The Board that governs the three state universities will vote on a plan to create a single site for prospective students of the three schools to apply during their meeting next week in Ames. The “admissions portal” is one of three recommendations in a consultant’s review of the schools known as “business cases” that the board will vote on.
Jeneane Beck of the University of Northern Iowa says the Board of Regents will implement these recommendations on their own. “There may be additional business cases as we forward that we would maybe need assistance from Deloitte, but these three business cases, we will work with the Board of Regents office and the institutions to implement them,” Beck says.
The other two recommendations include a new way to calculate the admissions index for students and a way to establish clearer guidelines for search committees that select professional and scientific staff at the U-I, ISU and UNI.
The consultants have focused heavily on finding ways to increase efficiency to save the schools money. Beck says these proposals are not seen as big money savers. “These three are more about transparency and efficiency,” Beck says. For example, she says the schools were using different ways to calculate the admissions index for students, and having one way would be more transparent to students and their parents.
The common portal for applications would also make it easier for students. “That’s something that would just be more accessible for families who might be interested in more than one of the regents institutions,” Beck says. The portal would still keep a $40 application fee for each school. The total cost to institute the portal and any savings it might generate are still being figured.
The Regents will meet in Ames on September 9th and 10th.