Regents approve promotions for 75 faculty members

Meeting April 20 in Ames, the state Board of Regents approved promotions, including tenure, for 75 Iowa State faculty members, effective for the 2023-24 academic year. The group includes 43 cases of promotion to associate professor with tenure, tenure-only awards for three associate professors and 29 promotions to full professor for tenured faculty.

2023-24 faculty promotions

New degrees

The board greenlit two new degree programs at Iowa State: an online Master of Accounting Analytics (an in-person version exists) and a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural communications. Since 1996, the ag communications programming was offered as a communications option within the agricultural and life sciences education major. Students pressed for a degree program with a name that reflects the strategic communications aspect of their education.

Parking permit increases

The regents approved Iowa State's request for a 3% increase to parking permit rates for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The Memorial Union manages its parking ramp, and ramp permits will increase 7.5%-9.2%, with the exception of the winter permit.

The penalty for three parking violations will increase $5 each: overtime on parking meters (to $20), failure to purchase a parking receipt (to $20) and improper parking (to $30). The last violation excludes improperly using a space designated for people with disabilities, for which the fine remains $200.

Parking permit rates

*includes residence and Ames Lab staff permits

Final meeting for regent Nancy Boettger

In other business:

• The regents approved residence system rates for the 2023-24 academic year. At Iowa State, that's a 2.9% increase to most hall and apartment rates and a 5% increase to its 25- and 50-meal plans and academic year plans. On average, a room-meal package will go up 3.9%. For example, an unair-conditioned double room with unlimited dining center meals will go up about $369, to $9,726. The price guests pay in the campus dining centers also will go up about 5%, to $15 for lunch and dinner, to $11.65 for breakfast.
• The regents approved Iowa State's request to close four centers due to circumstances: Biobased Industry Center, Center for Metabolic Biology, Iowa Center for Advance Neurotoxicology and the Center for Earthworks Engineering Research. The first faces declining private sponsors, the others are due to center leadership departures.
• Board president Michael Richards expressed the board's "deep gratitude" to regent Nancy Boettger for her six years of service as board member (May 1, 2017-April 30, 2023). Speaking to her colleagues, Boettger said, "What a privilege it's been to be with the fine minds in this room. I encourage you to keep up the good work." Robert Cramer, president and chief administrative officer of road construction company Cramer & Associates, Grimes, and a 2013 regent nominee, will succeed Boettger on the board. The Iowa Senate confirmed his appointment April 17.
• A scheduled presentation on the regent universities' economic impact in Iowa by Hannah Ruffridge, Lightcast labor market analytics firm, was postponed a second time due to Ruffridge's illness.