Editor’s note: Noah Hackbart currently serves as the Director of Governmental Relations for Northern Iowa Student Government.
In two days of packed meetings, the Board of Regents, the governing body of the regent institutions, had their September gathering the 27th and 28th at the Levitt Center for University Advancement on the University of Iowa campus.
On Wednesday morning, the regents began with the Property and Facilities Committee. Giving the report for UNI was Assistant Vice President and Director of Facilities Management, Michael Zwanziger. One notable number was UNI’s deferred maintenance backlog—maintenance that has been postponed—which currently sits at a staggering $230 million.
“Our deferred maintenance has grown at a higher rate over the past ten years as the rate of reinvestment has slowed,” Zwanziger said. “The widening gap between the funding and completion of these major capital projects is what’s driving our deferred maintenance liability higher.”
However, when it comes to capital requests, Zwanziger mentioned that UNI’s two major asks are for funding to finish the new Applied Engineering Building and various maintenance tasks around campus including Curris Business Building, Strayer-Wood Theatre and the Wellness and Recreation Center. Zwanziger also mentioned projects currently underway. He did not address the status of the historic West Gym, which has sat empty for over two months now due to structural concerns.
Next up was the newly combined Free Speech and Student Affairs Committee where, according to Regent Greta Rouse, “Every two years, in accordance with board policy, the Free Speech and Student Affairs Committee is tasked with reviewing first amendment training and free speech policies to identify areas for improvement.” Representatives from each university gave updates on how this work is being institutionalized on campus and in classrooms. For UNI, Chief of Staff to President Nook, Oksana Grybovych Hafermann, spoke about the work being done with faculty members, within orientation practices and procedures to keep the first amendment at top of mind. Hafermann mentioned that new faculty members are required to take a course when hired regarding free speech and in November, all staff will be taking time to go over this topic. Students, on the other hand, have courses on Blackboard and in their classes that cover free speech training and concepts.
Vice President for Student Life, Heather Harbach, also gave a report to the regents regarding increased student involvement on campus and the new TELUS app, which provides mental health services to students 24/7 online. This new app, available to all part and full time students, is being paid for by student fees. Dr. Harbach also mentioned an increase in utilization of student services with the Wellness and Recreation Center, Maucker Union and various Campus Activities Board events. The regents also approved of a number of program terminations at the University of Iowa and ISU during the academic affairs committee and Provost Jose Herrera did not give a report or speak during this time for UNI.
The later part of the day covered investment, finance and audit committees. However, things did not end smoothly on Wednesday for the Board of Regents. They were forced to adjourn early as protestors for the University of Iowa Graduate Student Union stormed the chambers, chanting, holding signs and requesting a 25% increase in wages as the general cost of living has been moving up in Johnson County over the last ten years. The regents livestream can be seen abruptly cutting off as chants grew throughout the Levitt Center for University Advancement. President Pro Tempore Bates was forced to call a recess. Chalk messages could also be seen on the steps and sidewalk leading up to the building sharing messages of support for graduate student wage increases.
Thursday, day two, was calm and routine for regents. It began with reports from the institutions’ presidents. During his report, UNI President Mark Nook covered enrollment numbers, graduation rates and the state appropriations request. The appropriations request is for $5.8 million for tuition differentiation as a regional comprehensive university, $2.5 million for Educators for Iowa, and $500,000 for UNI’s community college partnership program to replace expiring federal dollars.
Editors note: The appropriations request is for Educators for Iowa, not specifically for the College of Eduction.
“Recognize that what we are asking for is to support that next generation of leadership, that next generation of people who care about this state, who will build this state, who will build their communities. That’s where these dollars go,” Nook said in his closing remarks.
The board’s total appropriations request for FY 2025 comes in at $619 million with an amendment offered by Regent Crow to add $1 million for increased funding for mental health services and resources to be split between the institutions. This, along with the entire request, passed the Iowa Board of Regents by a unanimous roll call vote and will be up for consideration by the Iowa Legislature and Governor’s office during the spring 2024 legislative session.
The next meeting of the Board of Regents will be held on the University of Northern Iowa campus on Nov. 15 and 16. Notably, this is when the board will finish its DEI committee review of each university and make that recommendation public. For more info on what the regents are up to and what wasn’t covered here, check out their website at www.iowaregents.edu or find their meeting livestreams on YouTube.
