Regents president challenges University of Iowa: ‘Do bigger things’

IOWA CITY - Board of Regents President Bruce Rastetter challenged the University of Iowa on Tuesday to become one of the nation's top 10 research institutions.

'We should strive to do bigger things,” Rastetter told the UI Faculty Senate. 'We need this university to become even better than it is today.”

He said the faculty's cooperation and backing is needed to do that. But UI faculty members on Tuesday peppered Rastetter with questions about how the university is supposed to achieve a higher national status under the Board of Regents' new proposed funding model. Many said they feel that model devalues graduate and professional programs, along with research.

One faculty member said she feels the new funding model – which ties 75 percent of state support to some form of resident enrollment, including 60 percent to undergraduate resident enrollment – is 'out of sync” with the goals of the state, making the university a 'demoralizing place to work.”

Rastetter told the faculty the new funding model aims to more equitably distribute state dollars between UI, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa, and more closely link taxpayer dollars with the education of Iowans.

He also said the board's funding request for the next budget year – a 1.75 percent increase, along with $12.9 million to help shield UI from taking a hit in the new funding model's' first year – actually would increase state appropriations by about 4.3 percent.

And, Rastetter said, he's hopeful lawmakers will fulfill that request.

'I have high hopes they will embrace the full funding model,” Rastetter said. 'The reaction so far has been mostly positive. We have had blunt discussions with the Iowa City delegation. But my request to them has been to join with us in making sure UI gets more dollars next year than last year.”

If the new funding model were rolled out over one year, UI would lose $46.5 million because ISU and UNI have a higher percentage of in-state students. To prevent that, the board has proposed a 2 percent cap on the amount of money that can move from one institution to another in one year, translating to $12.9 million in the next budget year.

Rastetter on Tuesday said he thinks the university will increase its resident enrollment totals and cut its potential losses in the future.

'I don't know if anyone in this room believes that total dollars projected will transfer,” Rastetter said. 'I don't. I think the UI will compete for those.”

When faculty members asked Rastetter how he expects the university to gain top 10 status, especially with the potential for fewer resources and a ramped up focus on resident undergraduate enrollment, Rastetter said, 'You have to grow the university to accomplish some of those goals.”

When asked by what ranking system the board will measure the university's progress toward top 10 status, Rastetter said he's not sure and asked the faculty member what ratings list he views as most reputable and relevant.