Legislative Priorities
For the 2026 Iowa Legislative Session, the University of Northern Iowa is focusing on the following funding priorities:
Other programs at UNI:
Increasing Iowa's Workforce Numbers - $1 million request
Iowa has more job openings than people to fill them, and the state’s slow population growth is not keeping pace with retirements. Our state’s main economic growth challenge is our population; we must attract people from other states. As an access institution of higher education with a proven track record of keeping graduates in the state, UNI is uniquely positioned to play a critical role in attracting talent from other states and boosting Iowa’s economic growth.
UNI is requesting $1 million in FY 2027 state appropriations to support our initiative offering new undergraduate students from states contiguous to Iowa the same rate of tuition and mandatory fees that are charged to resident students. Effective this academic year, UNI is offering to new non-resident students from six states bordering Iowa (IL, MN, MO, NE, SD, WI) tuition rates equivalent to those for Iowa residents. Nearly half of UNI graduates from the states contiguous to Iowa stay in the state after graduation, joining Iowa’s workforce and adding value to Iowa’s economic development. Not only will this funding open access to our programs for students from the states contiguous to Iowa, it will also increase enrollment of undergraduates ready to join the Iowa workforce upon graduation.
- 78% of UNI graduates from Iowa stay in the state
- 78% of UNI transfer student graduates stay in Iowa to live and work after degree completion
- 48% of UNI graduates from outside of Iowa stay in the state
- 94% of graduates enter the workforce with experience in their field from UNI’s robust internship program, field experiences and pre-professional part time jobs
- UNI expects to at least triple the number of students from contiguous states, adding 150 new workers to the Iowa economy every year
Helping Iowa's Nursing Shortage - $600,000 request
Launched in the fall of 2024, UNI's BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program aims to increase the nursing workforce in Iowa. The need for nurses in the state remains critical. As of August 2025, there were over 3,500 job postings on iowaworks.gov for registered nurses, by far the most than those for any other profession. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses were seventh on the list, with over 480 job postings.
The first year the program was offered, it enrolled an initial cohort of 24 students. We anticipate growing the major and admitting 96 to 144 new students per academic year beginning fall 2026. UNI is requesting $600,000 in FY 2027 state appropriations to support the growth and expansion of the program. This funding will allow us to hire more faculty and staff, as well as ensure the nursing students have access to state-of-the-art medical equipment and continue to learn in an environment that models real clinical settings.
Additionally, UNI plans to launch a new Accelerated BSN program. The full-time, 12-month option is designed for students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree or significant undergraduate coursework and are seeking a faster, more affordable pathway to a career in nursing. The program is expected to launch in fall 2026. The curriculum integrates classroom instruction, clinical practice, simulation, and community-based experiences, helping students gain skills in evidence-based practice, clinical judgment, leadership, and person-centered care, preparing them to meet the demands of modern health care. The program follows a continuous schedule, including summer and winter terms, to allow students to complete the BSN in 12 months.
UNI's BSN Program features:
- Outcome-Focused Curriculum: The program is built on an outcome-focused, competency-based framework that prepares graduates to be practice-ready and deliver safe, evidence-based care.
- Integrated Teaching and Learning: Faculty use an experiential, hands-on model that integrates theory and practice within specialized integrated classrooms. Each integrated classroom has its own dedicated simulation suite.
- Technology-Enhanced Learning: Advanced simulation and instructional technologies immerse students in realistic, high-fidelity clinical scenarios that promote situational awareness, adaptive problem-solving, and skills acquisition.
- Comprehensive Simulation Facilities: With the simulation center expansion, the program includes a total of eight high-fidelity simulation suites—two medical-surgical, two trauma, two critical care, one pediatric, and one labor and delivery.
- Simulation Center Expansion: The compact simulation center, opening in Spring 2026, is a state-of-the-art facility mirroring authentic healthcare environments.
Helping Iowans obtain their 4-year degree from anywhere in the state
The UNI@IACC partnership provides community college students with easier access to a four-year degree. After earning an associate's degree at any of Iowa's community colleges, students can seamlessly earn a bachelor's degree from UNI in one of seven high-demand online areas, without ever having to leave their hometowns.
