After an academic year spent exploring efficiencies and identifying areas where money could be saved, the University of Iowa’s Revenue and Efficiencies Strategic Plan Action and Resource Committee is moving into the implementation phase.
The Iowa City university announced in a news release that reSPARC will transition from its 12-team structure to one work group with smaller teams to finalize and enact recommendations related to operational efficiency and revenue generation.
“As we look at the work accomplished over the past year, reSPARC has done exactly what it was designed to do. We have brought people together from across the university to identify meaningful opportunities and build a strong foundation for action,” said Sara Sanders, reSPARC co-chair and dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, in the release. “The next phase is about turning that work into measurable outcomes that strengthen our institution for the long term.”
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ReSPARC launched in August 2025 and became one part of the UI’s 2022-2027 strategic plan, placing nearly 100 employees in teams focused on different areas of campus and university operations, including enrollment and retention, information technology, philanthropy, financial operations, academics and more.
These efforts are being made alongside an initiative spearheaded by the Iowa Board of Regents to identify revenue streams and cost efficiencies at all three of the universities it governs. Regent Kurt Tjaden told the board at its April meeting the Revenue Enhancement and Productivity Study Committee has established a preliminary financial target of $35 million over three years for the universities to aspire to.
Some ideas from the reSPARC teams are already being implemented, according to the initiative’s website, including a student success research collaborative “to strengthen how the university evaluates programs, policies, and resource decisions related to student outcomes” and a market research study into demand from working professionals and retirees for non-academic programs.
Other areas of possible new revenue and cost savings the groups are exploring include potential expansion of foreign language learning for high school students, elimination of duplicative or unused infrastructure and information tools, and review of human resources, marketing and other practices.
According to the release, the university is already seeing results from reSPARC, including less unused technology, better energy efficiency and simpler service processes.
“We are deeply grateful for the time, expertise, and dedication that so many members of our campus community have contributed to this effort,” said Executive Vice President and Provost Kevin Kregel in the release. “That collaboration will remain essential as we move into implementation and continue building a stronger, more sustainable future for the University of Iowa.”
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