Meeting Rundown
The Iowa Board of Regents will meet April 22-23 at the Iowa State University Alumni Center in Ames. Selected agenda items are outlined in brief below. Open session portions of the meeting will be livestreamed on the Board’s YouTube channel.
Meeting Background
The April meeting will see final action on 2026-27 Tuition and Fee rates. The proposals increase resident undergraduate tuition by 3% at all three universities. The universities also propose varying tuition rates for non-resident, graduate and professional students as well as differential rates for certain higher cost programs. The tuition and fee rates vote is scheduled for Thursday morning.
The Board also will conduct leadership elections for terms beginning May 1, 2026 and ending April 30, 2028. President Robert Cramer and President Pro Tem Kurt Tjaden were elected to finish the terms of Sherry Bates and Greta Rouse, respectively, last December. Leadership elections will close the open session portion of the meeting on Thursday.
Investment and Finance Committee
President Pro Tem and Investment and Finance Committee Chair Tjaden will deliver another update on the Board’s Revenue Enhancement and Productivity Study (REAPS). The committee also will receive an update on the FY 2027 budgeting process. The Investment and Finance Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 2:40 p.m.
Academic Affairs
The Academic Affairs Committee will consider numerous program changes and terminations at the three universities. The proposed cuts stem from low enrollment, reduced applications and limited long-term viability of the programs. The Academic Affairs Committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
Read more on program changes at Iowa’s public universities
Free Speech and Student Affairs
The Free Speech and Student Affairs Committee is scheduled to meet at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The committee will receive reports on student financial aid and the recently completed third iteration of the free speech survey. Both reports show positive signs on their respective topics, with institutional aid to students reaching record highs and student sentiments of freedom of expression at all-time highs.
Read more on the student financial aid report
Read more on the free speech survey
Faculty Presentation
Jason Henderson, Vice President of the ISU Extension and Outreach will present to the Board on Extension and Outreach efforts across all 99 Iowa counties. Henderson is scheduled to deliver his update Thursday morning.
