The Daily Iowan THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2019
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UI withholds most of Modern Piping payment UI names The UI has not yet paid the construction company in full for its work on the Stead Family Children’s Hospital because it contends Modern Piping has not provided final construction records. new VP for Research BY MARISSA PAYNE
marissa-payne@uiowa.edu
The brunt of the court-ordered payment the University of Iowa owes construction company Modern Piping has still not been paid because the university says it awaits final construction records for the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital. The UI on Thursday said it has paid
the Cedar Rapids construction firm for work on Hancher — a total exceeding $4 million. But officials with Iowa City architecture firm Heery confirmed that in an email exchange on Monday with UI Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Rod Lehnertz they still need final as-built construction records for work on the hospital. The documents needed include
corrected as-builts, a building information model, and LEED submittals, Heery Vice President Scott Hansche wrote in an email exchange with UI officials. Heery’s review of these documents would “fulfill the contractual obligations from Modern Piping,” he said. “This payment was disbursed because the design professional on the Hancher project, OPN Architects, had
received, reviewed, and approved the final construction record documents … according to the original Modern Piping contract,” UI spokeswoman Jeneane Beck said. The UI now owes Modern Piping more than $13 million of a $21.5 million court-ordered arbitration award for its work. SEE PAYMENT, 2
J. Martin Scholtz, an administrator from Texas A&M University, was named the new UI VP for Research. BY RYLEE WILSON
rylee-wilson@uiowa.edu
History Made T.J. Hocksenson and Noah Fant were both picked in the first round of the NFL Draft. BY PETE RUDEN
peter-ruden@uiowa.edu For the first time in NFL Draft history, two tight ends from the same school have been selected in the first round of the same draft. T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant completed the Hawkeyes’ tight-end sweep on Thursday, with Hockenson going to the Detroit Lions at No. 8 and Fant selected by the Denver Broncos at No. 20. While that’s certainly an impressive achievement, it isn’t the only accolade Hockenson racked up when he heard his name called; he’s also the fourth tight end to go in the top 10 since 1997. Hockenson serves as an all-purpose tight end, excelling as a blocker in the running game and as a playmaking pass catcher. The former Hawkeye caught 49 passes for SEE DRAFT, 2
Darren Miller/hawkeyesports.com
After more than a year without a person to permanently lead the University of Iowa Research Office, the UI announced Thursday that J. Martin Scholtz will serve as the new vice president for Research. Scholtz previousScholtz ly served as the executive vice president for research, as well as a professor in the Colleges of Medicine and Agriculture and Life Sciences, at Texas A&M University. He was one of two candidates who participated in public forums for the position in February. In a statement, Scholtz said he is excited to join the UI community. “As I expressed during my visits, the UI is a special place,” he said. “I am thrilled and honored to be able to join the team and support the outstanding faculty, staff, and students as we pursue excellence in research, scholarship, and creative activities at the university.” UI President Bruce Harreld praised Scholtz’s previous experience in teaching and biomedical research. “He also understands the importance of training our next generation of undergraduate and graduate students to become excellent researchers,” Harreld said. “This combined focus on research and student success will make him an excellent partner on UI’s senior leadership team.” Scholtz will start on June 28, pending approval from the state Board of Regents. His annual salary will be $375,000.
Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson was selected by the Detroit Lions with the eighth pick of the NFL Draft on Thursday in Nashville.
Stanley Museum work to start soon Construction will soon begin on the Stanley Museum of Art to replace the facility that was flooded in 2008. BY SARAH STORTZ AND MARISSA PAYNE daily-iowan@uiowa.edu
The Stanley Museum of Art has been without a permanent home since the 2008 flood, and now, the University of Iowa will soon break ground on the museum’s new space. The UI will host a groundbreaking ceremony at 3 p.m. June 7 in Gibson Square Park. The project will be bid in June, with construction beginning around this fall for the $50 million project. It’s estimated the museum will open in 2022. “I am overjoyed that we will break ground for our beautiful new building this summer and grateful to the many gen-
erous donors whose support has made this groundbreaking possible,” Stanley Museum Director Lauren Lessing said in a statement. “It’s been a long wait, but in just a few years, we will be able to bring the Stanley’s world-class collections home to support the education of UI students and to enrich the lives of people across our state. With its welcoming front porch, spacious lobby, art-filled galleries, and rooftop terraces, the new building will be an ideal gathering place for those who want to learn, socialize, relax, and enjoy themselves.” On completion, the 63,000-square-foot building SEE STANLEY, 2
Contributed A June 2017 exterior rendering of the Stanley Museum of Art looking west from Gibson Square and Madison Street.
SEE RESEARCH, 2
NATIONAL POLITICS
Warren touts wealth-tax plan to fund policy proposals Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., has become well-known for rolling out detailed policy proposals on the campaign trail. On Thursday, Warren detailed her 2-cent tax and plan to cancel student-loan debt for a majority of the population. BY JULIA SHANAHAN
julia-shanahan@uiowa.edu CEDAR RAPIDS — Outlining detailed policy proposals has become Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s signature move on the campaign trail as she aims to secure the Democratic presidential nomination. In a Thursday stop here, she leaned on that in calling for an investment in child care and education though her wealth-tax proposal. Housing, tax reform, universal health care and child care, and canceling student-loan debt are among some of her comprehensive policy proposals. “This is the time, in 2020, to actually plan and execute our plan,” Warren told reporters on Thursday after speaking in the CSPS Hall. “It’s about starting to make real change.” Similar to other campaign stops, Warren emphasized the need to support working-class families through raising the minimum wage and regulating large corporations. Warren said her wealth tax would pay for universal, free child care, universal free college, and the cancellation of student-loan debt for a large portion of the population.
The wealth tax, or 2-cent tax, would tax one-tenth of the wealthiest 1 percent of the country, Warren said. She said after the first $50 million of someone’s fortune, the individual would be taxed 2 cents to every $1 earned after $50 million. “We could do all of those things with a 2-cent tax and still have nearly $1 trillion left
over,” Warren said. “This shows you just how badly skewed this economy has become.” Warren’s wealth tax has gained traction on the campaign trail and became widely known has one of her “big, structural changes” she proposes to “attack corruption headon.” “[Wealthy Americans should]
put in 2 cents so everyone else can get a chance to make it in America,” Warren said. On Monday, Warren rolled out a proposal to implement universal free college and cancel student debt for 42 million people. This would eliminate student debt for 75 percent of peoSEE WARREN, 2
Michael Guhin/The Daily Iowan Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., addresses a crowd at CSPS Hall in Cedar Rapids on Thursday. The event was hosted by the Linn Phoenix Club.