June 21, 2007
IOWA CITY — The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, earlier today introduced Sally Mason, the provost at Purdue University for the past six years, as the 20th president of the University of Iowa. Click HERE to read the official news release about Mason’s selection and for additional information and links to multi-media.
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“I had an opportunity to visit briefly with Sally during the on-campus portion of the interview process last week and was impressed with her knowledge of and appreciation for our institution, our state, and our intercollegiate athletics program.”
UI Director of Athletics
Gary Barta |
“I am very excited to join my peers on campus and the many alumni and friends of our institution worldwide in welcoming Sally Mason to the University of Iowa family,” said Gary Barta, the UI’s director of athletics.
“I had an opportunity to visit briefly with Sally during the on-campus portion of the interview process last week and was impressed with her knowledge of and appreciation for our institution, our state, and our intercollegiate athletics program.”
Barta said his visit with Mason was short in duration but long on substance.
“Sally clearly expressed a commitment to our student-athletes and our staff. She also made it clear that it was her expectation that we continue our tradition of `doing intercollegiate athletics the right way’ with integrity and with the best interests of the student-athlete as a guiding principle,” he said, noting that Mason described herself and her husband, Ken, as “fans.”
Mason’s professional experience also includes 21 years as a member of the faculty and staff at the University of Kansas.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Kentucky in 1972, a master’s degree in developmental biology from Purdue in 1974 and a doctorate degree in cellular, molecular and developmental biology from the University of Arizona in 1978.
Barta said he was excited for the University community that a new leader of the institution had been identified and was appreciative of the work of Interim President Gary Fethke.
“I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Gary for the outstanding leadership he has provided the University as our interim president. I appreciate greatly the opportunity he has afforded me personally and his desire to be an active, engaged leader during the transition.”
Mason on Intercollegiate Athletics
“I’m a big believer in the student-athlete and the way I put that is very intentional: The student-athlete.
“The director of athletics at Purdue is a good friend of mine. Morgan (Burke) is someone I respect enormously because he has all the right values. He was a student-athlete himself, a swimmer. He has taught me a lot about the value of the balance that you can and should maintain in, particularly, the high-profile intercollegiate athletics programs like those in the Big Ten and like those here at the University of Iowa.
“Morgan said to me, `Iowa….if I can’t keep you here at Purdue, Iowa would be a good place for you.’ He said th intercollegiate athletics program here at the University of Iowa has a balance that is maintained exactly as it should be. The values are exactly what they should be.
“My management philosophy is `If it is not broke, don’t mess with it.’ I let things that are working work. I like to form a good partnership. I like to learn. And I like to have fun.
“Intercollegiate athletics is, for many, the front door to the university. Whether we want it to be or not, it is. The health and well-being of our student-athletes is entrusted to those who administer the program and who coach our young men and women. I have every reason to believe the University of Iowa will continue to do a good job of making certain that our student-athletes are both well-educated and perform well in competition.
“My husband and I love college sports. We look forward to getting engaged and having fun.”
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