UI Student Government officials are in Des Moines today to lobby state lawmakers. Among the group’s top priorities are rallying support for the PAULA bill, thanking lawmakers for their support of higher education funding, and asking legislatures what students can do to stay involved.

By Sam Lane While UI Dance Marathon officials say they’re certainly proud of the event’s success and national recognition, most don’t view it as any sort of competition. “[The recognition] is not very important,” said Jenny Carroll, UI Dance Marathon’s Public Relations and Marketing Director. “There are so many out there. We’re all doing great things.” [...]

By Sam Lane Click here to view an exclusive photo slideshow. (opens in new window) MAQUOKETA, Iowa — It’s a typical Monday morning in high school. Kelsey Wagner sits silently as her horticulture teacher reads from a list of announcements. The list is longer than usual today: Kelsey thumbs through her papers and stares blankly [...]

By Michelle Hillenbrand Zach Evett sits three days a week in the IMU, surrounded by piles of checks totaling anywhere from $2,000 to $6,000. Evett is not an oil tycoon or a master of Monopoly, but a Dance Marathon volunteer, and member of the group’s business committee that controls the financial side of the organization. [...]

The state Board of Regents voted unanimously to rescind the $100 spring tuition surcharge, crediting the amount back to students after learning that Gov. Chet Culver intends to return some money to the regent institutions this fiscal year. The vote to revoke the surcharge is contingent on the state Legislature’s approval of Culver’s newest budget [...]

As of 11 a.m., only 1,671 Johnson County voters had cast ballots in today’s Johnson County Supervisors special election. That’s fewer than two percent of registered voters in the area. Iowa City polling stations had seen 837 voters by 11 a.m.

UI officials want to split Hancher Auditorium and the School of Music, rebuilding Hancher on the West Side of the Iowa River and moving the music school to a downtown site.

University of Kansas School of Law Dean Gail Agrawal will take over as the dean of the UI College of Law, university officials announced Monday. Agrawal will be just the second woman to serve as dean of the UI College of Law. She will replace Carolyn Jones, who announced her intentions to leave the post earlier this year.

In a special meeting Saturday morning, the Iowa City City Council elected Councilor Matt Hayek as the city’s new mayor. In a 7-o vote, councilors chose Hayek to replace Regenia Bailey, who has served as mayor for two years. Councilors also selected Ross Wilburn to serve as mayor pro tem. Both Hayek and Wilburn were [...]