University of Iowa Strategic Initiatives Fund

SUPPORT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA'S STRATEGIC PLAN IMPLEMENTATION BY PROVIDING GRANTS FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SUBSIDING UTILITY EXPENSES. THE GENERAL PURPOSE OF THIS CORPORATION SHALL BE TO_MANAGE THE FUNDS FROM THE PAYMENT UNDER THE LONG TERM LEASE AND CONCESSION AGREEMENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA UTILITY SYSTEM EXECUTED IN DECEMBER 2019 (P3 AGREEMENT); TO SELECT AND SUPERVISE INDEPENDENT INVESTMENT MANAGER(S); TO GRANT MONEY TO THE UNIVERSITY TO SUBSIDIZE UTILITY PAYMENTS; TO DETERMINE THE ANNUAL PAYOUT OF THE ENDOWMENT FOR THE PURPOSE OF GRANTING GIFTS OF MONEY TO THE UNIVERSITY FOR DIRECT USE IN ITS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES; AND TO REVIEW ALL GRANT REQUESTS FORWARDED TO IT BY THE BUDGET REVIEW BOARD TO ENSURE THAT EACH ADVANCES THE UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLANS AND TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF EDUCATION AND RESEARCH.

HIGH IMPACT HIRING INITIATIVE: SUPPORT, RETAIN, AND RECRUIT FACULTY TO STRATEGICALLY ENHANCE PRIORITY AREAS OF EXCELLENCE. THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA'S ABILITY TO STRENGTHEN COLLEGIATE SUPPORT STRUCTURES TO ENHANCE FACULTY SUCCESS IS CRITICAL TO FACILITATING PROGRESS ACROSS ALL STRATEGIC COMPONENTS AND METRICS. IMPROVING THE RETENTION OF FACULTY, PARTICULARLY IN PROGRAMS OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, NOT ONLY PRESENTS COST-SAVINGS ASSOCIATED WITH FACULTY TURNOVER, BUT ALSO BETTER POSITIONS THE UI AS A "DESTINATION UNIVERSITY" THAT ATTRACTS A DIVERSE AND TALENTED FACULTY POOL.

JUMPSTARTING TOMORROW: A COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH PILOT PROGRAM FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH COMMUNITIES. INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES AND WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY CENTRAL TO THE UNIVERSITY'S CONTINUED PROGRESS TOWARDS EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP. THIS PROPOSAL LEVERAGES FACULTY EXPERTISE TO FOSTER INNOVATION ACROSS DISCIPLINES, AND PROVIDES ENHANCED SUPPORT TO INCREASE FEDERAL FUNDING AND ENGAGEMENT WITH A RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS, IN THE FORM OF SEED GRANTS, THAT WILL EXPAND INSTITUTIONAL IMPACT ON STATE AND GLOBAL LANDSCAPES.

UI P3 TO NCI/NIDCR P50: MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO ORAL CANCER ETIOLOGY AND TREATMENT. THIS PROPOSAL POSITIONS THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPETE FOR NCI/NIDCR (NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE/NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH) FUNDING THAT TOTALS $11M. IT ALIGNS WITH KEY COMPONENTS OF THE UI'S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, INCLUDING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR MULTIDISCIPLINARY AND HIGH-IMPACT RESEARCH, AND IT POSITIONS THE UNIVERSITY TO BECOME A NATIONAL LEADER REGARDING ORAL CANCER ETIOLOGY AND TREATMENT.

TRANSFORMING UNDERGRADUATE INTRODUCTORY STEM COURSES AT UI: "HAWKEYE INTRODUCTORY COURSES". STUDENT SUCCESS IN LARGE-ENROLLMENT INTRODUCTORY COURSES HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A STRONG INDICATOR OF STUDENT RETENTION AND PROGRESS TO DEGREE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES GAPS IN STUDENT LEARNING AND SUPPORT IN THESE COURSES THAT WILL HAVE A MEASURABLE IMPACT ON RETENTION FOR FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS. FUNDED AMOUNT: $300,000 IOWARISE: TRANSFORMING EXPERIENTIAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. STUDENT SUCCESS LITERATURE HAS SUGGESTED THAT EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FACILITATES POSITIVE OUTCOMES ON STUDENT LEARNING, RETENTION, AND GRADUATION RATES, ESPECIALLY FOR FIRST-GENERAL, PELL-ELIGIBLE, AND UNDERREPRESENTED MINORITY STUDENTS. THIS PROPOSAL SEEKS TO UNIFY SUCH EFFORTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA AND TO BETTER CONNECT STUDENTS WITH CAREER DISCERNMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES THAT PREPARE THEM FOR DIVERSE WORKPLACES. FUNDED AMOUNT: $350,000.