The state Board of Regents awarded a Connecticut company a contract Tuesday to review an organizational audit conducted at Iowa’s three state schools in 1989.

The Regents hired the Pappas Consulting Group to review the audit, which drew controversy for its recommendations to disband several programs at Iowa State, Northern Iowa and the University of Iowa that were considered too similar or inefficient.

The Regents sent review proposals to 11 firms and received three responses. KPMG Peat Marwick, which conducted the 1989 audit, was one of the firms that responded.

However, the board gave unanimous approval to the Pappas proposal.

In a release distributed before the meeting, the Regents said a deciding factor in the decision was Pappas’ “extensive experience in working with higher education.”

Dr. Alceste Pappas, who heads the consulting group, also worked on the 1989 audit while employed with Peat Marwick.

At that time, the $1.2 million audit came under fire for many of its recommendations. Of the programs considered in danger of being cut was one of the state’s journalism and mass communication departments. Both the University of Iowa and Iowa State have accredited journalism departments.

Jane Peterson, ISU journalism department chairwoman, said the the audit found that both programs had their “own special place and had a different mission.”

Peterson said the final decision was to keep both programs with minor changes.

The review, expected to cost about $225,000, is scheduled for completion by February, 1996. The earliest any of Pappas’ proposals could be implemented is 1997.

The Pappas Group will meet bimonthly with an oversight committee of regents R. Wayne Richey, Ellengray Kennedy, Bob Barak and Board President Marvin Pomerantz. Pappas will submit a written report to the board on a monthly basis.