Provost Academic Update

Monthly news, updates, events, and accomplishments for academic leaders in the university community. 

Please share the information below with faculty, staff, and students in your area as appropriate.

Final Exam Duration Options

Instructors will be asked to choose an exam duration (60, 80, or 120 minutes) when scheduling final exams for the Fall 2025 semester, providing greater flexibility for instructors to align exam durations with course content, learning objectives, and assessment strategies.

Post-tenure Faculty Support

Nominations for this program – offering mid-career faculty career development support (up to $30,000 over two years) to facilitate career renewal – are due by April 1. Nominations must be submitted to faculty@uiowa.edu by deans, associate deans for faculty (ADF), or DEOs with dean approval. A list of eligible faculty was provided to deans, ADFs, and faculty HR representatives.

Resources and Announcements

Midterm SPOT Check
Instructors can use the Student Perceptions of Teaching (SPOT) system to request midterm student feedback for their courses. 

2026-2027 Professional Development Awards (PDA)
The Faculty Admin Center Development Awards portal is open for PDA requests for AY2026-27. Faculty proposals are due to their DEO by March 24, 2025.

NCFDD Faculty Success Program 
This 10-week virtual program teaches skills to increase research and writing productivity while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Faculty interested in a discounted bulk rate should email faculty@uiowa.edu by March 28.

Summer 2025 Teaching in Higher Education Conference Award
Applications are due April 16 for this award supporting faculty and staff who plan to attend a conference related to teaching between June and August 2025.

Central Resource for Data Questions
The new data hub website serves as a first stop for university data and data questions.

Introducing Anthology Ally: An ICON Course Accessibility Tool
Coming to all ICON courses April 2, this tool helps instructors ensure that their course meets accessibility guidelines and allows students to access content in alternative formats.

Events and Workshops

DEO Leadership Circle
Thursday, March 27, 8 – 9 a.m., via Zoom
This session will introduce the leadership circle framework and provide an opportunity for DEOs to provide feedback on how it might be used to identify and develop future leaders.

DEO Workshop: Managing Up, Down, and Sideways
Wednesday, April 9, 8 – 9:30 a.m., via Zoom
This workshop will provide DEOs with the tools to manage, practice leadership, and craft leadership strategies.

Promotion to Tenured Full Professor
Wednesday, March 26, 9 – 10 a.m., via Zoom
This informational workshop is designed to demystify the process of seeking promotion to full professor by examining the procedures and outlining candidate responsibilities and expectations.

Writing Effective Teaching Narratives
Wednesday, April 2, noon – 1 p.m., via Zoom
This session, open to faculty in all tracks, is focused on helping faculty discuss their teaching practice and goals in promotion and review materials.

Celebration of Excellence and Achievement Among Women
Wednesday, April 2, 3:30 – 5 p.m., Levitt Center for University Advancement Fourth Floor Assembly Hall
This ceremony honors the many outstanding contributions of women at the University of Iowa. 

Leaders in Discovery: Modeling Climate Science and Earth Systems with Lai-yung Ruby Leung
Monday, April 14, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., Iowa Memorial Union International Ballroom
All are invited to this lecture from internationally recognized atmospheric scientist L. Ruby Leung. 

Book Matters: University of Iowa Author Celebration
Tuesday, April 15, 4:30 – 6 p.m., Old Capitol Museum
This event will celebrate faculty and staff who have published books since spring 2023 and includes readings by two scholars who have recently authored books.

Developing a Summer Writing Plan
Friday, April 18, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
This interactive session – featuring Writing Center Director Carol Severino – aims to provide faculty insights on successful scholarly writing.

NSF CAREER Recent Awardee Panel Session
Friday, April 18, 11 a.m. – noon, virtual
Recent CAREER Award recipients will share their experiences with the application process and more during this panel session.

Connecting K-12 and Higher Education Conference
April 25-26, Kirkwood Regional Center at the University of Iowa
This free conference brings together stakeholders from K-12 and higher education to discuss effective learning and teaching practices. 

Celebrating Academic Excellence

Vecera earns Lola Lopes Award for Undergraduate Student Advocacy
Shaun Vecera, honors program director and professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, was awarded the 2025 Lola Lopes Award for Undergraduate Student Advocacy.

Khalastchi wins National Jewish Book Award
Daniel Khalastchi, director of the Magid Center for Writing in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, received the Berru Poetry Award in Memory of Ruth and Bernie Weinflash for his book, The Story of Your Obstinate Survival.

Zhao named Tippie's new associate dean
Kang Zhao, Leonard A. Hadley professor of business analytics and department executive officer, has been named the new associate dean of the Tippie College of Business.

Four faculty recognized with UI's highest teaching honor
Four University of Iowa faculty members are recipients of the 2025 President and Provost Award for Teaching Excellence, recognizing their exceptional and ongoing contributions to student learning and success.

UI Faculty Focus profiles for March:

• Diane Lourdes Dick, Charles E. Floete Distinguished Professor of Law in the College of Law
• Michael Sauder, professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

You can find more examples of academic excellence from around the university on the Office of the Provost website.