| Home |  |
| Dr. Greg Geoffroy Yepsen: PRESSURE ON RECENT STATE BUDGETS HAS AFFECTED HIGHER EDUCATION IN IOWA, PERHAPS MORE THAN ANY OTHER PART OF STATE GOVERNMENT. THE PRESIDENT OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, DR. GREG GEOFFROY, PROVIDES US A STATUS REPORT. Yepsen: HELLO, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS FROM ALL OF US HERE AT IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION. WHEN STATE BUDGETS ARE DRAWN UP AND PUT INTO PLACE BY THE IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY, STATEHOUSE OBSERVERS IDENTIFY THE BUDGET WINNERS AND BUDGET LOSERS. AND IT'S NO SECRET THAT THE STATE UNIVERSITIES HAVE BEEN ON THE SHORT END OF THE PROCESS FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. SO ADJUSTMENTS HAVE TO BE MADE IN EACH OF THE OPERATING BUDGETS OF THE THREE INSTITUTIONS: THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA IN IOWA CITY, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY IN AMES, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA IN CEDAR FALLS. AND THAT INCLUDES THE ALWAYS HOT ISSUE OF TUITION INCREASES. BUT ADJUSTMENTS ARE BEING MADE AS THE PROSPECT FOR DOING MORE WITH LESS ON CAMPUS WILL BE PRESENT FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, AND TODAY WE DISCUSS THE LAY OF THAT LAND WITH DR. GREG GEOFFROY, PRESIDENT OF IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, NOW IN HIS FOURTH YEAR AS ISU'S CEO. DR. GEOFFROY, WELCOME BACK TO "IOWA PRESS." Geoffroy: GREAT TO BE BACK. HAPPY HOLIDAYS ALSO. Yepsen: THANK YOU. ALSO WITH US AT THE "IOWA PRESS" TABLE ARE KAY HENDERSON, NEWS DIRECTOR WITH "RADIO IOWA," AND MIKE GLOVER, SENIOR LEGISLATIVE AND POLITICAL REPORTER WITH THE "ASSOCIATED PRESS." Glover: PRESIDENT GEOFFROY, YOU HAVE JUST STRUCK, YOU BEING THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, A DEAL WITH THE REGENTS FOR A 4-PERCENT INCREASE IN TUITION IN EXCHANGE FOR AN ADDITIONAL $40 MILLION IN STATE APPROPRIATIONS. THAT NOW HAS TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE. IN THESE BUDGET TIMES, DO YOU THINK IT'S REALISTIC TO EXPECT A $40-MILLION INCREASE? Geoffroy: WELL, I THINK THE REQUEST IS REALISTIC. FIRST OF ALL, LET ME DESCRIBE IT. IT'S NOT A DEAL BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITIES AND THE REGENTS. IT'S BEEN PUT TOGETHER JOINTLY BY THE REGENTS WITH THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS. AND I THINK IT'S A VERY GOOD REQUEST OVERALL. ULTIMATELY THE LEGISLATURE WILL HAVE TO SET THEIR PRIORITIES AND DETERMINE HOW TO FUND THEIR PRIORITIES, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THE REGENTS UNIVERSITIES WERE, AS DAVID SAID, SEVERELY CUT IN SEVERAL ROUNDS OF BUDGET CUTS, THIS PLAN THAT THE REGENTS HAVE PUT FORWARD, IF FULLY FUNDED BY 2009, OUR BUDGETS WILL BE BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE IN 2001. SO THERE IS A LOT TO MAKE UP. Glover: AND I ASK THE QUESTION AGAINST THIS BACKDROP. THERE'S NO FEVER THAT I CAN SENSE AT THE STATEHOUSE TO INCREASE REVENUE, RAISE TAXES. REVENUES NEXT YEAR ARE GOING TO GROW BY ABOUT $157 MILLION, AND THERE'S ABOUT $500 MILLION IN SPENDING INCREASES ALREADY BUILT IN. THEY'RE LOOKING TO CUT BEFORE THEY EVEN START. SO HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY AN INCREASE? Geoffroy: WELL, WE SIMPLY HAVE TO GET IN THERE AND MAKE THE VERY BEST CASE THAT WE CAN. I THINK THERE ARE SEVERAL ARGUMENTS. FIRST OF ALL, THERE ARE SOME MUTUAL GOALS THAT ARE IMPORTANT. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK WE ALL HAVE THE SAME GOAL OF MODERATE AND PREDICTABLE TUITION INCREASES AND WE HAVE THE GOAL OF EXCELLENT AND EFFICIENT INSTITUTIONS, UNIVERSITIES. AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING TOWARD, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE LEGISLATURE WOULD LIKE TO SEE. OTHER STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE BEGINNING TO REINVEST IN HIGHER EDUCATION. IF IOWA DOESN'T KEEP PACE WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING ELSEWHERE, IT WILL HAVE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES DOWN THE