President Barbara Wilson met with Staff Council during its May meeting to update priorities and take questions. The university is implementing the 2022-2027 strategic plan, which includes areas of well-being and mental health, student support, campus culture, recruiting staff focused on student success, student debt, and undergraduate student outcomes. Wilson thanked Staff Council for its dedication to the UI Food Pantry and United Way, which saw a 2.78% increase in campus support. 

Staff Council leaders Makur Jain, James Jorris, and Jackie Kleppe moderated a Q+A with topics ranging from women’s basketball to staff retention. Wilson encouraged staff to continue to support and attend women’s athletics across all sports as a way to carry on the momentum of the Iowa women’s basketball team. Training, team building, and leadership development are key pillars of the staff success strategy. In speaking about staff salaries, Wilson noted UI strives to acknowledge inflationary costs each year while also balancing constraints of tuition and staff funding. In response to questions about DEI, UI will adhere to state legislation, accrediting body requirements, and other state/federal compliances. Being welcoming is a core value and that will not change. Wilson asked staff for help in expanding how we think about and define diversity. 

Staff Council thanked Wilson for the visit. Kleppe also thanked Wilson for approving recurring funding for the tuition assistance program, which provides money for staff and faculty to continue their education.