Regents committee weighs enrollment growth, IT cuts to save $35M
A committee is studying how to save money at Iowa's three public universities by potentially recruiting community college students and making cuts to IT. The Iowa Board of Regents created the Revenue Enhancement and Productivity Study, or REAPS initiative , in December 2025 as a "comprehensive review of revenue streams and cost efficiencies across the Regents enterprise." The board targeted savings of $35 million over three years, which is roughly 5% of all Regent appropriations from the state general fund. The REAPS committee, which includes Regent board members and staff and as well as staff from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa, plans to deliver a report to the Regents in February. Chief Efficiency Officer and committee member Jacob Nicholson said he is "very confident that in February, REAPS will deliver vetted, validated, and actionable recommendations for the board. " More: Library asks Ames to enforce an overnight camping ban on its property He provided an update at the Regents' Nov. 11 meeting in Ames, noting that the REAPS committee is still reviewing options. Some of the committee's cost-saving proposals include converting more of Iowa's community college students into four-year students, encouraging former
