Iowa Ideas
In-Depth Replays 2021

The workforce that is returning to offices looks a lot different than it did pre-COVID. Meanwhile, remote opportunities could change the state's workforce. All this as employers and workers are navigating a much-changed workplace. What does the future of work look like and what are the opportunities and challenges of the remote workforce? What are the economic benefits and risks employers face and what does all of this mean for Iowa?

Whether it's administrative licensing, a criminal conviction or other barriers, removing the barriers can help people move up or qualify for better employment opportunities. We'll talk about some of the successes and work that still needs to be done in Iowa.

The state has seen significant growth in partnerships and apprenticeship programs, but what does the acceleration of people leaving employment mean? How has the pandemic impacted the workforce training and school-employer partnerships and should we be looking at additional workforce efforts?

With a skilled worker shortage, the competition to get talent and attract new people to the state and grow their skills is already intense. As more baby boomers retire and there are more jobs than people to fill them, Iowa needs to create collaborations and partnerships to keep and grow Iowa talent. Are some of the efforts on tax reform and workforce training being negated by bills viewed as non-inclusive? How can the state best move forward?

Keynote Session with Larry Weber

A 2018 Iowa State University study found Iowa stood to gain $30 million a year by improving its water quality. This panel will discuss the ways clean water can benefit paddlers, swimmers and the state’s opportunities for eco-tourism. We will also explore beach advisories, and how the Okoboji area has protected its waters surrounded by animal confinements and what we can do for Iowa’s other recreational waters.

Everyone wants clean water to drink. During this panel, we’ll talk about costly upgrades several Iowa communities have made to water treatment plants to remove nitrate and other pollutants and the state revolving fund available for these projects. We can also discuss how chemicals, including arsenic and radium, can infiltrate groundwater and how this impacts residential development.

With more than 24 million hogs in Iowa – not to mention cattle and dairy cows – how much manure are we dealing with in Iowa? Our panel will talk about ways to reduce manure runoff into streams, rivers and lakes.

The 388-mile Cedar River and its surrounding watershed have been the focus water quality efforts, including wetland restoration, bioreactor installation and credit trading. What improvements have we seen? What still needs to be done?

As we sort through the long-term impact of COVID-19, what factors will be top of mind when it comes to the future of higher education in the United States?

What has COVID taught university presidents, regents and community college presidents about the future of the state’s higher education system? Will it lead to more collaborations, more challenges for private schools, changes in recruiting patterns or the delivery of education, or a need for more support roles? We ask these questions in a round robin of how the system could be reimagined.

A look at the current landscape of universities, colleges and community colleges and their dynamics in the higher education space. How do the various pieces in the system work together? Will they help manage costs? What is the value proposition of investing in a degree in a state with growing poverty rates and a continued pandemic? What funding streams are available to ease financial pressures?

In the era of online learning, could the state regent universities get more serious about an a la carte option to allow attendance at Iowa, Iowa State or UNI (or some combination) at the same time? What would be the ideal structure-including tuition-to support success?

The shift from in person to online was swift and often times chaotic. What was available to help professors shift their courses online? What learning worked well and what gaps remain? How much of online learning will stay after the pandemic? How will this change course design at the major campuses?

How has the sudden transition to online learning impacted students and their college experience? Consideration loss- campus jobs, social components of spending time in classrooms, and isolation rather than embracing traditional campus life. Despite great focus to provide additional supports for students for online learning, where are the pain points, and how should colleges and universities adjust?