One of the expectations of the Iowa Challenge is to engage — engage in campus life and engage in the community in which you live. We know engagement looks very different right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we still encourage students to get involved. One way is to participate in local and state elections.

Hello Hawkeyes, like many of you, we are excited for the 2021 football season to begin Saturday.

Dear university community, we hear your concerns and anger, and we share your feelings regarding the serious allegations of sexual misconduct on our campus and across the nation.

Two areas in the Office of the Dean of Students (DOS) – Leadership and Engagement (LE) and Well-Being and Basic Needs – have reorganized to better serve the needs of University of Iowa students and support Division of Student Life strategic priorities.

For University Housing and Dining, finding vendors to partner with to serve fresh, local food in on campus dining locations is a top priority. The team strives to provide quality and value to the on-campus dining experience for students. One of the many ways the team achieves this is their close partnership with local vendors. By working with these partners, the team is able to provide fresher, better-tasting foods and limit the environmental impact by reducing transportation distance.

Happy last week of classes, Hawkeyes! I wanted to alert you to a recent change to university policies that impacts our campus community. The university’s chalking policy has been updated to reflect our shared values of free speech, free expression, and the exchange of ideas. This important update applies to all university students, staff, faculty, affiliates, invited guests, and visitors.

Living on campus at the University of Iowa presents students with an opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive environment. This past year, the COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes to the on-campus living experience. However, residence hall support teams have been a constant presence for students to help them stay connected during this unprecedented year.

Following the cancellation of all youth camp programming in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Recreational Services is pleased to again be hosting Wildlife Camps this coming summer. The original Wildlife Camp program, hosted at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area, will be celebrating its 30th year in the wild, carrying on a long legacy of hands-on experiences that awaken awareness, nurture appreciation, and inspire action for all things wild.

It is with a heavy heart that we report that Senéad Short, a 2018 graduate of the University of Iowa, and 2020 Fulbright award winner, was among those killed in a train derailment on Friday, April 2, in Hualien County, Taiwan. Our thoughts are with Senéad’s family and friends and we offer condolences to all of those who lost loved ones in Friday’s accident.

On March 12, the Board of Regents, State of Iowa approved the agreement for Follett Higher Education Group, Inc., to manage the day-to-day operations of the Iowa Hawk Shop and University Bookstore.