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It’s official! On Aug. 1 female biologist Sally Mason will become the next president of the University of Iowa.
This marks the fourth announcement of a new leader at the university in the past 20 years. Perhaps that’s the reason Mason is receiving $100,000 more per year than her predecessor.
A letter from the Iowa Board of Regents outlining the terms of Mason’s contract indicates she will receive a $450,000 base salary, roughly $128,000 more than what she currently receives as provost at Purdue. It also tops $150,000 more than what the university’s last president, David Skorton, was paid. He left Iowa to lead Cornell University, where he is paid $675,000.
In addition to the base salary, Mason has the option of earning $50,000 a year in bonuses for meeting performance goals. The specific goals, however, are not outlined in the letter. Mason and the regents will sit down together in the coming weeks to hammer them out. Regardless, the $50,000 bonus for next year is guaranteed.
Mason, 57, has the distinction of a joint appointment as a professor in the university’s biology department. She has the option of continuing in that position after leaving her presidential post. If she exercises the option, she will earn 60 percent of her existing salary.
“I have heard it said that the next president of the University of Iowa will be on a steep learning curve,” Mason said after being named as the next president. “I agree. But I am not afraid of heights. And having spent my entire career in higher education, I know how to learn.”
Mason is known nationally as a leading spokesperson for American higher education. In addition to serving as provost, she is a distinguished researcher and teacher, specializing in developmental biology and cell biology.
“I’m very impressed with President Mason,” said Sen. Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville. “She hit all the high notes in terms of Iowa as a university of hope. I think she is an excellent choice, and I’m looking forward to returning Iowa to being one of the nation’s top 10 public research universities.”
Mason will be the second woman to serve as president of the University of Iowa. She was the first woman to serve as provost for Purdue and has been there since July 2001. Before that, she was at the University of Kansas for 21 years as a dean, professor and department chair.
Additional detailed biographical information on Mason can be found by visiting the previous post on her appointment.
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