Over the past three years, the Lincoln Project has traveled to campuses across the country to meet with leaders in higher education, government, and business to examine the challenges facing public research universities and begin formulating solutions.

An initiative of the American Academy for Arts and Sciences, the project is particularly focused on current and changing financial models and how that has affected the ability of public universities to meet their educational, research, and public service mission.

Next month, the Lincoln Project comes to the University of Iowa, its first stop in the state. Previous stops included New York City, Austin, Atlanta, Chapel Hill, Charlottesville, Ann Arbor and Madison, and other locations.

Lincoln Project Co-Chair Mary Sue Coleman, former president of both the University of Iowa and the University of Michigan, as well as president of the Association of American Universities, will lead both a public forum at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 9, in room C20 of the Pomerantz Center, and an invitation-only conversation in Des Moines Friday, March 10.

Coleman will be joined by Lincoln Project advisers Phyllis Wise, former Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and currently CEO of the Colorado Longitudinal Study, and Jim Leach, University of Iowa Chair in Public Affairs and interim Director of the University of Iowa Museum of Art.

Those interested in attending the March 9 forum are encouraged to register via Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-lincoln-project-public-forum-registration-31096391143?aff A reception will follow in the Belin-Blank Honors Center lobby. Note that this is not a ticketed event and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

“This project provides opportunities for vital conversations about how we can all support our region’s intellectual infrastructure and advance a robust national research enterprise to position Iowa well in the developing global economy,” UI President Bruce Harreld said. “Through the Lincoln Project, we have the chance to demonstrate that our public universities—which today are often seen as expenses to be minimized—are assets to be leveraged and maximized.”

The visit is being sponsored by the UI President’s Office, the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development, the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, and the UI Public Policy Center.

“We’re honored and thrilled to bring together a spectrum of people from the public and private sectors to explore the immense challenges and fresh opportunities to evolve higher education in the 21^st century,” said Dan Reed, Vice President for Research and Economic Development.

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Leslie Weatherhead in advance at leslie-weatherhead@uiowa.edu or 319-335-2131.