(An article from the Iowa Capital Dispatch) – According to the release, the UI is starting this work “from a position of financial health” so it can strengthen its current success amid increasing financial uncertainties, decreasing trust in higher education and a looming demographic cliff. “At Iowa, we have an opportunity to lead by being proactive rather than reactive,” said UI Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Kregel in the release. “Instead of waiting for challenges to dictate our choices, we are creating structures and strategies that position us for continued success.”

(Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Close to 100 UI employees, including faculty, staff and leadership, are being placed into teams with the goals of either developing plans for increasing revenue or identifying administrative efficiencies, the release stated. Each team will focus on a different aspect of campus and university functions, according to the reSPARC website, ranging from academics to financial operations, student enrollment and retention, philanthropy, information technology and more. Teams will bring their ideas to initiative leaders before moving to the university president and provost, who have the final say on if and how plans will be implemented.

The website stated there is are no plans for budget cuts or layoffs included in the reSPARC initiative, as it is being implemented as a proactive plan rather than a response to budget problems.

UI President Barbara Wilson said in the release that collaboration is a strength of the UI community, and this new initiative will allow people across more than 30 departments to generate ideas together to ensure a strong present and thriving future. “Our goal is to create a pipeline of actionable, well-vetted ideas that will have a real impact,” Wilson said in the release. “This is not about quick fixes—it’s about building a foundation for sustained growth and excellence.”