Called to order at 12:07p by PP⁵ (give or take a year) Eric Weiler.

 

Usha B. waxed on the worth of Rotary singing in healing, and to cap it off, introduced her guest Will Ode who sang portions of the Pete Seeger/Civil Rights anthem “We Shall Overcome” (with a Hindi verse added by UB--lovely voice), and a kids’ compo of his own, “Jasmine Mice”.

 

Amy Kristof-Brown, Dean (2020) of the Tippie College of Business, gave a verbal tour of the College where the goal is “to develop the next generation of business leaders.”

 

Highlights and data points: 6 degree programs ranked in top 25 nationally; 4.5k undergrad enrollment; 1.5k online MBA enrollees; ~50% from IA, where 30-35% will remain after grad; 1.1k BS, .25k MBA, and 16 PhD degrees conferred last weekend; just under 55% graduating with a job already in hand, typically rising to >90% w/in 3 mos.   

 

Plans: Refurb and incorporate storied Gilmore Hall (1910) into the Existing Papajohn Building with a glassed-in atrium and interconnecting passages to create 55 new faculty offices, 3 new classrooms of 40-60 seats ea., 2 “hub-areas” (career prop and student-led tutoring), 4 new labs (entrepreneurship, communications, bus analytics/AI, and strategic sales training), an indoor gathering space to accommodate 150, plus open “work areas”.  The new space will foster the creation of “faculty neighborhoods” which are so essential to intra-disciplinary collaboration.  $60-million budget: $6mm from the U, balance from fundraising, of which ~$50mm is already “on the books”.  Targeting groundbreaking on 9/18/26—stay tuned.

 

Visiting Rotarians and Guests: Kimm Harris, PP CR Dtn; Elizabeth Daly, CR Daybreak Club; Ann Carstensen (wife of Brent); Bill Baumgartner (Barb Thomas’ neighbor); Will “Pipes” Ode (Usha B). 
 

The meeting ended with the recitation of The Four Way Test and a sigh of relief from EW for finishing on time.

 

*Edited using AI.

 

Program: Margaret Reese; Attendance: Nancy Droll.