ROAD, SO I THINK WE CAN MAKE A GOOD CASE FOR PUTTING HIGHER EDUCATION AS A PRIORITY. Henderson: IF BY JULY 1 YOU DON'T GET 40 MILLION, WILL YOU GO BACK TO STUDENTS AND SAY, HEY, PONY UP A LITTLE BIT MORE, WE'RE RAISING YOUR TUITION? Geoffroy: WELL, PART OF THE REGENTS' TUITION PROPOSAL IS OPENING THE DOOR FOR DISCUSSION OF A SUPPLEMENTAL TUITION INCREASE, WHICH WOULD OCCUR PROBABLY AROUND THE MAY TIME FRAME. AND AT THAT POINT, THE REGENTS WILL CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THEY SHOULD ADD A SUPPLEMENTAL TUITION INCREASE TO THAT 4 PERCENT. Glover: SO YOU TELL YOUR STUDENTS TO HEAD UP TO THE LEGISLATURE THIS WINTER TO DO A LITTLE LOBBYING ON THEIR OWN. Geoffroy: YOU BET. OUR STUDENTS ARE GETTING VERY ORGANIZED. WE HAVE 400 STUDENTS AT IOWA STATE IN AN ISU AMBASSADORS PROGRAM THAT WILL BE OUT NOT ONLY IN THE CAPITAL BUT IN THEIR LOCAL DISTRICTS ALL ACROSS IOWA. Yepsen: WELL, YOU KNOW, DR. GEOFFROY, AS I LOOK AT THE TUITION RATES AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITIES, FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND FOR YOUR INSTITUTION, EVEN WITH THE TUITION INCREASE, YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE RIGHT AT OR BELOW THE AVERAGE FOR YOUR PEER INSTITUTIONS, SO WHAT DO STUDENTS HAVE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT? Geoffroy: WELL, IT DEPENDS WHERE YOU COME FROM AS A STUDENT. IF YOU COME FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY, CERTAINLY THE TUITION INCREASES ARE AFFORDABLE. BUT IF YOU COME FROM A FARM FAMILY IN RURAL IOWA, THESE TUITIONS ARE HIGH. AND A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS GRADUATE WITH DEBT, LARGE DEBT IN SOME CASES. EVEN SO, THOUGH, HIGHER EDUCATION IS A GREAT INVESTMENT, AND IT'S THE BEST INVESTMENT A YOUNG PERSON AND THE FAMILY OF A YOUNG PERSON CAN MAKE. BUT IT'S STILL OBVIOUSLY VERY STRESSFUL TO SOME FAMILIES. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP HIGHER EDUCATION ACCESSIBLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE ALL THROUGHOUT IOWA, REGARDLESS OF THEIR FAMILY INCOME. Henderson: WELL, IS IT INDEED ACCESSIBLE OR HAVE YOU PRICED IT OUT OF THE REACH OF MANY MIDDLE AND LOWER INCOME FAMILIES IN IOWA? Geoffroy: I THINK IT'S ACCESSIBLE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE TUITION, WHAT IT IS, THE FINANCIAL AID OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOANS AND WORK STUDY ON CAMPUS, IT IS ACCESSIBLE. SOME STUDENTS DO GRADUATE WITH SIZABLE DEBT, AND THEY HAVE TO PAY THAT OFF. BUT IF THEY HAD THAT COLLEGE DEGREE, THEY WILL USUALLY GET A GOOD JOB AND THEY CAN FINANCE THAT OVER A YEAR OR TWO AFTERWARDS. Glover: PRESIDENT GEOFFROY, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME FAIRLY BIG ISSUES HERE AS THE MIDDLE CLASS BEING SQUEEZED OUT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOW DO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION PREPARE PEOPLE FOR WHAT'S A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORKPLACE, WHY IN THAT ENVIRONMENT ARE YOU SPENDING TIME AND ENERGY WORKING ABOUT VEISHEA? Geoffroy: WELL, I AM SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WORRYING ABOUT VEISHEA. IT'S A -- VEISHEA IS A VERY IMPORTANT TRADITION AT IOWA STATE, AND IT -- IT IMPACTS A LOT OF THINGS AT THE UNIVERSITY. THE REACH OF VEISHEA GOES FAR BEYOND THAT ONE DAY. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF AT IOWA STATE THAT I THINK MAKES OUR EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY IS HOW DEEPLY INVOLVED OUR STUDENTS ARE IN THE LIFE OF THE CAMPUS IN ALL SORTS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND ACTIVITIES. STUDENTS RUN VEISHEA. THEY RUN HOMECOMING. THEY RUN ENGINEERING WEEK. THEY RUN ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES. AND VEISHEA IS ALMOST THE UMBRELLA OF A LOT OF THAT, BECAUSE IT'S THE WAY A LOT OF CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS MAKE ALL OF THEIR MONEY THROUGH THINGS THAT THEY DO DURING VEISHEA WEEK THAT THEN SUPPORTS ALL OF THESE OTHER ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. ALL OF THOSE ACTIVITIES ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE STUDENTS LEARN LIFE SKILLS. THAT'S WHERE THEY GET LEADERSHIP SKILLS. THAT'S WHERE THEY GET SOCIAL SKILLS. THAT'S WHERE THEY BUILD TEAMWORK SKILLS AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. AND VEISHEA SORT OF OVER -- IS LIKE AN UMBRELLA OVER ALL OF THAT. SO IT'S A GREAT TRADITION. YOU KNOW, THE OFFICIAL VEISHEA IS WONDERFUL. IT'S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE OFFICIAL VEISHEA ENDS THAT'S THE PROBLEM. AND OUR CHALLENGE IS TO SEE IF WE CAN SEPARATE THOSE, KEEP THE GREAT PARTS, BUT WORK ON ADDRESSING THE ISSUES SURROUNDING THE PROBLEMATIC ONES. Glover: LOOK DOWN THE ROAD. WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO IT? Geoffroy: WELL, THE DECISION THAT I HAVE TO MAKE IS WILL IN APRIL OF 2006 BE SOMETHING THAT RESEMBLES VEISHEA AS WE'VE KNOWN IT IN THE PAST. THAT'S THE DECISION THAT I HAVE TO MAKE, AND I WILL MAKE THAT DECISION SOMETIME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS AND ANNOUNCE IT. BETWEEN NOW AND THEN, I'M GOING TO BE MEETING WITH PEOPLE, ANALYZING THOSE REPORTS, ET CETERA. Glover: WHAT'S YOUR THINKING? Geoffroy: I'M THINKING THAT VEISHEA IS A GREAT, GREAT TRADITION. THERE'S A LOT OF POSITIVE ASPECTS, BUT IN ORDER FOR ME TO REINSTATE VEISHEA, I HAVE TO HAVE A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE ISSUES THAT LEAD TO THOSE DISTURBANCES AND MINIMIZE THE PROBABILITY OF THOSE DISTURBANCES. I DON'T THINK I COULD EVER SAY WE'LL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER DISTURBANCE, BUT CAN WE DO THINGS THAT WILL MAKE IT LESS LIKELY THAT WE WILL HAVE RIOTS LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR. Yepsen: WELL, SPECIFICALLY, ANSWER YOUR OWN QUESTION. I MEAN THOSE STUDENTS ALSO ORGANIZE A LOT OF BEER PARTIES. HOW DO YOU BREAK THAT? HOW DO YOU STOP THAT? HOW DO YOU PUT AN END TO THAT? Geoffroy: WELL, IT'S NOT A VERY SIMPLE ISSUE. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLICATING -- OR COMPLEX FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. WE DO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ALCOHOL ISSUE. WE HAVE TO ADDRESS NUISANCE PARTIES AND HOW THOSE PARTIES ARE CONTROLLED, HOW THE UNIVERSITY, THE POLICE RESPOND TO THOSE SITUATIONS. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR US TO, AS A UNIVERSITY, TO CREATE AS MANY POSITIVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO BE ENGAGED IN OTHER KINDS OF ACTIVITIES. WE ALSO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHERE WE HAVE CERTAIN EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH VEISHEA, WHETHER BY HAVING THEM, FOR EXAMPLE, IN CAMPUSTOWN, IT'S CONCENTRATING STUDENTS IN AN AREA THAT COULD BECOME VERY VOLATILE. THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF ISSUES THAT HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED AS WE ADDRESS THAT. AND CLEARLY THOSE PARTIES, YOU KNOW, ARE A MAJOR FACTOR IN THIS. Glover: AS WE SIT HERE TODAY, DO YOU HAVE A LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE YOU NEED TO REINSTATE IT? Geoffroy: WELL, I'M NOT READY TO MAKE THAT DECISION TODAY, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF VERY, VERY GOOD RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORTS THAT HAVE BEEN GENERATED, IN THE CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH PEOPLE. AND I WILL DECIDE THAT IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. Henderson: THERE'S A LOT OF TALK AMONG POLICYMAKERS ABOUT DUPLICATION AT THE STATE'S PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES. THERE'S BEEN THAT TALK GOING ON FOR TWENTY, THIRTY YEARS. IS THERE DUPLICATION OR HAVE THE CUTS BEEN MADE DOWN TO THE BONE? DO YOU THINK THERE ARE AREAS WHERE DUPLICATION NEEDS TO END? Geoffroy: I THINK THE KEY IS UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION, IS THERE DUPLICATION THAT'S NOT REALLY NEEDED. AND ULTIMATELY THE PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO CARE ABOUT ARE THE STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS. AND TAKE BUSINESS, FOR EXAMPLE. EACH OF THE THREE UNIVERSITIES HAS A VERY STRONG BUSINESS