The University of Iowa’s historic old Art Building is being restored and is expected to reopen in fall 2026 after being damaged in the 2008 flood.

UI Cambus is piloting new safety equipment on two buses that is intended to help transit operators be more aware of vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, and prevent collisions. The pilot will test how effective operators find the equipment and if it is a good fit for the transit system.

Farrukh Bashir has been named associate vice president and director of University of Iowa Facilities Management. Bashir succeeds Lynne Finn, who will retire after a decade of service to the university. Bashir, assistant director of Facilities Management at the University of Minnesota, will begin on Feb. 2.

Brad Rohrer has been named the university’s next chief information officer and associate vice president. Rohrer succeeds Steve Fleagle, who will retire this spring after 40 years of service to UI. Rohrer, vice president for information technology at the University of Miami, will begin on Feb. 23.

The University of Iowa’s Cambus has been selected to receive $6,171,174 in grant funding from the Federal Transit Administration’s Low and No Emissions Program. The funding will support the replacement of six buses that were purchased in 2008 and 2009, and were due for retirement by 2022, with new diesel-electric hybrid buses.

As 2025 comes to a close, one thing is clear: artificial intelligence continues to evolve at a pace that’s hard to keep up with. The landscape is complex, the tools are multiplying, and the questions are big. Our goal as the AI Support Team is to help the University of Iowa navigate this space with confidence. We’re here to provide guidance, training, and hands-on support so that AI adoption is thoughtful, practical, and aligned with campus needs.

Secure bicycle parking permits are now available for purchase at Hawkeye Parking Ramp. The enclosed bike parking at the ramp offers secure storage for up to 50 bicycles with access permissions provided by University of Iowa ID cards. This storage option provides more security and weather protection.

As AI tools show up in more conversations, so do rumors. Some are harmless, but others can keep people from using supported tools or following data rules. This myth-busting guide clears up some common misunderstandings about AI at Iowa.

University of Iowa faculty and staff now can purchase a license for ChatGPT Edu, a campus-supported version of ChatGPT designed for higher education environments. This release reflects ongoing efforts by ITS to provide secure, well-governed generative AI tools that support academic, research, and operational needs.

Patient parking ambassadors will start Dec. 8 at Parking Ramp 4 to continue improving parking for patients and their families on UI Health Care’s university campus. On weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., patient parking ambassadors monitor ramp use, direct vehicles to appropriate parking locations, assist with basic wayfinding questions, and help connect patients with other resources.