The search for a new president at the University of Iowa is complete, and the costs are still rolling in.

The cost of the search for someone to succeed Sally Mason as UI president sits at slightly more than $308,000, with around $200,000 in consulting services to the Parker Executive Search firm.

The rest of the fees came from travel, food and beverages, motor-vehicle rentals, publication costs, services provided by the UI, and more.

“It was more than the two previous searches at Iowa State and UNI,” said Josh Lehman, senior communications director for the Board of Regents. “Each of the institutions are different, though; all three — UI, UNI, and ISU — differ in size and mission.”

The regents contracted with Parker for over twice as much as the searches at ISU and UNI.

“The Board of Regents was very happy with Parker’s work on the previous two presidential searches and selected Parker to assist the board with this search as well,” Lehman said. “The search process and the demands for each of those searches are unique so the costs are different.”

 “This search is also a few years later, so expenses, working conditions, available candidates differ,” Lehman said. “All of these factors impact the cost of the search.”

Even with the project being budgeted for, the cost could potentially go up even more.

“There could be more proceeds sent in; we don’t know for sure,” Lehman said. “We’ll see that going forward.”

— by Alex Kramer