June 13-14, 2023 Meeting Recap

The Board of Regents met June 13-14 in Iowa City. Selected items discussed are outlined below. View the full agenda here.

2023-24 Tuition and Fees
The Board approved 2023-24 tuition and fee rates. The approved rates increased resident undergraduate tuition by 3.5% at each university. In addition, varying tuition rates for non-resident and graduate and professional students, as well as differential rates for certain programs, were approved. 

These tuition rates follow flat FY 2024 general university appropriations (0% increase) as enacted by the Iowa General Assembly. The Board had requested an appropriations increase of $32 million to support higher education. 

Read More: 2023-24 Tuition and Fee Rates

Evaluations
The Board held its annual evaluations of the institutional heads and executive director. Following evaluations, the Board approved the following compensation plans:

Board of Regents Executive Director Mark Braun:

• Establish a new deferred compensation plan commencing on July 1, 2023 and terminating on June 30, 2025 with annual contributions of $155,000.

UI President Barbara Wilson:

• Authorize a $50,000 increase to her annual base salary effective July 1, 2023.
• Amend the 2021 deferred compensation plan to increase the total principal value by 25% and extend the termination date to June 30, 2028.
• Extend the term of her employment agreement through June 30, 2028.

ISU President Wendy Wintersteen:

• Establish a new deferred compensation plan commencing on July 1, 2023 and terminating on December 31, 2025 with annual contributions of $415,000.
• Establish a new employment agreement for a term commencing July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026

UNI President Mark Nook:

• Authorize a $15,000 increase to his annual base salary effective July 1, 2023.

Board President Report
President Richards acknowledged the transition of oversight for Iowa Educational Services for Deaf and Blind from the Board of Regents to the Iowa Department of Education scheduled to occur July 1, 2023. He thanked the staff at the Iowa School for the Deaf and Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired for their dedicated service to their students.

Additionally, President Richards noted the retirement of State Relations Officer Mary Braun, who had advocated on behalf of UNI at the Iowa Statehouse for nine years. 

Academic Affairs Committee
The committee approved requests for two new materials science engineering degrees at UNI and received a presentation on artificial intelligence opportunities and challenges. In addition, the committee approved the creation of a new School of Health and Human Sciences and a new Department of Nursing and Public Health at UNI. The school and department will serve as the home of UNI’s forthcoming Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program, approved by the Board at its November 2022 meeting, and strengthen recruitment of prospective UNI students.  

Read More: UNI School of Health, Department of Nursing and Public Health 

Property and Facilities Committee
The committee approved property transfers for UI and ISU and approved ISU’s plan to name its Veterinary Medicine complex after Dr. Frederick Douglass Patterson. Patterson was an ISU graduate, Tuskegee Airman, co-founder of the United Negro College Fund and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient. 

Additionally, the committee approved schematic design, project description and budget for a new Health Sciences Building at UI. The project will add a 263,000 square foot academic facility for use by UI’s Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health and Human Physiology, and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences departments.

Read More: UI Health Sciences Building

Iowa Workforce Grants
The Board approved academic majors and high-demand jobs eligible for the Iowa Workforce Grant and Incentive Program for academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25. eligible students at Iowa’s public universities can now draw from a newly created $6.5 million fund to help fill high-demand jobs in Iowa.

Read More: Iowa Workforce Grant and Incentive Program

Governance, Evaluation and Human Resources Committee
The Board approved the creation of the Governance, Evaluation and Human Resources Committee in May 2023 as a restructuring of the existing Governance and Evaluation Committee. In its first meeting as currently structured, the committee approved changes to the Board’s policy manual, UI student insurance rates, FY 2024 salary policies and an ISU Veterinary Medicine pilot program. In addition, the committee approved personnel appointments, including the appointment of Anna McKenna as dean of the UI College of Engineering, Denise Jamieson as UI VP of Medical Affairs and dean of the Carver College of Medicine, and Beth Goetz as UI interim director of athletics. 

Reports From Institutional Heads
Special Schools Interim Superintendent John Cool thanked the Board for its many years of oversight as ISD and IESBVI transition to oversight by the Iowa Department of Education.

Investment and Finance Committee 
Doug Oest from Marquette Associates Inc., the Board’s investment advisor, presented the investment and cash management report for the quarter ended March 31, 2023. 

Audit and Compliance Committee
Board Chief Audit Executive Deb Johnston presented internal audits and the UIHC audit reports. Deputy Auditor of State Ernest Ruben presented state audit reports. 

University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Committee
The committee received the UIHC presentation from VP for Medical Affairs and Dean of the Carver College of Medicine Brooks Jackson, Interim Associate VP of UI Health Care and UIHC CEO Kim Hunter, and Interim Associate VP for Finance and UIHC CFO Mark Henrichs. The committee approved a 6% chargemaster rate increase, effective July 1, 2023.