February 2026
Campus News and Updates
Dare to Discover banner campaign winners announced
The Dare to Discover banner campaign celebrates outstanding UI student and postdoc researchers with banners throughout downtown. This year’s cohort features exemplary young scholars advancing work on important projects like endometrial cancer treatment, flood management, understanding dementia, sustainable design, and more.
Office of Writing and Communication launch website and newsletter
The new website for the Office of Writing and Communication (OWC), writing.uiowa.edu, is now live. OWC has also launched a new biweekly newsletter called The Word, which showcases writing-related opportunities, events, and stories that enhance the student experience, strengthen collaboration, and amplify the shared impact of Iowa’s writing community.
Accessibility tip: Why captions matter for every video
Captions aren’t just for those with hearing loss—they help everyone access, understand, and engage with your content. Learn why captions are essential and how to easily add them using tools you already have.
ICON Course Archiving
The Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology is creating a content retention and archive process for all ICON courses to support accessible content. Starting in mid-spring 2026, instructors and admins can opt in to this process, immediately archiving past courses and marking them as exempt from the Title II mandate.
Curriculum Management to hold virtual office hours
The Curriculum Management team will hold virtual office hours to answer questions and provide guidance on any of the components that make up the Curriculum Management System, including academic organization, programs of study, MAUI Course Library, General Catalog, degree audits, and sample plans.
For Faculty
Book Ends – Obermann Book Completion Workshop applications due Feb. 17
Book Ends supports faculty with near-final monograph drafts by convening senior scholars for a virtual workshop. Participants receive $500 honoraria, detailed revision feedback, press guidance, and a six-month timeline for preparing a manuscript for review. Open to assistant, associate, and full professors.
Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards
The Council on Teaching is accepting nominations for this award now through Feb 25. This award recognizes up to 30 teaching assistants who demonstrated outstanding abilities during the 2025 spring, summer, and/or fall semesters.
University seeks course proposals for undergraduate Certificate in AI
Faculty from all disciplines are invited to propose a course for the Certificate in Artificial Intelligence (AI). Proposals should be from the perspective of the proposer’s discipline and encourage critical thinking, creativity, and hands-on engagement. Proposals are due via workflow by March 1.
Arts and Humanities Faculty: Secure a spring 2026 AHI grant
The Arts and Humanities Initiative awards grants to support creative and scholarly work that advances humanist principles. Scholars can receive up to $7,500 for a standard grant and up to $30,000 for a major project grant. Apply by March 10.
2027-2028 Professional Development Awards (PDA)
The Faculty Admin Center Development Awards portal is open for PDA requests for AY2027-28. Faculty proposals are due to their DEO by March 23.
Digital accessibility support from Student Instructional Technology Assistants
Student Instructional Technology Assistants (SITAs) can help instructors review ICON pages and assist in making documents and PDFs accessible. To get started, email sita@uiowa.edu.
Faculty and instructor events
AI Literacy for Educators
Tuesday, Feb. 3, 4 -5 p.m., Zoom
Learn what today’s AI tools can and can’t do. The session will emphasize clear communication with students and helping learners develop good judgment about when AI supports learning and when it undermines it.
Authentic Assignments
Thursday, Feb. 5, 4-5 p.m., Zoom
Discover instructional technologies that help students create projects that showcase their learning beyond the classroom.
Preparing for Annual Reviews
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 10-11 a.m., Teams
This interactive workshop led by Megan Gilster, associate professor in the School of Social Work, discusses tips and best practices for annual reviews.
PDF Fixes for Accessibility
Thursday, Feb. 12, noon-1 p.m., Zoom
This workshop explains how to replace or remediate PDF files to meet digital accessibility standards. It also features available tools and provides a demo of how to fix PDFs.
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Methods Series: Survey Design
Friday, Feb. 13, 1:30-2:30 p.m.
This spring, campus faculty will lead interactive sessions focused on designing surveys and adapting qualitative and mixed methods approaches for SoTL research.
Reiterative Teaching Practices to Support Learning
Thursday, Feb. 19, noon-1 p.m., Zoom
Discuss strategies to help students recall, retain, and connect ideas across the semester with English PhD Candidate Sarah Frank.
ATAC Student Technology Panel
Friday, Feb. 20, 1:30-3 p.m., UCC 2025D or Zoom
Attend the Student Technology Panel to hear students explain how they foster their own learning using technology.
Strategies for Mid-Career Success
Thursday, Feb. 24, noon-1 p.m., Teams
Learn strategies to achieve career success while avoiding stagnation and burnout in this interactive workshop led by Sato Ashida, professor of community and behavioral health in the College of Public Health.
Promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Wednesday, March 4, 11 a.m.-noon, Teams
Join this workshop led by Associate Provost for Faculty Barry Thomas to learn more about the tenure and promotion process and the importance of having a strategic plan for promotion early in your career.
Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholar Symposium
Thursday, March 5, 3:30-6 p.m., Iowa Theater (166), IMU
Attend this symposium featuring presentations by the 2024 cohort of Iowa Mid-Career Faculty Scholars: James Ankrum, Biomedical Engineering; Natoshia Askelson, Community and Behavioral Health; Abbey Dvorak, School of Music; and David Miles, Physics and Astronomy. Public reception to follow.
