Dear members of the University of Iowa community,
Thank you for visiting Plan in Progress, our quarterly update highlighting how our campus is advancing the goals of the 2022–2027 Strategic Plan.
This webpage will spotlight areas where we are building momentum and producing measurable results. In this update, you’ll see how the strategic plan is guiding initiatives that are strengthening student success, supporting faculty excellence, and positioning the university for long-term financial sustainability.
We encourage you to share this webpage with colleagues who want to stay connected to this work. The progress we are making is the result of the expertise, creativity, and commitment of many dedicated members of the University of Iowa community like you. Thank you.
Kevin C. Kregel |
90.9 %
for students who entered fall 2024 (a record for the fourth straight year)
66 %
for students who entered fall 2021 (up five percentage points in two years)
75.8 %
for students who entered fall 2019 (highest in university history)
The University of Iowa's gains in undergraduate student retention and graduation rates reflect sustained investments in teaching, learning, and academic support.
Over the past five years, more than a dozen P3-funded initiatives have helped departments reimagine curriculum, faculty redesign courses, and students achieve stronger learning outcomes. Efforts such as the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Program, which helps faculty research and apply evidence-based teaching practices, and Students as Partners, which pairs instructors with undergraduate students who provide insights on how to strengthen engagement in large-enrollment courses, are helping enhance learning environments on campus.
Recruiting and Retaining Faculty
Making Student Success a Top Priority
Creating and sustaining an environment where exceptional faculty choose to build their careers is essential to the university's long-term success. Through strategic investments and targeted support, the university continues to strengthen its ability to recruit, retain, and develop faculty across disciplines and career stages.
Supporting faculty development
Initiatives such as the Scholarly Teaching Program and Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Awards support faculty across career stages and appointment types.
Strengthening mentorship and community
A faculty mentoring resources webpage and a peer mentoring program for instructional-track faculty are helping foster connection, support, and professional growth.
Empowering academic leaders
New onboarding tools, data resources, and leadership programming equip departmental executive officers with the tools they need to lead effectively.
96.3 %
In FY 2024
"One of the things that impacted me the most was the interaction with the other mid-career scholars. Having time set aside to learn from other scholars was both refreshing and energizing."
Planning for Iowa's financial future
Through the Revenue and Efficiencies Strategic Plan Action and Resource Committee (reSPARC), the university is harnessing the ideas and expertise of faculty and staff to improve how we operate, align resources with strategic priorities, and reinvest savings in areas that directly support our academic mission.
This work is already producing results. For example, after a competitive bid process, the university will close its in-house vehicle rental operation and transition short-term rentals to a specialized vendor. This change will save an estimated $250,000 annually in rental expenses, avoid $500,000 in vehicle replacement costs, and avoid $1 million in facility construction expenses.
You can find more examples of what reSPARC teams are working on and find updates from each team on our reSPARC Updates webpage.
The Non-Academic Programs reSPARC team is engaging with leaders of successful campus programs, like the Iowa Young Writers' Studio, to develop best practices and guiding principles to support more consistent and scalable non-academic programming at Iowa.
$ 200,000
From implementation of HR administrative neighborhoods operational framework
Additional Highlights
The university's strategic plan is ingrained in work happening across campus every day. Below are just a few recent examples of the progress happening at Iowa.