Pay For U Of Iowa Leader's Spouse Defended

The president of the Iowa state Board of Regents on Monday defended the University of Iowa’s decision to pay Ken Mason for his work as a “presidential fundraiser.”

The statement comes one day after The Des Moines Register reported that Mason, husband of U of I President Sally Mason, receives about $54,000 in compensation annually via the University of Iowa Foundation to attend fund-raising events on behalf of the school.

Mason also serves as a lecturer in the university’s biology department, and his total annual salary is more than $107,000.

“As a spouse, Ken’s daily schedule, including teaching, is very demanding as he is expected to attend almost every event on campus with President Mason,” Lang said in a statement released late Monday. “…Ken is an invaluable partner to President Mason and the university community, helping to raise over $800 million for the university since their arrival in 2007.”