The University of Northern Iowa was established in 1876 as the Iowa State Normal School, "A school for the specific instruction and training of teachers for the common schools of the state." Renamed the Iowa State Teachers College in 1909 and the State College of Iowa in 1961, the institution gained its present status in 1967.
Evolution from a state college to a University entailed a broadening of offerings, development of more specialized undergraduate and graduate programs, and greater emphasis on research and public professional services. The University of Northern Iowa has grown from a school with four faculty, three staff and 27 students on a 40-acre campus to a University with around 650 faculty and more than 13,300 students on a 850-acre campus.
The city of Cedar Falls is a pleasant and historic college town adjacent to Waterloo. Together they are part of a metropolitan area of more than 100,000.
The University of Northern Iowa, as a state institution, derives the greater portion of its support from the citizens of the state and the students attending the institution. In general, personnel working in the administrative and instructional areas of the University are paid from general operation funds appropriated by the Iowa General Assembly (State Legislature). Employees in supportive functions of the University are paid from student fees. Other funds, which private or government sources designate for specific projects, are established in special accounts. Persons working on these projects are normally considered term employees, hired for a specific period of time, and would be paid from such funds.
The University of Northern Iowa is governed by the Iowa State Board of Regents. The nine-member board is appointed by the Governor, with approval of the General Assembly. The Board of Regents maintains a central office in Des Moines which is administered by an executive secretary with the assistance of various other staff members.
The University of Northern Iowa is organized administratively into divisions which include Academic Affairs and Provost, Educational and Student Services, Administration and Finance, University Advancement, and Executive Assistant to the President/Director, External Relations. The areas within each administrative section are listed in detail on the organizational chart on the following page.
Detailed information of the University's administrative structure can be found in the University of Northern Iowa Policies and Procedures Manual.