focused her judicial career on improving oversight for children within the court system, served on the Board of Iowa Legal Aid, and continuously upheld the freedoms and security guaranteed to all citizens under the Iowa Constitution,” Harkin said.

She was appointed to the court in 1993 by Gov. Terry Branstad and served on the court until December 31, 2010. Ternus was one of three justices ousted by voters after the court unanimously struck down a state law banning same-sex marriage.

During her seventeen years on the court, Ternus worked to improve the administration of justice in addition to her adjudicative responsibilities. Under her leadership the court took steps to persuade Iowa lawyers to provide more pro bono services to persons who could not afford an attorney.

Ternus served as the judicial branch representative on the IOWAccess Advisory Council, which was instrumental in encouraging and guiding e–government projects. She also led efforts to implement an electronic document management system in the courts that will result in a paperless court system.

Ternus currently serves as a member of the Drake University Board of Trustees and has long been an active member of the Drake community.

University officials announced the creation of the Harkin Institute earlier this summer in connection with Sen. Harkin's intention to donate his historical papers and materials to Drake after he and the institute severed ties with Iowa State University. The papers will be housed in the newly created Drake University Archives in Cowles Library and will be made available for research purposes.

The location of the institute on the Drake campus is yet to be determined.