Some University of Iowa faculty say they're concerned about potential conflicts of interests resulting from ties between Iowa Board of Regents members and the state's largest health insurance company.

Four current or former regents have served on the board of directors of Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, which pays millions in benefits yearly to University Hospitals, the 762-bed hospital that is part of the U of I. Regents professionally linked to the insurance industry seem to have heightened interest in the hospital, faculty members said.

"I don't think it's wise to have such great representation of the insurance industry on the board," said Katherine Tachau, a U of I history professor. "That tends to make situations of the academic hospital loom larger than they would otherwise."

The regents voted Nov. 17 to reject four finalists for the U of I presidency, saying the candidates did not have enough health science experience. The move shocked the U of I community and spurred widespread speculation that Iowa's powerful insurance industry is exerting influence over the presidential search as a way to better control University Hospitals.