Posted by Liz Nichols on Apr 29, 2018
The presenter was Ron Lehnertz, Senior Vice President, University of Iowa
 
Ron Lehnertz, Senior VP, University of Iowa with Deb Galbraith, April Program Chair
 
Visiting Rotarians and Guests
 
Kate Malkusak-- Guest of Chris Knapp
Cindy Duncan-- Ottawa Noon RC, Ottawa, IL
HD Hoover-- IC Noon RC
Rod Lehnertz-- IC Noon RC and speaker
 
Announcements
 
Peggy Doerge reported that 459 trees were planted by a large group of the members of the four area Rotary clubs at McBride, one tree for each Rotarian in our four clubs.
 
Saturday the 21st was a busy day!  In addition to tree planting many of our club members were out working on our playground community grant project.  More help is needed on the 25th to pour cement at the playground on Court St.  This grant project must be completed by June 1.
 
This coming Saturday will be another volunteer opportunity to sort cans at the North Dodge site at 9 am.
 
Please get your ideas for next year's community grant project to Phil Peterson or Dick Huber by May 1.  In the meantime, Dick Huber is working on one project idea with Karin Franklin for next year.
 
We have decided to meet May 1 both for a morning meeting to hear results from this year's IAMOST team, and in the evening at the Kirkwood Room for our grants dinner.  Come Tuesday evening at 5:30 and BYOB to share.  Dinner will be catered and will begin at 6 pm.  There have been 8 grant recipients this year and at least 5 will be represented Tuesday evening.  The dinner price is $25.
 
Amanda McFadden indicated that 9 tables have been reserved so far for the spring Trivia Night.  Keep those entries coming!  This spring event will assist Elder Services and Fifth Ward Saints North.
 
The flyer is out for the June 2 Bike Ride-TAKO fundraiser from 8 am to noon on Saturday, June 2 at the North Liberty Centre Pond.  It is sponsored by all four area Rotary Clubs.  Single registrations are $25 for a 5 mile ride, snacks and lunch.  Register via Eventbrite.
 
There were many Happy Bucks registered.
 
Speaker
 
Deb Galbraith introduced Rod Lehnertz, Senior Vice President of the University of Iowa.  He is also a licensed architect and has overseen the University's many new building projects in recent years.
 
He discussed the Kinnick north end-zone project that is proceeding despite the building freeze because all funding is either private or from the athletic budget and not from the general fund.  This project will provide club space and other amenities that game-attendees favor.  The front half of the project will be completed in time for the 2018 football season, while the back half will be done in 2019.  Athletics contributes $2 million to the general University fund each year.
 
Seashore Hall is also moving ahead.  The Psych Department is the University's largest and yet it has been in the same space since the 1930's.  This project will actually reduce the footprint from 150,000 sq ft to 60,000 sq ft, thus saving on ongoing maintenance, utility and other costs.
 
The pharmacy program is considered top 10 in the country, but it is in a bottom 10 building.  The original 1961 building will be demolished.  The project is to be completed in 2019.  Part of the funding will be through the revenue afforded by the UI pharmaceutical manufacture program, the only drug manufacture facility on a campus in the country.
 
Lenhertz discussed the very impactful Voxman project and how it has added about 400 mostly free performances to the downtown area per year.  Hancher's opening has also been a boon to the greater Iowa City community.
 
The Stanley Museum of Art is the last major project to be started in the wake of the 2008 flood.  It was tied up in FEMA applications for years over the interpretation of FEMA rules regarding building on the existing footprint, something that the University determined could not be done because the $500M art collection could then not be insured.  As a result, a new location has been found in the space off Burlington between the University Library and the UI Recreation Center.  This will be a high traffic area and should give great visibility to the collection.  Despite the 5 month moratorium on campus building projects this one has not been stopped because over $15 million has been raised privately of a target of $25 million.  Of that $10 million was a gift from the Stanley family.  Over half of the projects total cost is being privately raised.  The public opening should occur in 2020.