10 things you may have missed over the summer

Thursday, August 22, 2024

Wondering what you might have missed while you were away from campus this summer? Here are 10 stories to get you caught up.

Construction begins on new road connecting Newton Road and UI Health Care

In June, construction of a new road connecting Newton Road to the University of Iowa Health Care university campus began. The new road, which will be completed in multiple phases through December, needs to be built before the construction of the new inpatient tower can begin. The project will include adding a roundabout north of the Center for Disabilities and Development and west of the Hardin Library for Health Sciences.

UI receives $16M grant for Cambus system improvements

The Federal Transit Administration awarded the UI a $16.4 million grant for improvements to the Cambus system, including the purchase of six new battery-electric buses that will help the UI reach its sustainability goals. In addition, the funds will help provide updates to the Cambus Maintenance Facility, with construction expected to start next year.

John Deere Foundation invests $6.6M to increase access to higher education for Davenport students at UI

In June, the John Deere Foundation announced a six-year, $6.6 million investment to establish the John Deere Scholars Program, which will prepare Davenport Community High School students for a college education at Iowa. The program will begin this fall with college preparatory courses, then expand next year by awarding 20 scholarships per year for three years to cover 90% of the total costs to attend Iowa.

Jill Kolesar named next College of Pharmacy dean

Jill Kolesar, formerly a university research professor in the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy and the Dr. Michael Karpf Endowed Chair in Precision Medicine, began her role as dean of the College of Pharmacy on July 15. Kolesar succeeds Don Letendre, who remains a professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science.

Kevin Washburn to conclude his term as College of Law dean

Kevin Washburn, who joined the UI College of Law as dean in 2018, will step down from the position at the end of 2024. During his tenure as dean, Washburn developed a vision for the College of Law as the "Writing Law School" and started the Hubbell Environmental Law Initiative. A search committee has been selected to choose the next dean.

Mark Burkard named director of UI Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center

In July, Mark Burkard was named director of UI Health Care Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, as well as professor in the Department of Internal Medicine in the Carver College of Medicine's Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Blood and Marrow Transplantation. He will begin on Oct. 1. Burkard currently serves as the Mary and Rob Gooze Chair in Metastatic Breast Cancer and professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Progress continues on UI Health Care North Liberty campus

The UI Health Care North Liberty campus project hit a milestone this summer - it's one year away from opening in summer of 2025. The 60-acre campus will feature a three-level hospital and a five-level medical office building with outpatient clinics and space for research and teaching activities. It will also serve as the new home for the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation.

UI Health Care OB-GYN expansion underway

To improve patient access to maternal health services, UI Health Care began a 30,000-square-foot renovation of level 7 of the John Pappajohn Pavilion on the university campus this summer. The project will increase the number of inpatient beds for antepartum and postpartum care from 38 to 61 after a growth in the number of babies born at UI Health Care's university campus each year.

Plans in place for Tippie College of Business facility expansion

After Iowa Board of Regents approval in June, the UI plans to create more space for the growing Tippie College of Business. The project includes enclosing the internal courtyard patio of Pappajohn Business Building and modernizing the adjacent Gilmore Hall for the college's use. Departments currently housed in Gilmore Hall will be moved - including moving the Graduate College to the original Art Building after it is renovated.

New home opens for men's and women's wrestling programs

The Goschke Family Wrestling Training Center - a 38,000-square-foot training facility for the Iowa men's and women's wrestling teams - opened at the end of May. The new facility offers twice as much practice space as the former wrestling room, includes an underground tunnel connected to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and celebrates Iowa's wrestling history with a Hall of Champions.