Hunter
12/18/25
The Iowa Board of Regents says the time is right to revisit how their state universities can become more efficient.
Former Board of Regents president Sherry Bates said at her last meeting as a regent earlier this month that 2014’s Transparent Inclusive Efficiency Review, or TIER, has saved regent universities tens of millions of dollars since. She charged the board’s Investment and Finance Committee to lead a new comprehensive review of revenue streams and cost efficiencies.
The Gazette reports Regent Kurt Tjaden, chair of the board’s Investment and Finance Committee and new board president pro tem, said this directive will re-engage the board office, regent institutions, and third-party experts to explore new areas of opportunity to ensure the future financial foundation of state universities remains strong.
UI President Barbara Wilson said they’re constantly looking at enrollment trends and where they can cut costs. In November, she said since 2021, the University of Iowa has closed or merged 26 majors, departments or programs. Additionally, they’ve eliminated 41,000 square feet of property and buildings during that stretch.
The efficiency review comes at a time when the State Legislature this year rejected a 5% funding increase totaling $30.3 million, instead offering just $4 million for legislative-specific priorities at the state-run universities.
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