Iowa’s universities plan to bring back students in fall

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa’s three major public universities are planning to resume in-person classes in the fall, but they are still working out the details of what that would look like during the coronavirus pandemic.

Iowa Board of Regents President Mike Richards said the schools will follow state and federal health guidelines as they develop plans to bring thousands of students back to the campuses of the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa .

Board of Regents spokesman Josh Lehman told the Des Moines Register that specific plans for the fall semester will be shared as they are developed.

Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is beginning to ease some coronavirus restrictions even though COVID-19 is still spreading in Iowa. 

The actual number of infections in the state is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld said the school is taking a cautious approach to planning for the fall, adding that the situation is extremely fluid, and the specific steps they need to implement have yet to be determined. 

Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen said in a letter to faculty and staff last week that the school is facing more than $80 million in losses and additional expenses since April 3 because of the coronavirus pandemic. That total includes nearly $17 million in refunds to students and families for housing, dining and other fees.

Wintersteen said she will continue to prioritize the health of students, faculty and staff as plans for the fall are developed.