Work on the office of the new president at the University of Iowa is being scaled back at his request. University of Iowa vice president, Rod Lenhertz, told a Board of Regents committee Wednesday they had planned to update the spaces in the office in Jessup Hall to make it easier to use.
The building was built in 1924. “Many of the wall-to-wall configurations within that space had not been updated since 1924, additionally a lot of the finishes were outdated and aging as well,” Lenhertz says. The project was expected to cost between 750 and $900,000. A U-I spokesperson says it is now likely to be in the 30 to $35,000 range.
Lenhertz says the new president made the decision to cut the project. “Incoming president Bruce Harreld has reviewed that project and has asked us to suspend that project. Indicating that he is confident that he and his staff and those working within that space can work within the confines of the layout,” according the Lenhertz. Lenhertz says they will now just complete some items of deferred maintenance on the office. Lenhertz says they will install some new carpeting to replace carpet that is worn, but the overall project will be suspended.
The report on the project last month said it would be paid for with a combination of non-general fund sources. Harreld will take over as U-I president in November.