REAPS

• Robert Cramer, Board of Regents
• Kurt Tjaden, Board of Regents
• Nancy Dunkel, Board of Regents
• Peter Cownie, Board of Regents
• Jacob Nicholson, Chief Efficiency Officer, Board of Regents Office
• Kent Farver, Chief Business Officer, Board of Regents Office
• Jason Keith, Senior Vice President and Provost, Iowa State University
• Sean Reeder, Senior Vice President for Operations and Finance, Iowa State University
• Laura McLeran, Vice President for Administrative Affairs and Senior Advisor to the President, University of Iowa
• Barry Thomas, Associate Provost for Faculty and Strategic Operations, University of Iowa
• Michael Hager, Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations, University of Northern Iowa
• Oksana Grybovych Hafermann, Chief of Staff, University of Northern Iowa

What is REAPS? 
REAPS stands for the Revenue Enhancement and Productivity Study. It is an Iowa Board of Regents initiative focused on identifying opportunities to generate sustainable new revenue, improving administrative efficiency and productivity, and making the best use of resources across Iowa’s public universities. The effort is intended to help the universities remain financially sustainable while continuing to deliver high-quality education and services.

Which universities are included in the study?
REAPS includes the three institutions governed by the Iowa Board of Regents: the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, and the University of Northern Iowa, along with the Board of Regents administrative office. The study does not include the clinical operations of University of Iowa Health Care. It also does not include the universities’ independent foundations or affiliated fundraising organizations, which are not subject to Board oversight.

Why is the Board of Regents conducting REAPS?
Iowa’s public universities operate in a rapidly changing higher education environment that includes rising costs, constrained resources, and evolving student and workforce needs. REAPS is intended to take a proactive look at how the universities operate, identify opportunities to improve efficiency and explore new or expanded sources of revenue. The project is designed to result in actionable recommendations, rather than simply a list of ideas. Recommendations may apply to an individual university, multiple universities working together, or the Regents system as a whole. 

Who is supporting the Board of Regents in conducting the study? 
The Board of Regents selected Huron Consulting Services following a competitive process and evaluation of eight proposals. Huron has extensive experience working with higher education institutions, including more than 100 similar engagements during the past five years. 

What will REAPS examine? 
The study will consider a broad range of opportunities and then narrow its focus to approximately 8–10 priority areas for more detailed analysis. Multiple recommendations are expected to be generated within each priority area.  Potential revenue streams include auxiliary and enterprise activities, workforce and professional education, research and commercialization, strategic partnerships, and asset optimization among other opportunities.  It also will consider opportunities for greater efficiency in areas including ways to improve how services are delivered, make processes more efficient, use facilities and space more effectively, strengthen purchasing and budgeting, improve technology systems, and make better use of financial and other resources.

Is REAPS only a cost-cutting study? 
No. REAPS is examining opportunities for both revenue enhancement and improved efficiency and productivity. Potential recommendations could include generating new revenue sources, reducing or avoiding costs, improving services and processes, or creating capacity to reinvest in university priorities. 

Have any recommendations already been identified or decided? 
No. The process starts with ideas about where opportunities may exist. Those ideas will then be tested using data, comparisons with other organizations, and input from constituents before any recommendations are made. The REAPS process is designed to challenge and refine ideas – not treat them as decisions that have already been made.

How will university stakeholders be involved and informed? 
Stakeholder engagement is built into the REAPS process. This includes interviews with key university staff and leaders, university visits and validation discussions. The study also includes discussions with faculty, staff and student leadership at each university. These conversations are intended to provide transparency and context, gather ideas and concerns, and help test whether potential recommendations are practical and appropriate for Iowa’s public universities. 

Will the REAPS study compare Iowa’s universities with other institutions? 
Yes. The analysis will include peer benchmarking and comparisons of organizational, financial and functional performance. The REAPS study will also use applicable industry standards and leading practices to help identify areas where Iowa’s universities are performing well and where opportunities for improvement may exist. Benchmarking will be one input to the analysis and will be considered alongside institutional context, constituent perspectives, and the distinct missions of the three universities.