UNI@IACC builds on the success of the UNI Online & Distance Education program, which 98% of distance students say they would recommend to others. While students who obtain their UNI degree won't be on the UNI campus, UNI is committed to helping these students feel like they are still part of the Panther family. One way UNI is ensuring students get the high-touch personal sense of community that is the hallmark of a UNI education is by hiring full-time student support specialists located at Indian Hills Community College, Iowa Western Community College, Western Iowa Tech Community College and Des Moines Area Community College. These support specialists assist students throughout the admissions and financial aid process, answering questions and connecting them with helpful resources at UNI. The strength in UNI's partnership with UNI@IACC schools is evident in the numbers. UNI's overall transfer enrollment from Iowa community colleges increased 18 percent last fall, with enrollment from the current four UNI@IACC sites growing 40 percent.
This isn't about UNI offering courses. It's about UNI being able to partner with the community colleges, meet the needs of their local workforce, meet the needs of the students and develop a true partnership to better support the students that are in their community.
By automatically awarding Future Ready Scholarships to eligible students, UNI@IACC helps alleviate the barrier of cost that may prevent many students from pursuing a four-year degree. Future Ready Scholarships pay the difference between Iowa community college tuition and UNI tuition. These scholarships support students earning a bachelor's degree who, on average, earn 48% more than their peers who have taken some college but not completed a degree.
- The UNI@IACC program provides an innovative way for adult and place-bound Iowans to be able to complete their four-year degree in a way that saves them money, provides them with the necessary support, and prepares them for Iowa’s high-demand workforce.
- This bold and innovative strategy supports the Future Ready Iowa Initiative and is central to UNI’s mission to be open and accessible to the people of Iowa.
See where UNI@IACC students are located across the state and read more about the degrees offered
Skilled Worker and Job Creation Fund (SWJCF)
UNI economic development programs are required to focus expenditures on projects that will provide economic stimulus in Iowa and emphasize providing services to Iowa-based companies. UNI economic development programs received an annual $1.46 million appropriation from the SWJCF. All UNI programs pursue grants and contracts, foundation support, federal funds, fees for services, and other sources of revenue. Each State dollar invested in UNI’s economic development efforts leverages $5 in federal, grants or private sources. UNI provides economic development assistance throughout all 99 counties.
Funding
Five UNI centers share funding from this economic development appropriation - the Institute for Decision Making, Metal Casting Center, Advance Iowa, Family Business Center and the Iowa SourceLink program (supported by the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center). These programs provide valuable, ongoing economic development support to communities, small- and medium-sized businesses, entrepreneurs, and manufacturers across the state.
In addition, a total of $3 million is appropriated from the SWJCF to the Regents Innovation Fund for all three universities (UNI receives $900,000). The Regents universities invest these funds in opportunities that yield successful startups, innovative business assistance and critical research leading to commercialization. The universities are required to match the funding on a one-to-one basis from non-state resources. Status quo funding is requested to the Regents Innovation Fund. UNI’s $900,000 goes towards entrepreneurship outreach and economic gardening; technology transfer, business incubation and additive manufacturing; regional development; and competitive and market intelligence.
Five UNI centers share funding from the $1.46 million economic development appropriation:
Institute for Decision Making (IDM)
Established in 1987, IDM guides organizations and community-based groups in making decisions and taking organized action toward economic and community development results. IDM serves and advises economic development corporations, chambers of commerce, Main Street programs, community planning organizations, regional workforce groups, regional entrepreneur programs, and other similar groups. Recent priorities for IDM programming are supporting regional and statewide rural development efforts through the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative, the Iowa Rural Development Council and the Iowa Rural Vitality Coalition and providing ongoing technical assistance to rural communities that have been impacted by natural disasters.
Metal Casting Center (MCC)
The MCC now includes the Foundry 4.0 Center and provides foundry research, applied technology, and technical business assistance directly to the foundry industry. The MCC links University research and resources to private sector applications. For the past two years, the MCC and Foundry 4.0 Center have focused on supporting industry/manufacturing 4.0 for the casting industry. Foundry 4.0 facilities on the UNI campus and at TechWorks in Waterloo, lead innovations for the foundry industry in 3D printing, sensors, Internet of Things (IoT), and investment casting technologies. No other university-based applied research program in the U.S. is better equipped to support technology deployment to the foundry industry.