COLLEGE. EACH HAS ABOUT 4,000 BUSINESS STUDENTS ENROLLED. IOWA NEEDS MORE BUSINESS GRADUATES, NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT. AND WOULD IOWA BE SERVED WELL IF WE CLOSED TWO OF THOSE DOWN? I DON'T THINK SO. COULD ONE UNIVERSITY HANDLE ALL OF THOSE STUDENTS? NO, NOT WITHOUT TAKING ALL THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AT THE OTHER TWO PLACES AND MOVING THEM THERE. SO THERE AREN'T EFFICIENCIES TO BE GAINED WITH BUSINESS, AND WE NEED THOSE PROGRAMS. I THINK IF YOU LOOK ACROSS THE BOARD AT THE KIND OF MERGING OF DEPARTMENTS THAT WE'VE DONE, MERGING OF COLLEGES, PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE ELIMINATED OVER THE LAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, WE HAVE REALLY FOCUSED ON WHERE WE COULD AND WHAT MADE SENSE TO STOP DUPLICATING PROGRAMS, AND I THINK WE'VE MADE PROGRESS. Henderson: HAS THIS BEEN A WASTED EFFORT? IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE AMERICAN STUDENTS ARE NOW COMPETING AGAINST STUDENTS FROM CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, SHOULDN'T THE ENERGY HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON WAYS IN WHICH TO ENHANCE THE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE AND CREATE NEW PROGRAMS? Geoffroy: WE ARE CONSTANTLY FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING EMERGING AREAS, AREAS WHERE THERE ARE NEEDS THAT ARE UNMET AND WHERE THERE ARE GREAT OPPORTUNITIES. ONE EXAMPLE IS A GREAT NEW PROGRAM THAT WE CREATED AT THE GRADUATE LEVEL CALLED HUMAN COMPUTER INTERACTION. IT'S THE INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE, WITH THE COMPUTATIONAL ENVIRONMENT. HUGE RAMIFICATIONS. WE HAVE STUDENTS IN THAT PROGRAM FROM ALL OVER CAMPUSES. IT'S VERY POPULAR. IT'S ATTRACTING VERY BRIGHT GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. BUT IT JUST ILLUSTRATES HOW WE'RE RESPONDING TO A NEW DIRECTION AND A CRITICAL NEED. Glover: ONE OF THE AREAS THAT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN TERMS OF DUPLICATION IS PUBLIC BROADCASTING. EACH OF THE THREE UNIVERSITIES HAS THEIR OWN KIND OF ALMOST AUTONOMOUS PUBLIC BROADCASTING SYSTEM. PUT YOURSELF IN THE POSITION OF A LISTENER. HOW WILL A LISTENER BENEFIT IF THOSE PROGRAMS ARE MERGED? Geoffroy: I THINK THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT THE LISTENER CAN BENEFIT. FIRST OF ALL, I THINK THAT PROGRAMMING OVERALL CAN BE IMPROVED BECAUSE OF MORE EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES THAT WOULD RESULT FROM COMBINING THOSE THREE STATIONS. THE INTENT IS TO CREATE A SINGLE ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATION AND A SINGLE FUND-RAISING ORGANIZATION BUT THAT WILL WORK WITH THE LOCAL LOYALTIES, STILL KEEP THE STATION IDENTITIES BUT HAVE THEM ALL WORK TOGETHER, COORDINATE TOGETHER. INSTEAD OF SIGNING THREE SEPARATE CONTRACTS WITH PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION, SIGN ONE CONTRACT. THERE ARE WAYS TO SHARE MORE EFFICIENTLY CLASSICAL MUSIC PROGRAMMING, JAZZ PROGRAMMING, ET CETERA, OVER THOSE STATIONS. AND I THINK OVERALL, LISTENERS WILL BENEFIT FROM REALLY IMPROVED PUBLIC RADIO ACROSS THE STATE AND MORE EFFICIENT AND I THINK GREATER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRIVATE FUND-RAISING. Glover: AT THE BOTTOM LINE, WILL YOU SAVE MONEY DOING THAT? Geoffroy: I DEFINITELY BELIEVE WE WILL. AND PART OF THE PLAN IS OVER A NUMBER OF YEARS TO GRADUALLY REDUCE THE STATE SUPPORT THAT COMES THROUGH OUR BUDGETS FOR THOSE STATIONS, AND I THINK WE'LL BE SUCCESSFUL DOING THAT. Yepsen: ANYTIME YOU MERGE AN ORGANIZATION IN GOVERNMENT OR BUSINESS, YOU MAKE THE EMPLOYEES NERVOUS. SO ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT LAYOFFS HERE? Geoffroy: EVENTUALLY THERE PROBABLY WILL BE SOME STAFF POSITIONS ELIMINATED. I THINK WE'LL GO THROUGH THAT VERY CAREFULLY IN A VERY COORDINATED WAY. BUT AS YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WAY YOU REALLY SAVE MONEY IS THROUGH ELIMINATING POSITIONS IN THE LONG RUN. BUT I THINK WE CAN DO THAT IN A VERY COORDINATED WAY AND STILL IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF