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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2026
VOLUME 122, ISSUE 29
120-year-old Alumni House to be razed following approval from Board of Regents
Unoccupied since 2022, the building has $650,000 in deferred maintenance
Lily Munnik/Northern Iowan The Alumni House is located at 1012 W 23rd Street and positioned next to Lang Hall and an A parking lot. With the removal of the house, the university plans to put in a sidewalk for more accessbility.
By Lily Munnik & Jenna Westendorf After years of deliberation, The decision comes more the Iowa Board of Regents has than three years after the proposunanimously approved the dem- al was first introduced in 2021, olition of the University of North- when UNI planned to have both ern Iowa’s long-vacant Alumni the Alumni House and the HonHouse on Thursday, April 23, ors Cottage razed. The Regents citing rising maintenance costs tabled the final vote due to the and a lack of functional use for historic significance of both the historic building. buildings.
Constructed in 1906, the Alumni House is over 120 years old. However, university officials say its prolonged vacancy and deteriorating condition ultimately left them no other alternative. “This building has outlived its functional lifespan,” said Pete
Moris, UNI’s director of University Relations. “The cost savings we would have could potentially fund needed faculty positions.” The house has remained unoccupied since 2022 and is not listed on a historic registry, making it eligible for demolition without preservation restric-
tions. Michael Hager, UNI chief financial officer, noted that the structure requires extensive and costly repairs, including water infiltration into its limestone foundation and an outdated roof. See ALUMNI, page 3
UNI Earthfest 2026 Iowa Board of Regents hikes tuition 3% By Jenna Westendorf Managing Editor
By Alli Webster Staff Writer
Jenna Westendorf/Northern Iowan Left to right: Parker Scott, Sophia Thompson, Jada Dachtler and Matt Kerber are members of the Panther Efficiency and Sustainability Team (PEST) at the Earthfest on April 22.
PHOTO STORY ONLINE AT northerniowan.com
The Iowa Board of Regents convened for the second day of their bi-monthly meeting on April 23. The largest topic of discussion for April’s meeting was the second and final reading and vote of the proposed tuition rates for the next academic year. Regent universities must prepare a rate that falls in compliance with inflationary rates. Typically, in-state tuition sees a smaller increase than the outof-state tuition rates. In February, all three Regent universities proposed a 3% raise for in-state undergraduate tuition rates. The University of Iowa proposed a 1.5% raise for its out-of-state undergraduate tuition rate, where the rate
is already almost quadruple the amount for in-state tuition. Iowa State University proposed a 4.5% increase in out-of-state undergraduate tuition, where the situation is nearly the same; out-of-state tuition for undergraduates is almost three times the in-state rate. UNI proposed a 3% raise in undergraduate outof-state tuition, where the outof-state tuition rate difference is slightly double the amount of the in-state tuition rate. During the first reading of the rates in February, Regent members were tasked with receiving the proposed numbers and allowing time to form their thoughts and questions before putting the numbers to a final vote in April.
Before the vote was held to approve the rates, student government representatives from UNI, Iowa and Iowa State were allowed to speak on behalf of the rates. “While no student likes to see a tuition rise, we understand the importance of supporting staff and resources across our campuses,” said Gabriel Salazar, student body president of the University of Northern Iowa. “While tuition is always a sensitive subject, at the end of the day, we know that any decision made is for the greater good of our students.” STORY CONTINUED ONLINE AT
northerniowan.com