The Office of Sustainability and the Environment, in collaboration with Landscape Services and Athletic Grounds, is launching an Organic Turf Pilot Project to transition select campus sites from conventional turf care to organic management. Guided by a leading natural-turf consultant, the project will study soil health, microbial activity, and sustainable land-care practices. They are seeking a faculty mentor and a student researcher to support hands-on research, field experimentation, and documentation of the turf transition.

If you’re out for a stroll on the Lower Finkbine trail, you may be sharing the space with some friendly four-legged landscapers. Starting earlier this week, a herd of goats has been hard at work supporting the native prairie ecosystems along the path. Landscape Services is working with Go At It Land Stewardship, a goat-powered targeting grazing business owned by Tamra and Ryan Elliott to restore three native prairie plots near Finkbine Golf Course. 

Join Senior Vice President and University Architect Rod Lehnertz for a virtual tour of the University of Iowa’s most iconic buildings. From the historic Old Capitol and Pentacrest to cutting-edge facilities like the Stanley Museum of Art and the Visual Arts Building, this guided journey highlights the evolution of campus design, the stories behind its most beloved landmarks, and shows how tradition and innovation shape the university’s skyline – past, present, and future.

Plans are underway to expand and transform the Tippie College of Business, adding 65,000 square feet and modernizing Gilmore Hall for the college’s use. Read more about the plans for the expansion project, as well as how the changes will benefit UI students, alumni, and the state of Iowa.

Fall temperatures have arrived and leaves are falling right on cue. It is a beautiful time of year on campus and at home, but the changing of the seasons also means a change to household chores. Rakes, and eventually shovels, are waiting in the garage, but that doesn’t mean you should put away the lawn mower just yet. Andy Dahl, an urban forestry supervisor and campus arborist in the University of Iowa’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment, explains that there is more than one way to clear your lawn of fallen leaves.

MidAmerican Energy is beginning work to install upgraded electrical transmission lines in the Lower Finkbine area of the University of Iowa campus. The project will begin in the parking lot west of Pearl Softball Field, cross the recreation trail south of Cretzmeyer Track, and continue eastward through university-owned property. An estimated completion date has not yet been determined.

Homecoming at the University of Iowa is a time to honor traditions, celebrate community, and reflect on what it means to be a Hawkeye. Finance and Operations is proud to highlight employees who not only serve the university today but also share a special connection as Iowa alumni. Their stories capture the experiences, memories, and lasting friendships that shaped their time as students and the pride they carry forward in their roles on campus. From cheering on legendary teams to finding lifelong friends, our F&O Hawkeyes remind us why Iowa will always feel like home. Read the full feature piece on the Finance and Operations site.

Jeff Harney and Rod Lehnertz joined forces to talk about measures that have been put in place following the 2008 flood of the Iowa River to best protect our University of Iowa campus and facilities from future flooding.  Efforts range from miles of HESCO barriers, elevated sidewalks across campus, and much more.  Watch the full flood protection measures video to learn more.

Recently announced federal funding changes will significantly affect the health care industry over the next 10 years. Projections show a 10-year reduction of more than $1 trillion for health care nationally, with the state of Iowa anticipating a $9.5 billion reduction, according to a KFF analysis of the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) latest cost estimate. While UI Health Care is in a more stable financial position than many other academic health care systems across the country, adjustments to capital projects, needed to modernize its facilities, will be necessary.

Lynne Finn, associate vice president and director of Facilities Management, has announced her plan to retire after a decade of service. Finn has served in leadership roles within Facilities Management since 2015. A national search for her replacement will begin immediately. Finn will remain in her role for the next three to six months to ensure continuity.