Leath leaves ISU for Auburn president job

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boone7247

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I feel like Leath accomplished a lot while at ISU. He obviously has made some rough decisions that make defending him difficult. That said, maybe it is a good time for a change. The University is in a very good place, Leath has helped to lead it there. And by leaving before to much heat gets on him the university doesn't suffer. Here is hoping the Regents do a excellent job in their search for the next president.

As far as athletics go, I feel we are passed the time where a President is going to come in and screw that up. Jamie has been in his job for along time, short of the new President and JP not getting along personally, the AD should be allowed to run autonomous to the school. Obviously there are ties and JP has to know who his boss is, but the AD doesn't count on the school nears as much as it used to in the past. As a matter of fact the school has to recognize the AD is one of it's best marketing tools.
 

1UNI2ISU

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Jan 30, 2013
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Have faith. The BoR found the absolute perfect guy for UNI and he's been incredibly well received by everybody in his first few months here. They learned a lot from the Herrald fiasco and ran a great, open and inclusive search at UNI.

You'll get a good one.
 
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cyIclSoneU

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Those of you who are around Ames should participate in the open forums that will happen when the search gets going and ask the candidates about their vision for athletics, the importance of Big 12 membership, etc.
 

cyclonestate

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Question: So who at Iowa State is NOT excited by this news?

Answer: A couple of former Republican legislators (Jim Kurtenbach and Tom Paulsen) who behind close doors were given newly created positions with six figure salaries, and Miles Lackey who will have to pack his UHaul and follow Leath to Alabama.
 

Cyfan1965

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Nov 9, 2016
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He paid the going rate for some wooded area and ag land in Hardin County, and everybody got their shorts in a twist just because he bought it from Rastetter's company.

You would have thought he sold an ISU TV station to a friend with all the crap he is getting :)
 

Tornado man

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Don't know anything about the guy, but when was the last time they ever went with an internal candidate?
I don't think most universities do, but Wickert is a different case. Iowa State doesn't want to lose him. A harbinger will be who is named interim President. If Wickert is named as interim, that means he has no interest in becoming President, as interims never become the eventual successor. If another interim is named, and I predict Holger, then Wickert has thrown his hat in.
 

CTTB78

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I don't think most universities do, but Wickert is a different case. Iowa State doesn't want to lose him.....

I like the idea of hiring an Iowa Stater but past hiring practices say the BOR will think the grass is greener on the outside. Doesn't make sense to me, but that seems to be the political practice.
 

cyIclSoneU

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I like the idea of hiring an Iowa Stater but past hiring practices say the BOR will think the grass is greener on the outside. Doesn't make sense to me, but that seems to be the political practice.

The past number of replacements have been when the BOR was looking to go in another direction. This time I think the BOR would have been happy to keep Leath for another five years (assuming Planegate went away). That may make it more likely that they choose a successor more likely to follow the same path, i.e. an internal hire like Wickert. Wickert is also better suited to be a university president than I think most if not all of the provosts at the time of the last few presidential searches at ISU/UI/UNI.
 
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clonedude

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I admittedly don't know how this whole process works. I understand the BOR hires the next president, but are there any checks and balances over the BOR at all? What if they bring in someone that nobody wants or likes? Is ISU just stuck with them?

The Iowa hire makes me think you have no recourse because it doesn't seem like anyone at Iowa wanted him to be the hire.
 

Tornado man

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It's no secret around campus that ISU's Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Wendy Wintersteen has applied for the President's job. Very well thought of.
 
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