New University of Iowa President, Sally Mason, agrees with those who say she faces a steep learning curve, but Mason says she’s not afraid of heights. Mason says having spent her entire career in education, she knows how to learn.
Mason says she plans to meet with faculty, staff and students, and has already started. Mason says she also plans to meet with alumni, state and community leaders, and will travel throughout the state to "learn what the University of Iowa can do for our rural towns and major cities."
Mason was asked the most important thing she brings that the university needs. Mason says the passion for the job and the excitement for the future along with her experience are key things she brings to the job. The first group of finalists for the job were dismissed after the Board of Regents said they didn’t have enough background in the health sciences needed to oversee the university hospitals and clinics.
Mason was asked Thursday about her background in the health sciences, and says as provost at Purdue University, she had some experience in the area. "I have a lot to learn however," Mason says. Mason says she’s been in contact with the C-E-O of the hospital and expects to meet with him very soon. Mason begins her new job on August 1st.