Iowa universities to graduate thousands this weekend

IOWA CITY — After an unprecedented time on campus, thousands of University of Iowa, Iowa State University and University of Northern Iowa students will graduate — in person — this weekend.

Nearly 1,800 UI undergraduate, graduate and professional students are expected to graduate, down from last year’s December commencement conferring nearly 1,900 degrees.

An estimated 1,941 Iowa State students are completing degrees this semester, down from last fall’s 2,171 graduates. UNI is reporting 863 graduates, on par with last year’s 865.

All three are holding in-person ceremonies this weekend — after last December’s graduation ceremonies remained entirely virtual due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The campuses first made the difficult decision to cancel in-person commencement in the spring of 2020, kept classes online that fall, and then offered a blend of in-person and online celebrations in the spring of 2021.

“Following 20 months of several commencement configurations aimed at protecting graduates and guests' health, Iowa State returns to a fall semester celebration bearing some familiarity,” the Iowa State Strategic Relations and Communications office reported.

The three campuses still will livestream this weekend’s events, but their main commencement activities will happen in congregate settings like Hilton Coliseum at Iowa State, Carver-Hawkeye Arena at the UI, and the McLeod Center at UNI.

Winter classes

Among the many students with work left to do before donning a cap and gown, many are using what was supposed to be a monthlong winter break to press on with their studies.

Iowa State earlier this month — two weeks before the start of its second winter session Dec. 20 — reported 1,878 undergraduates were enrolled in one of the 54 online courses being offered.

For its inaugural winter pilot last year — when far more courses were online amid COVID-19 — 2,100 students signed up, according to Ann Marie VanDerZanden, associate provost for academic programs who co-chaired the winter session executive planning committee.

"We knew students had more things going on this winter — travel opportunities, for example — that might make a winter session less interesting to them, so these numbers are fantastic,” she said.

UNI reports 897 undergraduate students have enrolled in its winter session — which began this week, offering 25 online courses and two in-person. The campus enrolled 1,396 students last winter — amounting to about 15 percent of its 9,522 fall enrollment.

The UI didn’t share winter enrollment numbers, but UI spokeswoman Anne Bassett said, “The response from students for courses has been very strong.” The campus has had to adjust enrollment caps, add sections and offer grading support for instructors.

“Anecdotally, administrators say the courses are largely being taken by third- and fourth-year students, as they registered during the early period in November and the courses were largely filled at that time,” Bassett said.

Iowa State, too, is reporting 80 percent of its winter students are juniors and seniors — mirroring last year’s 70 percent upperclassman breakdown. About half of this session’s 54 online courses are for upperclassmen.

“Since winter course registration opened Oct. 20, 14 courses have filled and another six have single-digit seats available,” according to Iowa State communications.

The winter session ends for all three campuses Jan. 14.

The spring semester starts Jan. 18 for the UI and ISU and Jan. 20 for UNI.

Vanessa Miller covers higher education for The Gazette.

Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.com