What are the major phases of the project? 
REAPS has three phases:

• Purpose & Alignment establishes the initiative’s objectives, scope, governance, and initial opportunity areas.
• Analysis & Validation conducts deeper analysis, benchmarking and stakeholder engagement, and validation of potential opportunities.
• Prioritization & Planning evaluates and prioritizes opportunities, develops implementation plans and recommends a path forward. 

How will potential recommendations be evaluated? 
Recommendations will be considered using factors such as financial impact, implementation cost, timing, strategic alignment, impacts on faculty, staff and students, implementation complexity, organizational readiness and potential risks. 

What principles will guide the evaluation of REAPS opportunities? 
The study is intended to balance financial sustainability with the missions of Iowa’s Regent universities. Guiding principles emphasize serving Iowa students, families and taxpayers; protecting academic quality and the student experience; preparing the universities for changing conditions; building on improvement efforts already underway; and developing changes that can produce lasting benefits and opportunities for reinvestment. 

Will the study produce recommendations that can actually be implemented? 
That is a central objective of the project. For priority recommendations, the process is expected to address ownership, implementation timelines, milestones, and measures for tracking results. The goal is to provide the Board and universities with near-term next steps for moving from analysis to action. 

Does REAPS have a financial goal? 
The project is intended to identify meaningful opportunities for revenue enhancement, efficiency and resource optimization across the Regent universities. Although the stated goal for REAPS is to generate a combined $35 million financial impact across the three institutions, the effort will not simply stop when this goal is achieved. REAPS also includes a broader objective to promote and foster an ongoing culture of improvement and create capacity for reinvestment beyond the REAPS initiative. 

When will the REAPS study be completed? 
Huron is scheduled to present the study’s findings and the REAPS Committee’s recommendations publicly to the Board of Regents at its February 24–25, 2027 meeting, followed by a final written report incorporating Board feedback and direction. Following receipt of the final report, the Board will consider and implement recommendations as appropriate in 2027. 

How much will the REAPS study cost? 
The Board’s agreement with Huron establishes a fixed, not-to-exceed professional fee of $1.56 million for the approximately eight-month engagement. The fee covers all three phases of the study—from initial analysis and stakeholder engagement through development of recommendations, implementation considerations and presentation of the final report to the Board.

Is REAPS just an exercise to justify layoffs to cut costs?
No. REAPS is not a means to justify layoffs. Its purpose is to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen operations, and generate sustainable savings or new revenue while protecting the core missions of Iowa’s public universities. If an efficiency opportunity results in fewer positions being needed, the expectation is that changes would be managed primarily through normal attrition.

How is REAPS different from the 2014 TIER initiative?
REAPS builds on lessons learned from the Board’s previous Transparent, Inclusive Efficiency Review (TIER) initiative, but it is not intended to repeat that work. The higher education environment has changed significantly during the past decade, creating new financial challenges as well as new revenue opportunities. REAPS will consider prior efforts and existing improvements while taking a fresh look at current operations, revenue opportunities and long-term financial sustainability. The project approach specifically calls for learning from work that has already been completed rather than redoing it. 

What role does the REAPS Committee play? 
The REAPS Committee helps guide the study on behalf of the Board and Regent universities. The Committee will help identify priority areas for deeper analysis, review emerging opportunities, test assumptions and provide institutional perspectives as recommendations are developed. The Committee is expected to consider factors such as potential impact, feasibility and alignment with the objectives of REAPS. 

What is Huron’s role?
Huron Consulting Group serves as an advisor to the Board of Regents and the REAPS Committee. Huron supports the study by conducting interviews and engagement activities, analyzing data, benchmarking the universities against peers and leading practices, evaluating potential opportunities, and helping develop recommendations and implementation considerations. Huron supports the decision-making process but does not make decisions on behalf of the Board or the universities.  

How can I share feedback or ask a question?  
Opportunities to provide feedback will be available throughout the study. Questions, ideas, and perspectives may be gathered through interviews, briefings, validation sessions, and other designated feedback channels. You may also click here to email any questions that you may have.

Where can I find updates and decisions?  
Current information about REAPS, including project updates and frequently asked questions, is available on the REAPS tab on the Board of Regents website. You can check back for updates as the study progresses.