The big meat cleaver that is budget cuts at the UI has just found a nice big juicy steak to destroy.
Recent plans to introduce a comprehensive student retention plan in the next three years will now take five or six years, said Wallace Loh, the UI’s provost.
The university’s retention rate — 83 percent — is one of the lowest in the Big Ten and is causing great concern among Iowa leadership as the university attempts to find new methods to keep more and more students on campus.
When the state Board of Regents sent budget cut proposals to the three public universities recently, one possible cut was to excise ancillary or unnecessary programs. Iowa’s retention plan seems to fall under that umbrella. However, this decision will have consequences for our future.
As tuition and other expenses increase for UI students, it will become increasingly imperative for this institution to foster better relationships with students, thus providing a welcoming environment for students to return to.
Difficult budget choices abound in the coming weeks, but Iowa leadership must be cognizant of its promise to provide students with a high-class education and a prosperous learning environment. This decision fails to recognize the big picture where that bond is established.
Students are leaving this university at an alarming rate compared with similar institutions in the Midwest. We should not be naive to miscalculate the harmful effects of Iowa City’s downtown bar scene on our youthful students. However, lack of student retention cannot — and should not — be placed entirely at the feet of Iowa City’s cultural and social landscape.
Something is missing in the university’s educational experience that is prompting UI students to vanish. As the university continues its discussions on budget cuts, they should be mindful of how cutting certain programs affect our continued growth as a university and as a student body.
