Academic accolades submitted to hometown newspapers

Student achievement is important, and University of Iowa makes it a priority to share it with students’ hometown newspapers.

University News Services (UNS) is notified twice a year of students who qualify for the president’s list and three times a year of students who qualify for the dean’s list and of UI graduates. UNS, in turn, announces these achievements to newspapers based on the primary parent addresses listed in student records, so long as students have not restricted this information from publication.

To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must earn a minimum 3.5 grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale) for current work and have completed at least 12 graded hours during the most recent semester.

To be included on the president’s list, a student must have a minimum 4.0 grade point average in all academic subjects for the preceding two semesters, with at least 12 graded semester hours of credit per semester in that period.

For a variety of reasons, qualifying information may be submitted to newspapers up to a year after the semester ends or graduation occurs—for example, a student might take an incomplete grade in a class and not immediately satisfy course requirements. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act prevents UNS from commenting on a student’s academic status; once a month, however, UNS will submit to newspapers any newly verified information.

For more information about hometown news, contact Deborah Thumma at 319-384-0006 or deborah-thumma@uiowa.edu or Lois Gray at 319-384-0077 or lois-gray@uiowa.edu, both in University News Services.