COUNCIL BLUFFS – ISU Faculty Senate President Christine Pope addressed the Board of Regents at its meeting Wednesday regarding the naming of the new honors building after Martin C. Jischke, former president of Iowa State.

There was virtually no debate among board members on the issue.

Nearly two years ago, Regent David Fisher of West Des Moines made the motion to name the Honors Building after Jischke. “I think it was an honor to President Jischke. I think we need to go forward and continue with the building with Martin Jischke’s name on it,” Fisher said.

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy made a brief explanation regarding circumstances surrounding the Faculty Senate’s resolution before Pope addressed the Regents. “I understand the differences of opinion concerning the naming of the new honors building for former President Martin Jischke and the process by which it was approved two years ago,” Geoffroy said.

Pope spoke about the Faculty Senate’s original resolution, which was approved 55-10. After Geoffroy rejected the resolution, it was reaffirmed 42 to 20. Pope also expressed concern over the lack of involvement the faculty had in the original decision-making process.

“The faculty were not consulted on this naming and the process was somewhat flawed,” she said.

Pope told the board that David Hopper, who was president of the Faculty Senate at the time, did not learn of the naming until a farewell party for Jischke.

She read to the board a statement Jischke made in a 1996 memo about possibly waiving the five-year rule to name the Student Health Center after Thomas Thielen. “Jischke wrote that the five-year rule `permits a period of reflection on the accomplishments of the retired individual and allows the institution to reach an appropriate decision on whether to honor an individual with the naming of a building or street,’ ” Pope said.

Board of Regents President Owen Newlin, of Des Moines, told the board that Richard Seagrave, who was interim president of Iowa State at the time, strongly recommended waiving the normal five-year waiting period before naming the building after Jischke.

Newlin said this was the third occasion the five-year rule was waived for an ISU facility, such as when Parks Library was named after Robert Parks while he was still serving his term as president of Iowa State.

Regent David Neil of La Porte City said the Regents had more important things to worry about.

“There seems to be more controversy over naming things than important things like the budget,” Neil said.

Student Regent Lisa Ahrens of Osage agreed, saying it was important for the board to put this behind them and “put energy toward more important issues.”

Pope said she was not surprised by the board’s decision.

“President Newlin told me that he had heard no inclination on the part of the board [to act on the resolution],” she said. “It would be very awkward for them to take away an honor that they bestowed.”

Geoffroy said closure of the issue is good for the university.

“The ongoing debate, some of which has been very negative, is harmful to the university in many ways, and I would urge the university community to put this issue behind us and move on to address the many other challenges and opportunities that lie before us,” he said.