Implementation Progress
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.
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. Since the start of the strategic plan, we further embedded well-being and mental health into the campus culture, charging a team to focus on coordinating campus efforts to enhance the health and well-being of the UI community. We also implemented several new initiatives related to recruiting and retaining our talented students, faculty, and staff.
Key Metrics
14
Employee responses in the 2024 survey showed improvement in 14 of 19 survey questions compared with 2022
40
Earned by UI faculty from 2023 - 2025
$ 21M +
Supporting 79 faculty recruitments and 33 faculty retentions
92%
Among participants in the You Need A Budget (YNAB) pilot program
Highlights and Success
96.3 %
According to data prepared for the Iowa Board of Regents’ Annual Human Resources Report
UI develops mental health training for students
The University of Iowa has launched C.A.R.E.S., an innovative new program to support student mental health. The interactive module teaches new Hawkeyes how to recognize and respond to mental health challenges.
New recognition program encourages colleagues to celebrate teamwork, extra effort
More than 500 nominations were submitted in the first three months of Hawkeye High-Five, a program that allows faculty and staff across the university to give a "high-five" to a colleague for their contributions, teamwork, or extra effort.
Supporting student well-being to help Hawkeyes keep their academic focus
The University of Iowa’s Food Pantry, Hawkeye Meal Share, and Emergency Fund help students meet basic needs while fostering dignity, support, and a sense of belonging on campus.
More Stories
Column One
Mental Health
- Becoming a leader in mental health research and resources
- Investing in our students' mental health
- Expanding faculty and staff training to support students in distress
- New and refreshed supervisor trainings prioritize mental health
- Empowering faculty and staff to talk student mental health
- 24/7 Crisis Line for faculty, staff, postdocs
- Campus Safety adds 988 suicide and crisis lifeline decals
- New student care manager position in CLAS
- New mental health service offered to students
Faculty Success
- Five UI faculty serving as Provost Faculty Fellows
- UI revamps faculty recruitment materials
- Celebrating faculty excellence at the inaugural Highly Prestigious Faculty Award Investiture
- Transformational Faculty Hiring Program helps Iowa recruit national expert to lead Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
- Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Award highlights faculty who have established national or international reputations
- Book Matters events celebrate UI faculty strength in writing
- Pacheco honored with prestigious Carnegie Fellowship
- Supporting the success of our faculty
- Faculty mentoring resources
- UI investments in faculty retention paying off
- 7 UI faculty selected for National Academy of Medicine Emerging Leaders Forum
Column 2
Well-Being
- Retirement plan update offers lower fees and new option
- Food Pantry and Clothing Closet move to new location to better serve the university community
- Creating a healthier workplace
- Campus safety realignment supports well-being
- A major renovation to the IMU to better serve students
- Health fair brings campus together to encourage holistic well-being
- UI Threat Assessment Team furthering violence prevention efforts
- Introducing new Well-Being at Iowa website
- Resource Guide for Responding to Distress
- Hawkeye Late Night Uber Voucher Program
- Student Care and Assistance welcomes new therapy animal
- Progress continues on Reimagining Campus Safety initiatives
Staff Success
- Supervisor toolbox helps managers provide consistent experience
- Providing data literacy training across campus
- New recognition resources for supervisors
- Flexible work arrangements promote hiring, retention, and work-life balance
- Instilling employee pride through engagement and discovery
- Expanding leadership development to everyone on campus
- Campus collaboration leads to sick leave policy updates
- Mapping the employment journey of Merit staff
- Discover Your University promotes employee belonging
- Employee Value Proposition incorporates well-being, employee-centric themes
- Merit Experience Pilot Project progresses toward retention goals in Year 1
- Mapping the employment journey of P&S staff
- Team coaching program for leaders and teams on campus
- Internship program establishes pathways to jobs at Iowa
- 2024 Working at Iowa survey shows improvement across campus
- UI implements new paid parental leave program
- UI Health Care provides new approach to employee support and wellness
- Internship program leads to full-time job at Iowa for new grad
- Enhancing IT infrastructure, classroom technology, and data access