Iowa State University

Inside Iowa State
July 23, 1999

Regents' wrap-up

Following is a wrap-up of Board of Regents, State of Iowa activities during the July 14 meeting at Iowa State.


FY2000 budget
The regents approved the ISU budget in the amount of $748.8 million ($380.5 for the general fund operating budget and $368.1 million for the restricted fund budget). The general fund operating budget represents a 4.8 percent increase over the revised FY99 budget. New revenues and reallocations within the general fund budget total $28.2 million and will be used for strategies in the universitys strategic plan.


FY2001 general fund appropriation requests
The regents approved board office-recommended operating appropriations totaling $273.7 million to Iowa State in FY2001. This amount excludes funds for salary increases. It includes incremental funding of $10.5 million for:

  • "Sustaining excellence" -- mandatory cost increases in things such as building operations, library acquisitions and scholarships.
  • Building a center of excellence in fundamental plant sciences.
  • Undergraduate education.
  • Several outreach programs aimed at improving Iowans quality of life.


    • New programs
    The regents OKed creation of:

  • Interdepartmental graduate minor (master's and doctoral) in complex adaptive systems (CAS). Examples of "natural" CAS include immune systems and ecologies; examples of synthetic CAS include large-scale communication networks, evolutionary algorithms and economies.
  • An interdepartmental graduate major in bioinformatics and computational biology, to respond to the high need for scientists in fields such as molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry and biotechnology.


    • Business: Graduate program name change
    The regents approved changing the "business administrative sciences" major to "master of science in business" in the College of Business, to avoid confusion with the only other graduate degree offered in the college (Master of Business Administration).


    Animal science: Graduate program changes
    The regents approved moving from seven to five graduate majors by:

  • Discontinuing four graduate majors (animal production, muscle biology, nutritional physiology and physiology of reproduction).
  • Creating one new major (animal science) and one modified new major (animal physiology), which includes as specializations the former majors in physiology of reproduction and muscle biology.
  • Continuing three majors (meat science, animal nutrition and animal breeding), but the last becomes "animal breeding and genetics."


    • Capital improvement projects
    The regents approved:

  • Proceeding with project planning for Hilton Coliseum (restrooms and concessions, fire safety and exit improvements).
  • Proceeding with project planning and architect selection for College of Business building.
  • A schematic design of Beardshear remodeling, which focuses on ground floor improvements in the Student Answer Center (see story).
  • The project description and budget for a conservatory at Reiman Gardens ($7.8 million, 29,000 square feet) and the architects contract for design services.
  • The project description and budget for a telecommunications plant systems upgrade, which will address infrastructure deficiencies in a number of buildings (initially 12).
  • Two revised project budgets: Maple Hall remodeling and flood mitigation, and utilities extension on the north end of campus for the Hawthorn residence development.
  • A design agreement with Baldwin White Architects for pre-design and schematic design services on Union Drive residence project.
  • A design agreement with Brooks Borg Skiles Architecture Engineering Des Moines, for pre-design and schematic design services on a new 4-H/Extension building.

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    Revised 07/23/99