Our goal is to provide comprehensive support for individuals throughout their relationship with the university, beginning by attracting and retaining talented students, faculty, and staff who will contribute to a thriving university community.

To accomplish this goal, the university plans to embed well-being and mental health into all aspects of campus culture to better support students, faculty, and staff.

This includes evaluating and improving existing well-being programs, creating a cohesive framework of services and resources for well-being, increasing access and awareness of mental health resources, and expanding curricular and co-curricular learning for all students. Additionally, we will work toward innovative new strategies to recruit, retain, and recognize talented students, faculty, and staff, as well as cultivate a campus culture of data-informed assessment and continuous improvement.

Promoting well-being and success is critical to our future. By providing the appropriate resources for students, faculty, and staff, we can become a destination university for talented individuals who support the achievement of the university's mission and goals.

Highlights and Success

Flowers on campus during the spring

Creating a healthier workplace

The University of Iowa recently received the 2023 Healthiest State Workplace Award from the Healthiest State Initiative, recognizing the university’s efforts to improve the physical, social, and emotional well-being of our employees and community.

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Tippie College of Business

Investing in our students' mental health

The Tippie College of Business is taking a leadership role among the nation's business schools in prioritizing student mental health, implementing strategies to help students reduce stress, calm anxiety, and prioritize their emotional well-being. 

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Photo of researchers at the National Advanced Driving Simulator

Instilling employee pride through engagement and discovery

The Discover Your University program provides faculty and staff – as individuals or as teams – with opportunities to visit campus sites to learn about the innovative programs and incredible work happening at the University of Iowa.

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Iowa Memorial Union

Iowa Memorial Union to house Well-Being and Mental Health Center

Renovations beginning in summer 2024 will enhance student well-being and support by bringing clinical health services, mental health counseling, wellness programs, and student care resources together into one central location. 

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Highly Prestigious Faculty Award Investiture medallions

Celebrating faculty excellence

The inaugural Highly Prestigious Faculty Award Investiture on April 23, 2023 celebrated more than 80 current and emeriti faculty members who helped shape the University of Iowa's foundation of excellence and positioned our university for continued success.

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Students at Iowa City High School

Becoming a leader in mental health research and resources

UI leaders are expanding mental health awareness and outreach, adding campus services and programming, and sharing research and expertise across the state.

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T Anne Cleary walkway

Expanding leadership development to everyone on campus

The University of Iowa offers courses, workshops, coaching, mentoring, programs, and other professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. 

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Block I on Pentacrest

Welcoming a new, highly-engaged incoming class

The University of Iowa Class of 2026 is the third-largest incoming first-year class on record, with 5,178 students. These new Hawkeyes boast an average high school GPA of 3.82 and have been highly engaged in their first year. 

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"Staff Council is actively working to create an environment where employees not only want to work, but feel proud to be a part of a welcoming community having a positive impact."
-Jackie Kleppe, President of Staff Council and Director of Outreach and Engagement for University of Iowa Health Care Marketing and Communications

Measuring Our Progress

The university has set specific targets or high-level indicators to monitor our institutional progress. We will regularly measure and assess improvements in these areas.

Faculty and Staff Success

METRICS AND INDICATORS:

  • Faculty retention and turnover rates
  • Staff retention and turnover rates
  • Data from campus surveys 

Funding for Faculty Recognition

TARGETED PROGRESS INDICATOR:

  • Raise $21.6M in philanthropic support for faculty prizes, awards, fellowships, professorships, chairs, and deanships by 2027

Campus Engagement

TARGETED PROGRESS INDICATOR:

  • Increase campus participation in campus climate surveys to 60% by 2027