Iowa Board of Regents push pause on Iowa Memorial Union renovations

The Iowa Board of Regents voted Thursday to postpone a decision greenlighting the proposed $81.4 million renovation of the University of Iowa’s Iowa Memorial Union, pointing to uncertainty over future funding. The decision stalls a long-planned overhaul of the century-old building, which was set to address aging infrastructure and deferred maintenance. “We're heading into, I think, a period of unprecedented uncertainty about federal funding in many ways,” regent David Barker said. “When I look at the IMU project, (it) looks like that’s a great project, but probably not a project that is immediately necessary.” Concerns over federal funding have been mounting for the university. In January, the National Institutes of Health proposed capping reimbursements for facilities and administration expenses at 15% as part of its grant funding, throwing UI researchers into a state of limbo. Earlier this month, a federal judge issued a nationwide temporary restraining order prohibiting the NIH from enacting the funding cuts, citing “immediate and irreparable injury” to American medical colleges.

Division of Student Life helped to fund project

Rod Lehnertz, senior vice president for finance and operations, stressed that issues with federal funding should not affect the IMU renovation. He pointed out that the project’s funding sources are separate from the university’s broader financial concerns and that the Division of Student Life, housing and dining function as self-sustaining entities, and that the IMU renovation is fully financed through a dedicated student fee and a reserve fund from Student Health. Given this, he argued that financial uncertainties in other areas should have no bearing on the project. “Student Life and housing and dining are an auxiliary bonded enterprise on our campus, and like athletics, like the hospital, like parking and transportation, in a sense, stand on their own bottom in their own budget and their own rates,” Mr. Lehnertz said. Students have been advocating for renovations to the Iowa Memorial Union for years, and in support of the project, both the undergraduate student government and the graduate and professional student government approved a new student fee of $100 to $120 per semester, effective in the 2023-2024 academic year.

A key component of the renovation project, which would overhaul 120,000 square feet, is the consolidation of student health, wellness, and counseling services into one central location. This move aims to enhance accessibility and streamline support for students by eventually relocating the University Counseling Service and Student Health from the outdated Westlawn building to the IMU. The renovation will also address $55 million in deferred maintenance, with Student Life contributing $6 million toward the project. “My initial reaction is, it would be independent, and based on this student fee…it's an already established, funded project,” Mr. Lehnertz added. Nevertheless, the board voted to remove the project from the consent agenda. “The idea is, that project we think is a good project (and) we do want to see that proceed,” said regent JC Risewick.“We feel it’s naturally prudent to see what happens with NIH, Medicaid funding…just to let some dust settle and make sure we’re spending money wisely.” The proposal will be revisited at the regents’ April meeting.