The University of Iowa Faculty Senate President wants more faculty involvement in the university’s hunt for a new president after a presidential search committee at the University of Northern Iowa, created in November, included only two faculty members among its 14 total members.

University of Iowa Faculty Senate President Richard LeBlond asked the Board of Regents Thursday morning during the Board’s meeting in the Scheman Building to include a larger proportion of U of I faculty on the yet-to-be-created search committee.

Both the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa are looking for new presidents. UNI President Robert Koob decided last fall to retire at the end of this school year, and U of I President David Skorton resigned in January to become president at Cornell University in Ithaca, N. Y.

“The structure of the search process at the University of Northern Iowa is a significant departure from the historical precedents for presidential searches, particularly for the University of Iowa,” LeBlond said during his remarks before the board. “Our constituencies feel strongly that a committee with such limited faculty participation . seriously reduces the expertise available to the search and screen committee.”

Board President Michael Gartner said the Regents would meet with the U of I Faculty Senate in the coming weeks to listen in greater detail to the faculty senate’s grievances before selecting members of the search committee.

Selections should take place in March.