SERVICE. Yepsen: WHY DOES STATE GOVERNMENT HAVE TO BE IN THIS BUSINESS AT ALL? Geoffroy: WELL, I THINK THERE'S BENEFITS TO THE INSTITUTIONS TO BEING INVOLVED WITH PUBLIC RADIO. CERTAINLY IT'S AN IMPORTANT MARKETING FOR THE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT THOSE PROGRAMS EMANATING FROM IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, AND THEY FEATURE SOME OF OUR FACULTY EXPERTS. SO THERE'S BENEFIT TO THE INSTITUTION AND, PLUS, BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE UNIVERSITY THAT WE ARE, WE PROVIDE UNBIASED OPINIONS ON IMPORTANT TOPICS. Henderson: YOU'VE BEEN ON THIS PROGRAM BEFORE, AND WE'VE ASKED ABOUT THE ISSUE OF ODOR IN RURAL IOWA AND ASKED WHY IOWA STATE HASN'T BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF RESEARCH IN THIS MANNER. CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE AFTER OUR PAST QUESTIONS. IS NOW IOWA STATE LEADING THE WAY IN TERMS OF HELPING RURAL RESIDENTS DEAL WITH THIS PROBLEM? Geoffroy: THE HOG ODOR PROBLEM IS A RESEARCH AREA THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON QUITE A BIT OVER THE YEARS BECAUSE OF ITS IMPORTANCE TO IOWA. IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE AS YOU KNOW. AS LONG AS SWINE MAKE MANURE, THERE'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE AN ODOR. BUT THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT WE COMMUNICATE WIDELY THAT CAN MINIMIZE THE ODOR PROBLEMS AND MANAGE IT BETTER. CERTAINLY THE DIET CAN INFLUENCE THE OVERALL ODOR. BUT I THINK MOST IMPORTANTLY IS HOW THE MANURE IS MANAGED: HOW IT'S STORED; HOW IT'S APPLIED; HOW IT'S MOVED AROUND. AND WE'VE BEEN DISSEMINATING VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION IN THAT AREA. Henderson: BUT WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEEN POLICY LEADERS SAYING THIS IS THE WAY FARMERS SHOULD DO IT, THIS IS WHAT STATE LEGISLATORS SHOULD DO IN REGARDS TO ENSURING THAT THIS AFFLUENT DOESN'T MAKE ITS WAY INTO OUR STATE'S GROUNDWATER POLLUTION? WHY HAVEN'T YOU BEEN MORE OF AN ADVOCATE FOR THE RIGHT METHODS, FOR THE RIGHT POLICIES AT THE STATE LEVEL? Geoffroy: WE DO ADVOCATE VERY STRONGLY WITH PRODUCERS, WITH HOG FARMERS ABOUT THE MOST APPROPRIATE WAYS TO MANAGE THE MANURE PROBLEM AND THE BEST WAY TO HOUSE SWINE. IT'S OFTEN A BALANCE BETWEEN ECONOMICS AND WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH TO TAKE. AND THE FARMERS, THEY HAVE TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS. Henderson: SO ARE THERE CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT SHOULD BE MADE IN TERMS OF REGULATIONS FOR HOG CONFINEMENTS TO MAKE THEM BE MANAGED IN A WAY THAT THIS ODOR IS CONTROLLED IN A BETTER MANNER? Geoffroy: I'M NOT A POLICYMAKER AND SO I CAN'T -- Henderson: BUT YOU ADVISE THEM. Geoffroy: OUR FACULTY AND STAFF ADVISE THEM ON ISSUES LIKE THAT, AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ROLE OF UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STAFF. AND ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, THE LAWMAKERS HAVE TO MAKE THOSE POLICY DECISIONS AND, OF COURSE, THEY GET INPUT FROM MANY DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES. Yepsen: WELL, DR. GEOFFROY, WE HAD THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE DOWN ONE DAY FOR A CHAT, AND SHE TOLD US THAT THE RESOURCES BEING DEVOTED TO HOG ODOR IS VERY LIMITED, SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT SHE REALLY NEEDS TO DO RESEARCH AND IS NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO THE LEGISLATURE AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT. WHY ISN'T IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY PRESENTING TO THE PEOPLE OF IOWA A PROGRAM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT HOG ODOR AND A PRICE TAG? Geoffroy: IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN VERY AGGRESSIVE WORKING ON THE HOG ODOR PROBLEM. OUR COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE DOES DEVOTE CONSIDERABLE RESOURCES TO THAT ISSUE. IT'S NOT -- IF THERE WERE A STRAIGHTFORWARD SOLUTION AND AN OBVIOUS THING TO DO TO GET THERE, YOU