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AFSCME criticizes vote to give Iowa university presidents raises

An American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees council is lashing out at the Governor’s Office after the Iowa Board of Regents unanimously approved a 4 percent raise for regent university presidents Thursday.

Jul 31, 2020920 Shares131.4K Views
An American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees council is lashing out at the Governor’s Office after the Iowa Board of Regentsunanimously approved a 4 percent raise for regent university presidents Thursday.
Image has not been found. URL: http://media.iowaindependent.com/danny_homan_125.jpgDanny Homan
Reports say Iowa State UniversityPresident Gregory Geoffroy’s salary will increase $440,248; University of Northern IowaPresident Ben Allenreceived an increase to $332,800, though he pledged to hand his increase to the university.
Sally Mason, president of the University of Iowa, saw the biggest salary increase: a total of $483,600, and a $25,000 boost on her five-year deferred compensation package.
Danny Homan, president of AFSCME Iowa Council 61 said Gov. Terry Branstad‘s administration is sending mixed signals on the state’s financial concerns — [“>a continuation of jabs the two shared Wednesday](<a title=).
“The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 61 has always stood for fair compensation of state employees. The decision by the Board of Regents to give university presidents 4 percent raises by the Branstad administration has me very confused though,” Homan said in a statement he released Thursday, following the Regents meeting.
“I would like to know how the Governor feels about these Iowa regent university raises. Why is it that just yesterday, Gov. Branstad’s staff was criticizing AFSCME-covered employees’ July 2 percent raise and January 1 percent raise, but now are silent about these salary increases for his management?” Homan continued. “Why is he so opposed to modest raises for his middle class employees but silent on the raises that are given to administrators?”
“The governor has full confidence in the Board of Regents to make decisions in the best interests of those institutions and the students they serve,” Branstad spokesman Tim Albrechtsaid.
Branstad is currently in Illinois on an economic development trip.
An email requesting comment to the Regents’ communications officer, Shelia Doyle Koppin, was not immediately returned.
The decision on the raises came at the first Regents meeting led by Craig Lang, who was hand-selected by Branstad to take over the body after the Governor’s Office urgedformer leaders David Milesand Jack Evansto resign. Lang, known for leading the Iowa Farm Bureau, was joined by agribusiness leader Bruce Rastetter, Branstad’s largest campaign contributor, at the helm of the body.
Hajra Shannon

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