Regents executive director resigning

CEDAR FALLS - After spending nine years managing the agency that governs Iowa's public universities, Board of Regents Executive Director Robert Donley publicly announced Wednesday he plans to resign.

The announcement, made after he quietly had submitted his letter June 1, came in the form of an addition to the board's agenda. It requested the nine volunteer regents accept his resignation effective July 15.

In a statement, Donley, 57, said he enjoyed serving.

'Higher education is a passion of mine, and being able to move the regents enterprise forward in so many ways is a point of pride,” he said.

Donley's resignation compounds other changes at the board, with terms having expired in April for former President Bruce Rastetter and former President Pro Tem Katie Mulholland. Mike Richards, after spending just one year on the board, became president and Patty Cownie became president pro tem. Donley cited the leadership changes in his statement.

'I've worked under multiple board presidents, and with this change in leadership, it is the right time for me to move on and let the next person lead the board office,” he said.

Donley was on the agenda at a Tuesday board meeting to undergo a performance evaluation behind closed doors, along with the regents' university presidents and special schools superintendent. But regents spokesman Josh Lehman said the board chose not to evaluate Donley because of his pending resignation.

Donley has received multiple honors and appointments during his tenure, including his current appointment as chair of the national State Higher Education Executive Officers Association. He also has taken heat during his tenure for controversial board actions, including the ill-fated performance-based funding model and the hire of businessman Bruce Harreld to lead the University of Iowa.

In April, Donley was named as a defendant in a lawsuit against the board alleging age and gender discrimination. Former board spokeswoman Sheila Koppin in the lawsuit accuses Donley of misleading her and discriminating against her in the board's shuffle of office employees and rollout of an early-retirement incentive.

The Gazette also reported last year that Donley made $338,466 in salary, bonuses and deferred compensation in 2015 - more than double a salary cap set by the Legislature. Donley in 2016 still made far above the $154,300 cap, earning $287,267 - which includes his capped base pay plus deferred compensation and performance incentives.

Donley is due payout for another deferred compensation plan worth $140,000. He will receive it July 1, according to Lehman.

In his statement, Donley did not disclose any upcoming career plans, although a news release indicated he'll make comments Thursday.

Joe Gorton, a University of Northern Iowa professor and president of the institution's faculty union, said he believes the salary cap might have played into Donley's departure.

'He is significantly underpaid for the responsibility that he has,” Gorton said.

State funding cuts and criticism of the cap overage raises questions about whether the incentives would have continued in the future.

'That job is an enormously complex and stressful job,” Gorton said. 'Not only is someone dealing with the variant policies related to all three universities, but they're also dealing with the Legislature and the governor's office and the presidents of each university.”

Gorton said he is no apologist for steep administrative salaries. 'but there are exceptions, and it seems to me this would be one of them,” he said.

When asked whether he would support removing the executive director salary cap, state Sen. Joe Bolkcom, D-Iowa City, said he'd like to see any new money for higher education go toward reducing proposed tuition increases.

The recent turnover atop the Board of Regents has meant other changes. New President Richards has for the first time launched a public comment period where speakers can talk directly to the regents - rather than speak at video-recorded hearings held days in advance without regents.

The board in the next month will appoint an interim executive director and initiate a search to fill the post permanently.