Some GOP lawmakers frustrated with Iowa regents

DES MOINES - Some House Republicans say they have grown frustrated with efforts to change the direction of the Iowa Board of Regents, making it more focused on reducing higher education spending.

Eleven GOP lawmakers co-sponsored a bill that would tie university presidents' pay to tuition increases, and they have been vocal in their criticism of pay raises for administrators.

Those legislators also have expressed frustration that moves by Gov. Terry Branstad to give conservatives more prominence on the board so far haven't paid off.

“I remain hopeful that something meaningful will change, but at this point I still guess the best way to describe what's going on right now is disappointed, but hopeful that things will change,” said Rep. Jeff Kaufmann, R-Wilton.

Kaufmann is among the 11 legislators who co-sponsored the presidential pay bill. It would require that if the Board of Regents increase tuition for the next school year, they couldn't increase the pay for university presidents in that coming year.

Even supporters acknowledge the measure has virtually no chance of being approved, but they said it makes clear their frustration over increased costs at the universities, especially administrator salaries.

They point to the regents' approval of 4 percent pay raises last summer for the three university presidents.

They're especially unhappy with the pay of University of Iowa President Sally Mason, which at $483,600 is tops among the school presidents. They argue that Mason also has hired high-priced administrators.

“How much does the president of the United States make? Less,” said Rep. Clel Baudler, R-Greenfield. “What does the governor make? Less.”

Baudler is among those supporting the presidential salary measure.

“I would like to send a signal to keep things in perspective,” said Baudler. “Students and their families cannot afford to continue this spiral up.”

The Republican lawmakers said they're especially frustrated that they have seen little change in the Board of Regents despite a shake-up last summer, when Branstad pressured David Miles and Jack Evans to step down as president and president pro tem of the board.

The governor named Bruce Rastetter to the board, and he was promptly elected president pro tem. Former Iowa Farm Bureau president Craig Lang was elected president at the same time. Both are prominent Republicans and close Branstad allies.

Despite the reshaped board, the regents approved the presidents' pay raises and later approved a 3.75 percent tuition increase for the school year beginning in 2012.

“You've got an entity that's moving in a direction Iowans want not to go and I think it's the responsibility of the state Legislature to intervene,” Kaufmann said.

Kauffmann suggested that lawmakers should consider letting voters elect regents, rather than having them appointed by the governor.

Tim Albrecht, a spokesman for Branstad, said the governor supports Rastetter and Lang.

Rastetter and Lang said they understand that some Republican lawmakers are unhappy.

In response, they want to demonstrate more clearly that higher education system is vital to Iowa's future and is ready to change.

“Because of that we are putting together a student-led public road show to go out across the entire state and go into these communities where those Republicans are and talk about the value of the public universities,” Lang said.

Rastetter said university officials also could do a better job explaining how it had instituted efficiencies.

They argued, however, that Iowa universities must pay wages high enough to attract top administrators, even if that creates an image problem.

“I agree that average Iowans can't relate to that, but what we've done is go through a peer review of what other university presidents get,” Lang said. “We want to keep strong, sound business leaders, education leaders at the helm of these universities.”