The University of Iowa is expanding benefits for some visiting faculty members in response to concerns expressed by the university community. Now all visiting faculty members in a 50 percent or greater regular appointment (academic year or more) will be eligible for benefits that are consistent with those received by similarly appointed tenure and instructional track faculty. A full description of the benefits can be found at https://opsmanual.uiowa.edu/human-resources/insurance/eligibility. They include:

• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Health and dental insurance
• Retirement programs

“Over the last few months, University of Iowa representatives have worked in good faith and in a collaborative effort to understand the concerns and issues of fixed term faculty members,” says Cheryl Reardon, chief human resources officer and associate vice president. “The university values the important contributions of all our employees in carrying out the teaching, research, and service missions of the university.”

The expansion of benefits resulted from discussions within work groups that university leadership formed to address concerns raised by fixed-term faculty members. Forming work groups is a common university practice when engaging shared governance and campus constituencies in policy development and decision-making.

The university is committed to continuing to ensure fair and consistent practices for all employees across campus.