The University of Iowa is currently working to develop an in-person option to celebrate graduation for our students and their families. The format will be designed to honor and celebrate the achievements of our graduates while practicing the university’s guidelines for social distancing and mandatory face coverings. Additional details will be shared by March 19.
Though the university won’t have spring break this year, we know students still need some time to regroup and recharge. The university did not hold classes on March 2 and will not hold classes on April 14, giving Hawkeyes a chance to relax, recover, or catch up. Remind your student to take it easy. They’ve been working hard.
The University of Iowa will be receiving additional funds from the most recent stimulus package to distribute during the spring 2021 semester to assist students. This new funding is through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds and because this is a different funding bill from last year’s CARES Act, different rules apply. Schools are required by the U.S. Department of Education to prioritize students with exceptional financial need. Read more about the requirements and steps to take to prepare to apply.
The University of Iowa is asking for feedback on three campus safety prototypes developed by the Reimagining Campus Safety Action Committee. The prototypes, which you can find here, were developed after weeks of dialogue with the campus community, as well as studying the context of policing nationally and locally. The deadline for submitting feedback is March 5.
The Speak Out Iowa survey is the university’s third survey examining sexual misconduct occurring on campus, including sexual harassment, dating violence, stalking, and sexual violence. Your student should have received an email linking to the survey on Feb. 2, or they can find all the details here.
Dance Marathon’s Big Event took place in a virtual format last weekend. Despite pandemic restrictions on in-person campus gatherings and hospital visits, the student organization that supports patients and families receiving cancer treatment at UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital raised more than $1.4 million. Read more about the organization and its pivot during the COVID-19 pandemic in this article.
Former Hawkeye letterwinner P. Sue Beckwith, MD, made a transformational, $7 million gift to endow Iowa’s head women’s basketball coaching position, a first for the Big Ten Conference. In recognition of Beckwith’s support, Lisa Bluder and all future head women’s basketball coaches will hold the title of P. Sue Beckwith, MD, Head Women’s Basketball Coach. This gift means Beckwith has now given nearly $9 million to Iowa women’s athletics.
The best is right here on campus. The student-run newspaper, The Daily Iowan, was named the 2021 Newspaper of the Year for the second straight year by the Iowa Newspaper Association. The DI took home 48 first-place awards and 74 awards total. Read more about the winners here.
For the sixth year in a row, the University of Iowa has been named a top producer of Fulbright students for 2020–21 with a record number of 24 recipients. The UI is ranked 12th nationally among research universities, surpassing last year’s ranking of 18th. When measuring the ratio of applicants to winners, the UI ranks first in the nation with nearly 50% of its applicants receiving awards.
The University of Iowa Autism Spectrum Committee invites parents or caregivers whose student identifies as autistic or on the autism spectrum to complete an online survey sharing your experiences about the University of Iowa. Your feedback will help us improve the student experience on campus. You can find the survey here.