Provost Academic Update

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

Thank you for your continued engagement with the Provost Academic Update. This is our final newsletter for the academic year. We appreciate your readership and welcome any feedback or suggestions as we plan for the upcoming year. 

We’ll be pausing for the summer but look forward to resuming our updates in August. Please share the information below with faculty, staff, and students in your area as appropriate.

P3 Program Annual Report

This report features descriptions, progress, and highlights of projects supported by the P3 Program in Support of Strategic Priorities. 

AI Guiding Principles and Action Plan

The university has established the next steps for integrating AI into academic, research, and operational activities on campus.

Resources and Announcements

Pregnancy and Parenting Resources for Students
This new comprehensive webpage provides information on accommodations, academic support, financial assistance, health care, and additional resources for students with children.

Authorship Agreement Tool
The authorship agreement tool is designed to help prevent authorship disputes and enhance collaboration among researchers.

Resources to Assess Teaching 
These online guides provide tools and templates for assessment of teaching, including new resources to help you document how you contribute to student development through mentoring. 

Events and Workshops

Faculty Engagement Corps Orientation
May 19 - 21, University Capitol Centre
A three-day orientation kicks off programming for faculty and instructors interested in furthering community engagement in their teaching or research. 

Improving Scholarly Communication Series
July 25, Aug. 8, and Aug. 22, University Capitol Centre
This three-part series is designed to provide faculty with strategies to improve the clarity of their scholarly communications, both written and oral.

Transparent Assignment Design Retreat
Monday, Aug. 11, 1 - 3 p.m., University Capitol Centre 2520B
This retreat will help instructors learn how to design assignments using the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework to enhance student engagement and success.

Iowa New Faculty Orientation
Tuesday, Aug. 19, Iowa Memorial Union
This faculty orientation program, designed to complement collegiate orientation programs, provides new faculty opportunities to interact with campus leaders, resources, and services.  

Celebrating Academic Excellence

Welsh receives Canada Gairdner International Award
Michael Welsh, professor of internal medicine, received the 2025 Canada Gairdner International Award for his research on cystic fibrosis.

Perlman elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Stanley Perlman, professor of microbiology and immunology and pediatrics in the Carver College of Medicine, has been elected as a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Washburn elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Kevin Washburn, College of Law professor and former dean, has been elected to the 2025 class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Dedeaux-Norris wins prestigious Rome Prize
T.J. Dedeaux-Norris, associate professor in the UI School of Art, Art History, and Design and African American Studies, and area head of painting and drawing, has received a 2025 Rome Prize in Visual Arts. 

Merrill wins 2025 Ottaway Award
Christopher Merrill, director of the International Writing Program, will receive the 2025 Ottaway Award for the Promotion of International Literature from Words Without Borders.

Febos talks about the books she keeps and why
Melissa Febos, acclaimed writer and UI English professor, is the first faculty member featured in a new Iowa Now series focused on university authors.  

UI crowned national debate champion
The University of Iowa debate team earned its 13th national title, winning the Cross Examination Debate Association’s National Championship.

Graduating students identify faculty and staff who positively impacted them
The Class of 2025 identified nearly 1,200 faculty and staff members who made a difference in their lives during their time at the university.

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