The Iowa Board of Regents approved an $81.4 million renovation project for the Iowa Memorial Union on April 23, 2025. The 100-year-old building, originally opened in 1925, serves as a central hub for student life and is home to the undergraduate student government, Iowa Hawk Shop, and more. The renovated IMU will house upgraded and expanded food service options, meeting spaces, multipurpose rooms, and the existing UI Student Health.

As the university advances plans for a new, state-of-the-art Cancer Research Building, leaders say the facility will pave the way for significant discoveries to be made at the University of Iowa.