The Iowa Board of Regents will meet to discuss various initiatives by Iowa State and to hear from President Wendy Wintersteen.

The Property and Facilities Committee’s agenda includes two requests from Iowa State, a request for approval of schematic designs, project descriptions and budgets for the Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and a request for Board approval to sell 45.31 acres of wooded land and three observatory buildings.

If approved, Iowa State will begin with the construction process on the laboratory.

“[The project] would construct the new two-story, stand-alone 72,540 square foot Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL) on ISU’s College of Veterinary Medicine campus,” according to the document. “The project budget of $75,000,000 would be funded by $63,500,000 in state appropriations, $4,000,000 in Private Gifts and $7,500,000 in University Funds.”

The committee will then discuss the sale of an Iowa State property. If approved by the Board, the sale is subject to the approval of the final documents by the Board Office and the Attorney General’s Office.

“The University obtained one independent appraisal for the property, followed by a standard public solicitation for bids to sell the property through an electronic bid process,” according to the document. “[Iowa State] received 12 bids. The highest bid of $339,870.31 from Aaron Gillett was accepted and exceeds the appraisal. Pending Board approval, the University plans to close on the sale after the April Board meeting.”

Then, the Academic Affairs Committee will discuss a request for a new Bachelor of Science in environmental engineering program and consider two honorary degrees to Iowa State alumni.

“The Bachelor of Science in Environmental Engineering will be a new degree offered by the College of Engineering and housed in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering,” according to the document. “Undergraduate students in this BS Environmental Engineering degree will complete a newly established core curriculum covering the engineering and science (geology, biology and chemistry) knowledge necessary for the design and implementation of affordable solutions for environmental challenges involving land, air and water.”

After reviewal, Subra Suresh and Beth Ford will be considered separately for honorary degrees from Iowa State.

“Iowa State University wishes to present an Honorary Doctor of Science degree to Dr. Subra Suresh, President of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University,” according to the document. “Iowa State wishes to recognize Dr. Suresh, a 1979 Iowa State University alumnus, for his many outstanding contributions as a distinguished engineer, scientist, entrepreneur and leader in higher education.”

Suresh was nominated by faculty members in the department of mechanical engineering at Iowa State and the nomination is supported by Iowa State’s Faculty Senate Honorary Degree Committee and Executive Board, Senior Vice President and Provost Jonathan Wickert and President Wintersteen.

“Iowa State University also wishes to present an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Beth Ford, President and Chief Executive Officer of Land O’Lakes, Inc,” according to the document. “Iowa State wishes to recognize Ms. Ford, a 1986 Iowa State University alumna, for her many outstanding contributions as a pioneering leader in business and agriculture, and passionate advocate for farmers and rural communities.”

Ford was nominated by faculty members in the department of management at Iowa State and the nomination is supported by Iowa State’s Faculty Senate Honorary Degree Committee and Executive Board, Senior Vice President and Provost Wickert and President Wintersteen.

Finally, Wintersteen will address the Board and give her report to the Board highlighting recent institutional activities.

The meeting will start at 9 a.m. April 1 and will be hosted virtually and live-streamed on the IowaRegents Youtube channel.