During his campaign for the governorship, democratic candidate Jack Hatch was invited by the University of Northern Iowa to speak at a forum held in Maucker Union Ballroom C Thursday afternoon.

Hatch focused his opening remarks on the importance of early childhood education and higher education. 

“We know and acknowledge that the three state universities are our greatest three resources,” Hatch said. “There’s a lot of love between you and, sometimes, discourse.”

The three-person forum panel included Donna Hoffman, political science department head, Mary Harring, associate dean and Kevin Gartman, Northern Iowa Student Government president.

Hatch said he did not approve of the performance-based funding recently proposed by the Board of Regents because it forces the three state universities to compete against each other, rather than competing against out-of-state institutions.

“We are sadly entering an era where our regent universities are going to be forced to focus on how to compete for state resources and not solely focused on how to prepare our students for the world-class occupations [we’re preparing them for],” Hatch said.

Hatch argued our state universities should be focused on embracing their missions as universities and spend more time and resources on marketing those missions.

The candidate also proposed a chancellorship which would be appointed by the governor and recommended by the Regents. This position would provide administrative coordination among the three universities and allow each president to focus on and carry out the universities’ missions.

“Too often, individual regent members ask for special favors [of the presidents],” Hatch said.

Hatch, who struggled with reading in his early schooling years, said current Gov. Terry Branstad has cut funding to “virtually every early childhood program we have.”

“I already supported Hatch before hearing this, but this solidifies it, you know, because the goals he put forward were so clear and straightforward and just common sense,” said Abby Gardyasz, freshman art studio major.

The one thing Gardyasz didn’t agree with was Hatch’s stance on the Common Core. Hatch supports the Common Core. Gardyasz said she believes teachers should have more control over what goes on in the classroom.

“Hearing someone other than Terry Branstad is really refreshing,” Gardyasz said. “He was elected years and years ago and we still have him . . . It’s just common sense stuff.”