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Iowa Regents To Audit ISU Plane Use

Dean Borg/IPR file photo
ISU President Steven Leath addresses the Board of Regents this morning

The Iowa Board of Regents has authorized an extensive audit of  the use of ISU-owned aircraft.  The board opened its meeting in Cedar Falls today by receiving a preliminary audit report of the three state universities’ travel policies. 

The Board’s audit committee chairman, Marshalltown attorney Larry McKibben, submitted a motion for expanding the audit.  Board president Bruce Rastetter said in the interest of openness and transparency, the audit should cover each individual flight ISU Flight Service has operated since Leath became ISU president in 2012.  Leath has a pilots license.  Interest in Leath’s use of the planes has grown since reports surfaced earlier this year that an ISU plane had been damaged during one of his flights.

“I think one of the things that is so important is that we have transparency on that,” Rastetter said.  “Whatever the issues are, they are, rather than try to read about them in the paper or us trying to interpret them individually or make calls on it, that that be included.”

Rastetter says the Regents will be receiving the expanded audit report at a special meeting later this year.

Prior to the meeting, Regent Sabhash Sahai of Webster City apologized to Leath for a comment Sahai made last week that he expected Leath to “come clean” at today’s meeting.  Sahai told Leath fellow regent McKibben had admonished him.

“Regent McKibben told me this morning, maybe even reprimanded me, for saying “coming clean,” he told Leath.  “My intent was not in any way, shape, or form to insinuate that you did something wrong. But I still had many questions, and I continue to have those questions and I hope you’ll be able to answer them in the time to come.  I don’t like the spotlight next to you in the papers all the time. I hate it with a passion.”

Leath responded that he doesn’t like the spotlight either, and pledged better future communication with the Regents.