116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401

Vanessa Miller
I’ve covered lots of beats over my decades as a reporter, and one reason I really enjoy higher education is because it touches on them all. One day I’m writing about science and interviewing University of Iowa NASA researchers, the next I’m writing about health care, or agriculture, or a new Iowa State-supported business, or athletic budgets, or criminal justice, or the Legislature and potential bills affecting Iowa’s university and college campuses. I also love that I get to investigate and dig deep on some stories, report hard news, and then also share incredible and sometimes harrowing tales of survival or discovery. When I’m not working, I’m playing with my kids or following them around to wrestling tournaments. Get the news delivered right to your inbox.
Latest Articles by Vanessa Miller
Higher Ed Feb. 15, 2023 1:16 pm959d ago
Compounding escalating costs associated with the University of Iowa’s construction of its 14-story Stead Family Children’s Hospital, campus officials are asking permission to spend $45 million replacing damaged windows on nine floors – tripling the $15 million they originally planned to spend replacing cracked or delaminated windows on two floors.
Higher Ed Feb. 15, 2023 11:10 am959d ago
Nearly 55 years after a private firm built the Mayflower Apartment Community overlooking the Iowa River, marketed to students as a “luxury” dorm – and 40 years after the University of Iowa bought the eight-story building outright – UI is planning to sell its Mayflower Residence Hall.
Higher Ed Feb. 14, 2023 3:26 pm960d ago
Both full-time and part-time employees were laid off in two programs the college is closing: Dental Technology and the Energy Production and Distribution program.
Higher Ed Feb. 14, 2023 11:07 am960d ago
A month after announcing plans to relocate and cut services in Iowa City, Kirkwood Community College on Monday aired plans to close two programs, downsize a third, and eliminate faculty and staff positions to “bring future budgets in line with expected revenue.”
Higher Ed Feb. 12, 2023 5:00 am962d ago
Earthquake toll has surpassed 25,000 and hundreds of thousands are left homeless.
Higher Ed Feb. 8, 2023 7:25 pm966d ago
After two bargaining sessions and a few proposals and counter offers, the Board of Regents preemptively canceled all upcoming meetings with the union representing more than 3,800 University of Iowa Health Care workers and “declared an impasse.”
Higher Ed Feb. 8, 2023 5:00 am966d ago
Through the end of September, the University of Iowa had withdrawn nearly $41 million from an endowment fund it created in 2020 with $985.9 million the campus received as part of a public-private partnership for the operation of its sprawling utilities system.
Things To Do Feb. 7, 2023 7:56 am967d ago
Teacher to speak Feb. 19 at fundraiser in Quasqueton
Higher Ed Feb. 6, 2023 5:17 pm968d ago
Wrapping up a medical drama that started 12 years ago in a University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics operating room, the State Appeal Board on Monday agreed to settle a 2020 lawsuit from a former employee accusing UIHC of improperly sharing details of an incident with prospective employers.
Higher Ed Feb. 7, 2023 11:37 am967d ago
Wrestler Lilly Luft was inspired by her brother Logan, and the gift he left after dying.
Health Care and Medicine Feb. 3, 2023 12:07 pm971d ago
UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids on Thursday became the region’s most recent health care system to announce plans to open an off-campus emergency department – with its new Marion site expected to open in summer 2024. That’s just miles from a Mercy Medical Center facility also announced this week.
Higher Ed Feb. 2, 2023 11:51 am972d ago
Inflation, labor costs, and supply chain issues have upped the total cost and expanded the construction timeline for a new Steindler North Liberty Ambulatory Surgery Center planned near where the University of Iowa is building its new hospital – which also recently aired substantial cost increases.
Higher Ed Feb. 1, 2023 3:11 pm973d ago
University of Iowa Health Care’s websites were back up and running Wednesday morning after an outage Tuesday knocked them down for hours. UIHC officials haven’t answered questions about when the outage started and how long the sites were down. They also haven’t answered questions about what caused the outage and whether it was the result of a cyberattack.
Higher Ed Jan. 31, 2023 6:14 pm974d ago
University of Iowa Health Care officials confirmed Tuesday afternoon their public websites are down – including those for the UI Hospitals & Clinics, UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, and UI Carver College of Medicine.
Higher Ed Jan. 30, 2023 5:00 pm975d ago
Just three years into the University of Iowa’s landmark 50-year deal for the private operation of its utility system, cracks are emerging in the $1.165 billion agreement through a lawsuit the private operator filed last week accusing UI of “breaching its obligations.”