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CEDAR FALLS, IA
WWW.NORTHERNIOWAN.COM
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2026
@NORTHERNIOWAN
VOLUME 122, ISSUE 19
50 years of the UNI-Dome
By InsideUNI
50 years ago this February, thousands of curious fans packed into a new one-of-a-kind venue for the first time. On February 7, 1976, the first official event inside the UNI-Dome brought the University of Northern Iowa wrestling team face-to-face with the University of Iowa. According to the Northern Iowan, “over 10,000 people jammed both the finished and unfinished sides of the new domed stadium” and “everybody was awed by the size and grandeur of the Dome in an article titled “Under the Big Top… the greatest show on earth.” While the opening of the new venue coincided with the university’s centennial celebration, it was envisioned as much more than a birthday building for UNI’s 100th year… and was instead viewed as an opportunity to provide UNI a renewed sense of identity and build a better community. By spring, it hosted its first commencement ceremony - the beginning of a tradition that would go on to welcome tens of thousands of graduates across the stage to receive their degree under the fabric roof. A grand opening was held in celebration of the UNI-Dome on
Sept. 3-5, 1976. It was a weekend filled with festivities, including a concert from Harry Chapin, a dedication ceremony, a football game and an interdenominational religious service. The vision for the UNI-Dome was championed by then-athletics director Stan Sheriff, whose leadership helped bring the project to life. (Sheriff would later go on to create another iconic domed venue at the University of Hawaii.) Five decades after that first whistle blew, the UNI-Dome remains one of the most recognizable symbols of the university — home to state tournaments, concerts, community gatherings, youth events and countless memories shared by students, alumni and Iowa residents across the state. Today, the venue accounts for an estimated more than $17 million in economic impact to Courtesy Photo/University Archives the Cedar Valley each year. Commencement in the UNI-Dome on May 15, 1976. To learn more about the vision, construction and evolution of the UNI-Dome, explore the full building history maintained by UNI Special Collections and University Archives at https://scua.library.uni. edu/uni-history/building-histories/ uni-dome-1974.
Community variety show put on by UNI alumni nonprofit
ROTH residents without hot water
By Estelle Johnson Executive Editor
On Feb. 2, students who reside in the ROTH Apartments received an email regarding hot water in their apartments. A failure in the main hot water heater caused a lack of hot water, and the heater was restored within six hours of the failure. A temporary set up was made — ROTH residents may have noted seeing a large propane tank outside of the building. Pete Moris, director of University Relations, wrote in an email “there is no outage, it just takes longer to get hot water to the rooms until we can get the main hot water heater up and running.”
Moris added, “We have the necessary part on order but are still awaiting delivery.” ROTH residents have noted that the temporary solution is not working as well as it should. “The ongoing hot water issues in ROTH are really frustrating. We pay a lot of money to live in campus housing; we shouldn’t have to worry about if our shower will be cold or if we can do our dishes,” said junior Elliana Nelson. “We were told there was a temporary solution put in place but there has been limited improvement since it was implemented.”
Courtesy Photo There is currently a temporary propane tank set up in place of the main water heater but ROTH residents claim it is not working as well as they would hope.
By Skylar Zimmerman Staff Writer
Founded by UNI alumni, the Cedar Valley LGBTQ+ Coalition is hosting their first Variety Show event this Friday at the Oster Regent Theatre downtown from 6 to 8 p.m. The Coalition is a nonprofit organization located in the Cedar Valley.According to their mission statement: “We connect with local organizations and resources to provide an affirming space for people who are members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community.” They hold many different recurring events such as Queer Prom (a dance event for middle and high schoolers), Queerly Beloved (a craft night around Valentine’s Day) and Queersgiving (Thanksgiving event for anyone). They also host pop-up events including Frog and Toad’s Book Club. Nic and Archer Trip are siblings who are part of the Executive Volunteer Board of the Coalition. They were part of some of the first meetings in 2022 and have helped build up the Coalition to be what it is today. Archer, a 2023 UNI graduate, used to work at the UNI Gender Sexuality and Services office before it was shut down, then turned to the Coalition to continue serving others. “The vision is about cultivating safe spaces through education and collaboration of community resources,” he said. He still currently works at UNI as well as part time at St. Timothy’s United Methodist Church as the Youth Ministry Director. He has been the head of Outreach and Advocacy for two years now within the organization. His favorite part of working in the Coalition is working with the youth in the Cedar Valley. “It’s really eye opening to work with our youth group, as well as working in our teen (group). We worked alongside the Cedar Valley Pride Fest Teen Center and their events, and that was really, really fun to see the stuff that they do and to give them advice, and they give me advice and we work like that,” he said. In terms of planning, Archer says that the Variety Show could be nothing without Nicole Trip, the Events Coordinator. Nic Trip graduated from UNI in 2023 as well and is currently working as a therapist in downtown Cedar Falls at Olive Branch Counselling. She got involved as a general member of the Coalition by going to various events. Nic’s activism journey is rooted in community building. She has always been involved in community work here in Cedar Falls, and only got more involved post-graduate. See VARIETY, page 3