February 25-26, 2026 Meeting Recap
The Iowa Board of Regents met February 25-26, 2026 at the University of Iowa Levitt Center for University Advancement in Iowa City. Selected items discussed are outlined below.
Firsts
The week marked the first in-person, on-campus meeting of the year and the first ever under President Robert Cramer and President Pro Tem Kurt Tjaden, who were elected as Board leadership last December. In addition, Regents Peter Cownie and Steve Lacy attended their first meeting as Regents. Cownie and Lacy were appointed by Governor Kim Reynolds to fill the unexpired terms of Regents David Barker and Sherry Bates, respectively. Cownie is a former member of the Iowa House of Representatives (2008-18). Lacy is the former CEO of Meredith Corporation.
2026-27 Tuition and Fees VIDEO
To comply with House File 440 (2025), which requires the Board of Regents to set tuition by April 30, the Board heard a first reading of tuition and mandatory fees this week. The proposals increase resident undergraduate tuition by 3.0% at all three universities. Final action on tuition and fee rates is scheduled for the April meeting in Ames.
Read more on 2026-27 Tuition and Fees
Updates
President Pro Tem and Investment and Finance Committee Chair Tjaden delivered an update on the Board’s Revenue Enhancement and Productivity Study (REAPS). Created last December, REAPS is a comprehensive review of revenue streams and cost efficiencies across the Regents Enterprise.
Additionally, Regent Christine Hensley, Chair of the Center for Intellectual Freedom Advisory Council, provided an update on the center’s activities in 2026.
Graduation and Retention Report VIDEO
Associate Chief Academic Officer Jason Pontius presented the annual graduation and retention report. Pontius noted the percentage of students graduating within four years (60%) was the highest on record, and the percentage graduating within six years (74%) tied an all-time high.
Economic Impact Update VIDEO
Board of Regents Senior Communications Director Josh Lehman presented an update on the economic impact of Iowa’s public universities. Lehman and representatives from Lightcast, a labor market analytics firm, detailed how the Regents Enterprise added $18.0 billion in income to the state during FY 2023-24. The $18.0 billion is an increase from $14.9 billion in 2021-22 and $11.8 billion in 2017-18.
Read more: Iowa's Regent Universities Provide Outstanding Economic Impact
Governance, Evaluation and Human Resources Committee VIDEO
The committee approved the span of control and affirmative action reports and approved appointments to committees, boards and commissions. The committee also approved a review of Executive Order 10, also known as the Red Tape Review, and approved policy manual revisions centered on low enrollment programs.
Property and Facilities Committee VIDEO
The committee approved both the UI and ISU registers of capital improvement business transactions, which included four projects for UI Health Care, fire alarm upgrades at ISU and various improvements to ISU’s Lake LaVerne. In addition, President Cramer read a resolution for John Nash, Board of Regents Director of Facilities, who attended his final meeting before retirement.
Academic Affairs Committee VIDEO
The Committee heard requests for numerous new programs, department and program changes and program termination or suspensions. In addition, the committee received the annual distance education report, an update on low-enrollment and workforce alignment efforts and a University of Iowa presentation on academic advising.
Read more on distance education at Iowa’s public universities
Faculty Presentation VIDEO
Dr. Kara Whitaker, associate professor and director of graduate studies at the UI Department of Health, Sport and Human Physiology, presented her research on rural women’s health.
Audit and Compliance Committee VIDEO
Chief Audit Executive Chad Sharp presented internal audits to the Committee. In addition, the committee heard a report on the UI Health Care hospital system audit.
Investment and Finance Committee VIDEO
The committee received the quarterly investment report from Doug Oest of Marquette.
UI Health Care Committee VIDEO
The committee received the UIHC presentation from VP for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Carver College of Medicine Denise Jamieson, Associate VP of UI Health Care and UIHC CEO Bradley Haws, and Associate VP for Finance and UIHC CFO Mark Henrichs. Jason Wilbur, Clinical Professor of Family and Community Medicine, presented on family medicine in Iowa.
Public Comment VIDEO
Seven presenters spoke to the Board on a variety of topics:
- Christopher Martin, UNI faculty
- Hannah Bott, citizen
- Cathy Coover, UIHC staff
- Olivia Jones, UI student
- Clara Reynen, UI student
- Hope Metcalf, UI faculty
- Rajorshi Das, UI alum