AI in Teaching Roundtable
Friday, March 6, 12:30-1:30 p.m., UCC 1115
Join this roundtable featuring four Provost AI Fellows who are teaching courses for the undergraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence.
Office of the Registrar dates and deadlines
- The Spring 2027 Offerings Planner is now open. Updates to spring 2027 course offerings can be made in MAUI anytime between now and June 22.
- Instructors must submit any changes or new sections for fall 2026 courses in the Maui Offerings Planner by Feb. 8. This period allows time to submit offerings before courses become viewable on Feb. 9.
- The Spring 2026 attendance list submission deadline is Feb. 19. Attendance lists are available on the My Courses dashboard (instructors) and Course Grades dashboard (instructor delegates).
For Students
Claim your five Uber Hawk vouchers for safe rides at night
USG teamed up with Campus Safety, the Division of Student Life, and the Parent and Family Council to continue the Uber Voucher pilot program this semester. Eligible students can sign up to receive five $5 Uber ride vouchers, which are valid from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. daily.
Spring 2026 final exam schedule
The Office of the Registrar will publish the Spring 2026 final exam schedule Feb. 16.
All Majors Career Fair POP-In Prep Sessions
Feb. 17, 1-3 p.m. | Feb. 18, 3:30-5:30 p.m. | Feb. 19, noon-2 p.m.
Get ready for the All Majors Career Fair by attending one of our POP-In prep sessions. POP-Ins allow students to connect with employers, practice introductions, and learn resume and conversation tips. All sessions will be held in the Iowa Memorial Union main lobby.
Do’s, Don’ts, & Donuts: Preparing for the Career Fair
Feb. 17, 3-4 p.m., Pride Alliance Center | Feb. 23, 3-4 p.m., Pomerantz Career Center (C310) | Feb. 24, 3-4 p.m., Pomerantz Career Center (C310)
Attend a Do’s, Don’ts, & Donuts session led by Career Peer Advisors to get tips on preparation, expectations, and getting hired at the All Majors Career Fair.
All Majors Career Fair
Feb. 25, noon-4 p.m., Main Lounge & International Ballroom, Iowa Memorial Union
Jumpstart your career with the All Majors Career Fair! With more than 100 employers in attendance, this job and internship fair will focus on recruiting students in all majors.
Spring 2026 degree application deadline Feb. 27
If you’re on track to graduate in Spring 2026, submit your degree application by Feb. 27. A $20 fee will be assessed for late applications.
Drop-in application help sessions for Hawkeye Experience Grant applicants
March 24, 10 a.m.-noon | March 25, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | March 26, 1-3 p.m. | March 24, noon-2 p.m., Pomerantz Career Center (C310)
Undergraduate students can now apply for the Hawkeye Experience Grant for summer 2026. Three drop-in application help sessions will be held at the Pomerantz Center (C310).
Graduate students
Graduate Tuition Scholarship application deadline is Feb. 11
This scholarship provides one-term, tuition-only support for graduate students without assistantships or employer tuition benefits. Applications must be submitted through the student’s academic department by Feb. 11. Priority may go to students with financial need, first-generation status, disabilities, or those graduating in that term.
Six paid summer internships available to humanities grad students
Through a new grant, the Obermann Center is offering six paid summer internships with local nonprofits. Apply by March 2.
Teaching-as-Research (TAR) Workshop Series
This hands-on workshop series allows graduate students and postdocs to design and launch their own Teaching-as-Research project. Completion earns CIRTL Practitioner level certification.
Employee Resources
Get support from UI EAP
Get support for your emotional well-being. Employees and their families can access six free counseling sessions through UI EAP. In addition, the upcoming Grief and Mourning Support Group offers a space to explore loss and share experiences.
Care for your family
Explore resources to help balance family life and work. Access on- and off-campus childcare options, backup care, and summer programs for children, along with guidance for elder caregiving, including in-home assessments and help navigating senior living and care services.
Mental Health Champion Award
Nominate an individual or group who goes above and beyond to support mental health on campus. Nominations due Feb. 13.
Take control of your weight with Wondr Health
The next 12-week session of Wondr Health, a 100% digital weight management program focused on lifestyle behavior changes, starts Feb. 23. Register between Feb. 2 and Feb. 12 to participate.
Arts and Entertainment
Jazz at the Stanley
Feb. 5, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Stanley Museum of Art
The Stanley Museum of Art and SCOPE present a jazz ensemble performance at the museum, free and open to all.
Clue Live on Stage!
Feb. 6-8, Hancher Auditorium
Based on the fan-favorite 1985 movie and inspired by the classic board game, Clue is the ultimate whodunit that will leave you dying of laughter and keep you guessing until the final twist.
Night at the Museum: Date Night
Feb. 12, 5-7 p.m., Stanley Museum of Art
For this month’s Night at the Museum, stop by for Date Night and enjoy Valentine’s desserts, a Valentine’s card collage station, and a photobooth.
American Voices: In Conversation with Lowell Liebermann and Gabriel Kahane
Feb. 19, 6 p.m., Voxman Music Building
Join us in conversation with two working American composers, Lowell Liebermann and Gabriel Kahane, as they discuss process and artistry.
VOCES8
Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m., Voxman Music Building
The a cappella octet VOCES8 brings their inimitable sound to the Concert Hall of Voxman Music Building for a concert centered on songs and sounds inspired by the night.