Committee assignments give new Iowa regents a niche

The Board of Regents this week welcomed new board members, appointed new leadership and ushered in a new board committee structure by announcing new regent assignments on Wednesday.

Instead of four full standing committees, the board has reconfigured its committee structure to add additional committees. In addition to those focused on 'academic and student affairs,” 'properties and facilities,” 'audit and compliance” and 'University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics,” the board added 'investment and compliance” and 'governance and evaluation” committees.

In June, the board is to consider elevating its 'campus safety and security subcommittee” to full standing committee status.

The new assignments help new regents find a niche on the board through more specific roles, and give senior regents - in some cases - a change in charge and focus. Regent Larry McKibben, for example, has served as chairman of the audit and the UIHC committees for years. He's now on the property and facilities and investment and finance committees, and he'll remain a vice chairman on the audit committee.

Many of the committees also include board office and university representatives - assignments that are to come soon, according to board spokesman Josh Lehman.

The board recently changed its committee meeting structure, moving the smaller group discussions to the day before full board meetings and delaying when committee recommendations go before the full board for approval.

Now, unless specifically noted, committee recommendations are to wait until the next board meeting - often weeks or months away - for approval.

All final decisions and approvals related to the regent universities and special schools must go through the full nine-member Board of Regents, but the committees often function as gatekeepers, sifting through proposed construction projects, weeding out unviable academic programs and keeping tabs on safety and security initiatives, for example.

Mike Richards, who has been with the board one year on an interim basis until his recent Legislative confirmation, was voted board president earlier this week. Patty Cownie, who has been on the board two years, was named president pro tem.

The board this week also welcomed two new regents - former lawmakers Nancy Dunkel and Nancy Boettger, who serve on two and three committees, respectively, including as chairwoman of one each.

Here is a closer look at each new regent committee:

Academic and student affairs committee -

Charged with overseeing and making policy recommendations related to the campus' educational endeavors and achievement. Boettger is chairwoman; Rachael Johnson, student representative on the Board of Regents, is vice chairwoman.

Audit and compliance committee -

Charged with receiving and reviewing information about internal and external audits. Dunkel is chairwoman; McKibben is vice chairman.

Campus safety and security committee -

Charged with monitoring compliance and reviewing security reports and issues. Johnson is chairwoman; Boettger is vice chairwoman.

Investment and finance committee -

Charged with - among other things - monitoring institutional investment and treasury management practices. McKibben is chairman; Dunkel is vice chairwoman.

Property and facilities committee -

Charged with reviewing and recommending proposals related to campus properties and construction. Regent Milt Dakovich is chairman; McKibben is vice chairman.

UIHC committee -

Charged with overseeing the health care campus. Regent Sherry Bates is chairwoman; Dakovich and Regent Subhash Sahai are co-chairs.

Governance and evaluation committee -

Charged with creating an evaluation structure for university presidents and CEOs and monitoring strategic plan progress. Cownie is chairwoman; Bates is vice chairwoman; Boettger is a member.

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