Jun 16, 2020

2020 Iowa Legislature has adjourned

The 2020 Iowa Legislature adjourned on Sunday, June 14. Governor Reynolds has 30 days to sign or veto legislation.

There was good news for the University of Northern Iowa in the budget adopted by the Legislature. Our request for a major renovation and expansion of the Industrial Technology Center (ITC) was fully funded at $40.5 million over four years. This project will expand the university's capacity to provide qualified applicants to industries in high-demand fields and better prepare teachers to teach STEM and technical education classes. A modernized building will attract and accommodate more students and allow UNI’s Department of Technology programs to align with industry practices. A new facility is estimated to increase enrollment in the department by 40% by 2025.

For next year, the Legislature reduced the total Board of Regents state appropriations by $8 million with discretion to the Board to determine where to make the cuts. This would apply to all three public universities, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and UNI. The remaining budget items were funded at status quo from the current year.

“We will continue to work with Gov. Reynolds and members of the Iowa Legislature as we build upon our commitment to ensuring a reasonable, predictable cost of education for Iowa families, while also providing the high-quality education our students need to be successful professionals and leaders in Iowa's changing economy,” said UNI President Mark Nook.

UNI will continue to focus on building our enrollment back to levels that are in line with our facilities and the needs of the state. We are working to define and promote the attributes of UNI that make us distinctive as a regional comprehensive public university focused on the success of our students.