COULD BET WE'D BE ON THE FRONTIERS OF DOING THAT. BUT THE HOG ODOR PROBLEM IS A VERY COMPLEX PROBLEM, AND YOU HAVE TO WORK ON IT AND THE VARIOUS DIFFERENT COMPONENTS. AND ALL OF THEM TOGETHER CONTRIBUTE TO HELPING ADDRESS AND IMPROVE THE PROBLEM. Yepsen: ONE LAST QUESTION, HOW MUCH LONGER DO THE PEOPLE OF IOWA HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THIS PROBLEM BEFORE YOUR PEOPLE COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS? Geoffroy: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S -- I THINK AS LONG AS YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE HOGS, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE ODORS. YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET AWAY FROM THAT. WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IS -- WHAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO DO IS DEVELOP THE APPROPRIATE POLICIES TO MANAGE THOSE ODOR ISSUES, THE LOCATION OF THE FACILITIES. IT REQUIRES APPROPRIATE MONITORING AND MANAGEMENT APPROACHES TO MINIMIZE THE HOG ODOR PROBLEM. Glover: LET'S BROADEN THE QUESTION OUT A LITTLE BIT. YOU'RE RUNNING A LAND GRANT INSTITUTION IN ONE OF THE NATION'S PREMIERE AGRICULTURE STATES. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE RESEARCH COMPONENT AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY? ARE YOU A LEADER IN AGRICULTURE RESEARCH? ARE YOU SETTING THE STANDARD FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AROUND THE WORLD? Geoffroy: YOU BET WE ARE. IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY HAS ONE OF THE TOP COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE IN THE NATION, AND THAT'S MEASURED BY BOTH EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND, THIRDLY, BY EXTENSION. THE PLANT SCIENCES, WE ARE PROBABLY THE BEST PLACE IN THE WORLD NOW FOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION IN THE PLANT SCIENCES. ANIMAL SCIENCES IS BROADLY DEFINED. AGRICULTURE ENGINEERING, AGRICULTURE ECONOMICS, IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY IS ONE OF THE NATION'S LEADERS IN THOSE AREAS. Glover: AND I'D LIKE TO GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO ADDRESS A CRITICISM THAT I OFTEN HEAR OF THE RESEARCH COMPONENT AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY, THAT IT'S LARGELY DRIVEN BY THE INDUSTRY, IT'S LARGELY FINANCED BY THE INDUSTRY, DICTATED BY THE INDUSTRY. RESPOND TO THAT. Geoffroy: I THINK ABOUT 2 TO 3 PERCENT OF THE RESEARCH SUPPORT DOLLARS FOR RESEARCH IN THE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE COME FROM INDUSTRIAL SOURCES. IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW ANYONE COULD SAY THAT THAT'S BEING DRIVEN BY INDUSTRY. MUCH OF THE RESEARCH IS SUPPORTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THROUGH THE STATE APPROPRIATIONS. AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT INFLUENCED BY CORPORATE INTEREST. Henderson: LET'S TALK ABOUT RESEARCH ACROSS ALL DISCIPLINES AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY. HAS IT BEEN HAMPERED IN ANY WAY BY THE PATRIOT ACT AND RESTRICTIONS ON FOREIGN STUDENTS WHO COME HERE TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE AND ALSO TO SHARE? Geoffroy: IT'S BEEN HAMPERED BY A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WHO COME TO THE UNITED STATES. THAT'S OCCURRING ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES, NOT JUST IOWA. AND IT'S BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS OBTAINING VISAS AND GETTING INTO THE COUNTRY. THAT'S BEGINNING TO IMPROVE. THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAS -- IS AWARE OF CONCERNS AND ISSUES THAT HAVE FACED UNIVERSITIES, AND THEY'RE WORKING ON IMPROVING THE VISA PROCEDURES. BUT WE HAVE SEEN NATIONWIDE ABOUT A 25-PERCENT DROP IN APPLICATIONS FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL FROM INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS. Glover: AND WE'VE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT THE SORT OF BAR ECONOMICALLY THAT STUDENTS FACE GETTING INTO UNIVERSITIES. THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE LEVEL OF ACADEMIC STANDARDS THAT OUGHT TO BE SET FOR GETTING INTO AN IOWA UNIVERSITY. