University of Iowa President Sally Mason 'Not Concerned' About Lack of Contract

University of Iowa President Sally Mason entered a university meeting room shortly before her press conference was scheduled to begin. As she entered, she turned to see a table full of reporters, flanked by as many other journalists standing behind them, holding cameras at the ready.

"Jeez, what a party," she said, with a half-smile on her face as she removed her coat and sat down, signaling the proceedings to begin.

That set the cordial-yet-sometimes tense tone for what was to come, as reporters attempted to gain insight from Mason on the range of controversies dogging her in recent weeks. The press conference was scheduled so multiple reporters could have a chance with Mason at once, as her end of the year schedule is tight, according to University of Iowa spokesman Tom Moore.

There's the handling of athletics department student adviser Peter Gray's history of sexual harassment claims, her contract not being renewed, a vote of no confidence in the dean of the College of Education, transparency or the lack thereof, and the criticism of her performance by Gov. Terry Branstad and the Board of Regents.

Mason, for her part, ably parried most of the questions without revealing much more than what the public already knows. She also listed a series of accomplishments she felt also deserved attention: leading the university through a flood and recession, fundraising, interacting with students and improving their experience at Iowa, and adding a new focus on sustainability.

On one point on controversy, however, she was more open.

She said due to five-years of deferred compensation promised her by the Board of Regents, she is not worried by the fact that she has been operating as president since August 1 without a contract.

"The contract issue isn't one that has been of concern to me," Mason said. 

Mason replied to questions asking her if she would press to have her contract renewed, she demurred, saying that her focus is on the next five years.

"When I came to Iowa I certainly came with the intention of filling my career out here." she said. "There's a lot that I'd still like to get done here."

A Des Moines Register reporter asked Mason what she felt about a charge by state legislators that she sometimes comes off with a tone of arrogance:

"I hope that’s not the tone I leave with people. If it is, I have work to do, without a doubt,” she said.

Several reporters asked her about Gov. Terry Branstad's comment on Monday that the University of Iowa appeared to lack transparency "in a number of instances."

“The regents have made a decision and I was aware of this decision last summer not to give her a contract, rather to keep her on as an at-will basis because they have not been satisfied with some of things that have happened at the University of Iowa,” Branstad said, according to a recent interview published in the Quad-City Times.

Despite their attempts to get her to respond directly to the governor's comments, Mason said she would be happy to address the concerns about transparency, but deferred action on that front to the Board of Regents.

Mason expressed some frustration with transparency laws as they exist today, but said in her view it is vital for her to work to protect the privacy of individuals at the University of Iowa and protect the university from the threat of litigation.

She suggested that some of the controversy had been drummed up by the media unnecessarily, saying that such instances as Gray and the College of Education are not unusual at large institutions. She said one difference may be that local media had chosen to focus on these issues more than other media does.

"You all won't like this, but I would tell people that they shouldn't necessarily believe everything they read in the newspaper," she said.

She said she would welcome changes by the state legislature to the laws to allow more flexibility, but did not mention specifics.

On the College of Education's recent conflict, she said that it was not particularly unusual for a faculty to have a dispute with a dean, but it was not common for it to become public in the media.

"That can be challenging with the whole world looking into it," Mason said. "It's kind of like doing marriage counseling on the TV set."

Mason conceded that there was work to be done within the College, but denied reports that records had been destroyed. She backed Iowa's Provost Barry Butler, who has denied accusations that he ordered the destruction of critical comments about Margaret Crocco, the dean of the College of Education who resigned earlier this week.

The press conference closed with Mason fielding a question on students and faculty issuing a statement in solidarity with her after a challenging series of weeks.

"I was thrilled and pleased but not surprised. I enjoy an extraordinary working relationship with the student government groups on the campus." Mason said. "It brought tears to my eyes to see their very very kind words."

Read more:

University of Iowa President Sally Mason Receives Much Needed Statements of Support from Campus Leaders

University of Iowa College of Education Dean Crocco Announces Resignation

UI Provost Denies Destroying Records; College of Education Faculty Members Resign From Committee

No Confidence Voted in University of Iowa Ed. Dean; Report: Faculty Told to Destroy Critical Documents