Advance Iowa
UNI’s former Center for Business Growth and Innovation was integrated under the umbrella of Advance Iowa in 2021. These centers serve entrepreneurs and small- and medium-sized business owners throughout the state. Two of the primary goals are business transition and employee ownership. This includes work to support ESOPs in Iowa and other forms of employee ownership, with a focus on rural regions of Iowa. Advance Iowa also has a number of peer working groups across the state and assists small businesses with strategic direction.
Family Business Center
In 2021, the Family Business Center was formally recognized by the Iowa Board of Regents as a center. Family business programming was delivered for three year to determine the level of need and interest across Iowa. The FBC focuses on the important issues of family businesses,
including governance, communication and transition. Programming includes a breakfast series for family businesses, an annual conference, peer groups, platforms for direct family-to-family interaction and other support.
Iowa SourceLink – UNI John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC)
Iowa SourceLink is a decade-plus partnership with the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). IASourceLink.com is an entrepreneurship development system consisting of an online social network and free web resources, coupled with collaboratively delivered services for
entrepreneurs in Iowa. The network includes a Resource Ranger program which is a free help line to assist entrepreneurs with data and referrals to address specific questions. Last year, over 4,700 individuals and businesses were supported by the JPEC and IASourceLink.com had over 43,000 unique visitors. Another service of IASourceLink.com is the Business License Information Center, which helps small business with licensing information and support in conjunction with the Secretary of State. In addition to the economic development funding, JPEC also receives $41,666 in state general funds for student support and student entrepreneurship programming.
UNI’s Foundry 4.0 Center, which is the core component of the Metal Casting Center, has achieved substantial success by working with emerging technology. Through the center’s applied research, many of the barriers to technology adoption have been removed, resulting in industry adoption of these emerging technologies. Success has been proven by the growth of 3D sand printers located in North America with Iowa realizing the highest growth. Using additive manufacturing to create patterns for investment casting with integrated automation has provided great potential to further advance the castings industry dramatically. Some key industry sectors benefiting from 3D investment casting technologies include aerospace, defense, agricultural manufacturing, and bioscience and medical technologies (such as joint replacement technologies in collaboration with University of Iowa).
The expansion of the center related to investment castings technology and industry support started in FY 2020 with a $400,000 appropriation. The appropriation provides UNI an immersion in developing and delivering these new technologies. The funds allow for engaging in higher levels of technology training and allow current staff members to concentrate more time on applied research and industry adoption. This allows UNI’s Metal Casting Center to concentrate on activities that benefit Iowa companies to the fullest. The funds support new full-time and student employee salaries to engage in higher levels of technology training.
UNI’s program is the only real estate program in Iowa leading to a bachelor’s degree providing a strong tie to the real estate industry. The real estate industry is a key component of economic development in both rural and urban communities in Iowa. UNI Business offers the only Bachelor of Arts degree in real estate in the state of Iowa. The extensive program prepares students for careers in the many disciplines within real estate, both commercial and residential, including brokerage, property management, valuation, mortgage underwriting, mortgage servicing and asset management. Graduates play a significant role as lenders, brokers, developers, appraisers, property managers or attorneys.
The value of this program and the strength of its graduates do not go unnoticed; UNI Business real estate majors experience 100 percent job placement before graduation. UNI real estate curriculum has been approved by several licensing authorities and industry organizations. UNI is one of the very few select programs to have earned these approvals. These approvals streamline the process and reduce the expense of becoming licensed or certified, or obtaining these premier professional designations.
The Iowa Legislature created this program at UNI in 1989 (Iowa Code Chapter 268) to provide education, research, and outreach regarding real estate and the real estate industry. There remains an ongoing need to provide real estate education in the state of Iowa. The UNI Business real estate program ranks No. 12 among the top 30 best universities for real estate studies, according to rentapplication.com.
UNI's program connects academic learning with the actual application of those principles to real-world problems. Students aren't being trained in real estate, rather they are gaining an education where they develop the skills required in today's complex real estate industry.