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE ACADEMIC STANDARDS YOU IMPOSE ON YOUR INCOMING STUDENTS? DO YOU CONTEMPLATE CHANGES? Geoffroy: WE ARE VERY PLEASED WITH THE QUALITY OF STUDENTS THAT COME TO IOWA STATE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OVERALL HOW WELL THOSE STUDENTS ARE PREPARED, HOW WELL THEY DO WHEN THEY GET TO IOWA STATE, WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH THAT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE'S NOT ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. YOU KNOW, MY ADVICE TO ANY YOUNG PERSON WHO IS IN HIGH SCHOOL THINKING OF GOING TO COLLEGE, TAKE FOUR YEARS OF ENGLISH, TAKE THREE YEARS OF CORE SCIENCES, TAKE AT LEAST THREE YEARS OF MATHEMATICS AND, IF YOU CAN, GET SOME A.P. COURSES. Yepsen: IS IT TIME FOR THE STATE OF IOWA TO REQUIRE THAT? Geoffroy: I THINK, ULTIMATELY, MY ADVICE WOULD BE FOR EVERY SCHOOL DISTINCT TO DEVELOP REQUIREMENTS LIKE THAT. Yepsen: BUT THEY'RE NOT DOING THAT AND THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DOING THAT. SO MY QUESTION, SIR, IS SHOULD THE STATE OF IOWA START IMPOSING THIS STANDARD FOR A CHANGE? Geoffroy: I WOULD LIKE TO SEE VERY, VERY STRONG COLLEGE PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS, AND THOSE ARE CERTAINLY THE REQUIREMENTS THAT I THINK ANY YOUNG PERSON WHO WANTS TO GO TO COLLEGE SHOULD REALLY TRY TO ACHIEVE: THREE YEARS OF SCIENCE, THREE YEARS OF MATH, FOUR YEARS OF ENGLISH. Glover: AND WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ERA WHEN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE SORT OF WAY YOU PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE JOB MARKET IS CHANGING. I KNOW PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT THEY FIGURE THE JOB THEY'RE GOING TO RETIRE IN PROBABLY HASN'T BEEN INVENTED YET. ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO ANTICIPATE CHANGES IN THE WORKPLACE IN BOTH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION SUCH AS YOURS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, HIGH SCHOOLS? IS THE EDUCATION SYSTEM MATCHING UP WITH THE WORKPLACE? Geoffroy: ACTUALLY I THINK IT IS. I THINK IT IS VERY WELL. WHAT YOU SAID IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. YOUNG PEOPLE CAN EXPECT TO CHANGE CAREERS, CHANGE JOBS A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE THEY RETIRE. IT'S SIMPLY THE WAY -- A FACT OF LIFE THESE DAYS. AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT IN COLLEGE IS TO GAIN THAT, FIRST OF ALL, GOOD GENERAL EDUCATION. LEARN HOW TO LEARN BECAUSE IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE, YOU HAVE TO LEARN THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE LIFE, THROUGHOUT YOUR ENTIRE CAREER, AND GAIN THOSE IMPORTANT LIFE SKILLS: COMMUNICATION SKILLS, LEADERSHIP SKILLS, TEAMWORK SKILLS, SOCIAL SKILLS. IF YOU GET SKILLED IN THOSE FOUR YEARS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL NO MATTER WHAT YOUR FIELD IS, WHATEVER YOUR CAREER IS. Henderson: DR. DAVID SKORTON, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, RECENTLY HEADED UP A WORKING GROUP THAT WAS GIVEN THE GOAL OF COMING UP WITH CHANGES FOR THE MEDICAID SYSTEM. THE STATE'S MEDICAID SYSTEM IS IN CRISIS AND DEEPLY IN DEBT. THEIR NUMBER ONE RECOMMENDATION WAS TO RAISE TAXES. HAS DR. SKORTON, BY LEADING THAT GROUP AND ADVOCATING RAISING TAXES, HURT YOUR CAUSE AS BOARD OF REGENTS INSTITUTIONS WITH REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS WHO PRIVATELY AND VERY PUBLICLY HAVE BEEN CRITICIZING THAT GROUP? Geoffroy: I DON'T THINK SO. I HAVE SEEN PERSONALLY NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE THAT. I REALIZE THAT'S A CONTROVERSIAL OPINION. DAVID IS VERY, VERY COMMITTED TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE, AND I APPLAUD THEM FOR THAT. OF COURSE, THE ISSUE IS HOW TO FUND IT. Glover: PRESIDENT GEOFFROY, I'D LIKE YOU TO GO BACK AND ADDRESS A BASIC -- MAYBE A QUESTION THAT WE'VE NOT ASKED HERE AND MAYBE WE SHOULD. EVERYONE OPERATES ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT A TAX INCREASE IS BAD, THAT A TAX INCREASE IS NOT TO BE DISCUSSED. IS IT TIME TO HAVE IN THIS STATE A DEBATE ABOUT FUNDING INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS HIGHER EDUCATION, SUCH AS HEALTH CARE, AND SAY WE NEED TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE WANT TO BE A GOOD STATE, LET'S RAISE TAXES AND DO IT. IS IT TIME TO HAVE THAT DEBATE? Geoffroy: I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A STATEWIDE DEBATE ON WHAT THE APPROPRIATE TAX STRUCTURE IS IN IOWA. ULTIMATELY, THE GOAL SHOULD BE TO HAVE A TAX STRUCTURE THAT MAKES IOWA ECONOMICALLY COMPETITIVE AND THAT TAKES CARE OF ITS CITIZENS AND PREPARES ITS CITIZENS FOR SUCCESS. I'M NOT A TAX EXPERT. I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT THE BEST STRUCTURE IS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THAT DEBATE. Yepsen: I WANT TO GO BACK TO A RESEARCH QUESTION. SOYBEAN RUST IS A NEW TERM WE'RE STARTING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT. IT'S IN ARKANSAS. IT BASICALLY WIPES OUT A SOYBEAN CROP. IT'S GOING TO BE HERE. WHAT'S IOWA STATE GOING TO DO TO HELP? Geoffroy: IT'S A BIG PROBLEM AND IT'S GOING TO BE HERE VERY, VERY QUICKLY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF FACULTY MEMBERS RIGHT NOW WHO ARE -- RIGHT AT THE CUTTING EDGE OF WORK ON SOYBEAN RUST. THERE ARE PEOPLE WORKING ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY IN THAT AREA TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO SOYBEAN RUST, BUT THERE'S NOTHING ON THE HORIZON AT THE MOMENT THAT LOOKS LIKE A SOLUTION. WE'RE HIRING TWO ADDITIONAL FACULTY MEMBERS. WE'RE PUTTING RESOURCES INTO THAT AREA BECAUSE IT'S OBVIOUSLY SO IMPORTANT FOR IOWA. THE GOOD NEWS IS, IF THERE IS A GOOD NEWS IN THIS, IS THAT THE SPORES OF SOYBEAN RUST CANNOT SURVIVE A FREEZE AND SO THEY WILL NOT SURVIVE IN IOWA OVER THE WINTER. THEY ARE BLOWN IN EACH YEAR FROM -- WOULD BE BLOWN IN EACH YEAR FROM STATES THAT DON'T HAVE THOSE FREEZING TEMPERATURES. AND SO WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS THAT SOME YEARS IT WILL BE WORSE THAN OTHER YEARS, DEPENDING ON THE WIND PATTERNS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ACTUALLY DO VERY WELL IS MODEL THOSE PATTERNS, AND SO WE CAN PROVIDE SOME PREDICABILITY BUT, ULTIMATELY, IS TO DEVELOP SOME PLANT SOLUTION THAT WILL MAKE PLANTS RESISTANT TO THE RUST. Yepsen: SO WE PRAY FOR COLD, NORTHERLY WINDS. Geoffroy: I SUPPOSE. Glover: WHAT'S THE TOP RESEARCH ISSUE FACING AGRICULTURE TODAY, IF YOU HAD TO SAY THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE NEED TO BE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW? Geoffroy: I'D SAY OVERALL PROVING THAT GENETICALLY MODIFIED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS ARE SAFE FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION. Glover: THAT'S AN EDUCATIONAL MISSION, NOT A RESEARCH MISSION. Geoffroy: THERE ARE RESEARCH COMPONENTS -- VERY VAST RESEARCH COMPONENTS TO A TOPIC LIKE THAT. IT'S ALSO CLEARLY EDUCATIONAL. BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK IF YOU THINK OF THE LONG-TERM FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE WORLDWIDE, THAT IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC. Yepsen: DR. GEOFFROY, WE'RE OUT OF TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING DOWN AND BEING WITH US TODAY. WE APPRECIATE THAT. Geoffroy: GOOD TO BE HERE. Yepsen: NOW, ON OUR NEXT EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS," OUR TEAM OF POLITICAL AND LEGISLATIVE REPORTERS GATHERS HERE TO DISCUSS THE TOP NEWS EVENTS OF THE PAST YEAR. IT'S OUR YEAR-ENDING REPORTERS ROUNDTABLE, OUR HEADLINE REVIEW, AS DEAN BORG, MIKE GLOVER, KAY HENDERSON, AND JENEANE BECK JOIN ME TO REVIEW THE YEAR BEHIND US AND LOOK AT WHAT'S TO COME. WE RETURN NEXT WEEK AT OUR REGULAR AIRTIMES: FRIDAY AT 7:30 AND SUNDAY AT NOON. AND AS WE CLOSE THIS EDITION OF "IOWA PRESS," ALL OF US HERE ON THE "IOWA PRESS" CREW WISH YOU AND YOURS THE HAPPIEST OF HOLIDAY SEASONS. I'M DAVID YEPSEN OF "THE DES MOINES REGISTER." THANKS FOR JOINING US. |
|
