Regents to name dean to fill U. slot

The State Board of Regents is expected to announce Monday the appointment of Dr. Lorris Betz as the interim president of the University of Utah.

Senate Majority Whip John Valentine, R-Orem, confirmed Friday the appointment of Betz, who was chosen by the regents.

Regents Chairman Nolan Karras and Commissioner of Higher Education Richard Kendell are expected to make a formal announcement at the U. Board of Trustees meeting Monday.

"I've had some very positive experiences with Dr. Betz," Valentine said. "He's a very capable administrator."

Current President Bernie Machen is leaving for the University of Florida in January. Regents have held off naming an interim president because Machen indicated in October he intended to stay as president through December.

It has been "custom" throughout Utah not to hire interim presidents as permanent replacements, but there is no policy or statute that says Betz is not allowed to become the next U. president.

"I would encourage the Board of Regents to look beyond custom and consider this individual as a potential candidate," Valentine said.

Betz is currently the U.'s senior vice president for health sciences and dean of the School of Medicine, pulling down about $397,000 in annual salary.

Machen's salary is $271,000 plus $20,000 annually he receives from being on a bank board. There are other financial perks.

Machen will also have received an average of $30,000 a year during his first five years through proceeds from the John R. Park endowment, which he chairs. For his sixth and final year as president, he'll get another $40,000 or $50,000 from the endowment. A stipulation to receiving that money was that he stay president of the U. for at least five years.

Machen also received an additional $50,000 a year starting in 2001 as a means of making his salary more competitive. That money came from private donations made to the university.

"It's not intended that this supplement will be available to future presidents," said Dave Buhler, Utah System of Higher Education associate commissioner of public affairs. Buhler was unable to release the names of the private donors.

Since Betz makes more than Machen, it's likely his salary would not change. Anyone coming in under Machen's salary would probably see a bump in pay, Buhler said.

Neither Karras nor Kendell would comment Friday on Betz's appointment, choosing instead to wait until Monday's meeting at the U. Betz also declined to comment.

As of Friday morning, no letter of commitment had been signed by anyone, and any deal to hire an interim president was still under negotiation, according to Buhler.

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