First University of Iowa presidential finalist to visit Monday

Four public forums scheduled with candidates this month

By: Vanessa Miller Apr. 7, 2021 3:26 pm Updated: Apr. 7, 2021 3:27 pm

The Pentacrest on the University of Iowa campus in Iowa City is seen in this aerial photo. Public forums have been scheduled this month with the four finalists for the UI presidency. (The Gazette/file photo)

IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa next week will host a public forum for the first of four finalists to become the institution’s 22nd president.

Each finalist is scheduled to make a two-day campus visit to meet with constituent groups and participate in an open forum. The first finalist will come Monday and Tuesday, with his or her public forum scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Monday.

Subsequent finalists are scheduled to visit April 15-16; April 19-20; and April 22-23.

The names and curriculum vitae of each candidate will be announced 24 hours before they visit.

The public forum schedule is as follows:

Finalist 1: Monday, April 12, 3:30 p.m.

Finalist 2: Thursday, April 15, 3:30 p.m.

Finalist 3: Monday, April 19, 3:30 p.m.

Finalist 4: Thursday, April 22, 3:30 p.m.

Given the pandemic and social distancing requirements, in-person attendance at the forums will be limited. But each forum will be livestreamed, and members of the public can submit questions via the UI presidential search website.

Live video streaming of each open forum will be available at https://www.iowaregents.edu and https://presidentialsearch.uiowa.edu.

The Board of Regents will meet April 29-30 on the UI campus to hear from the search committee and interview finalists. The board plans to choose the new UI president April 30.

Outgoing UI President Bruce Harreld in October announced his retirement — just one year after agreeing to extend his contract three years.

At the time, Harreld said he wanted to give regents extra time to find a successor and help provide a smooth transition — promising to stay as long as necessary, possibly beyond 2023, preventing the need for interim leadership.

But the board moved swiftly with its search — hoping to announce a new president just seven months after Harreld’s announcement.

And Harreld recently said he’ll leave May 16, when the university’s retiring Graduate College Dean John Keller will step in as interim president.

By departing early, Harreld is leaving on the table $2.33 million in deferred compensation. University and board officials have not answered The Gazette’s questions about why Harreld is leaving early and what changed since his October announcement.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com