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The Daily Iowan
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA COMMUNITY SINCE 1868 DAILYIOWAN.COM 50¢
ONE
YEAR
LATER
How the University of Iowa has fared one
year after campus shut down.
PAGE 3A
Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan
The Old Capitol building is seen on
March 6.
Design by Kate Doolittle
2A PANDEMIC: A YEAR LATER THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021
The Daily Iowan
Roarin’ again by Easter?
Volume 153
Issue 51
BREAKING NEWS STAFF
Phone: (319) 335-6030 Publisher. . . . . . . . . .335-5788
Email: daily-iowan@uiowa.edu Jason Brummond
Fax: 335-6297 Executive Editor. . . . .335-6030
One year into the pandemic, an end is in sight. But the now not-so-novel coronavirus Sarah Watson
will forever leave its mark on campus, our state, and beyond. CORRECTIONS
Call: 335-6030 Managing Editors
Policy: The Daily Iowan strives for Zandra Skores
accuracy and fairness in the Caleb McCullough
reporting of news. If a report is wrong Managing Digital Editor
or misleading, a request for a Kelsey Harrell
correction or a clarification may be
made. Asst. Digital Editor, Engagement
Molly Milder
PUBLISHING INFO News Editors
The Daily Iowan (USPS 143.360) is Rylee Wilson
published by Student Publications Rachel Schilke
Inc., E131 Adler Journalism Building, Photo Editor
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-2004, Mondays
and Wednesdays during the fall and Hannah Kinson
spring semesters (plus Fridays of Design Editor
football game weekends) and Kate Doolittle
Wednesday during the summer,
Politics Editor
except legal and university holidays,
and university class breaks. Julia Shanahan
Periodicals postage paid at the Iowa Opinions Editor
City Post Office under the Act of Hannah Pinski
Congress of March 2, 1879.
Arts Editors
Maddie Lotenschtein
SUBSCRIPTIONS Josie Fischels
Call: Juli Krause at 335-5783
Email: daily-iowan@uiowa.edu
Sports Editor
Austin Hanson
Subscription rates:
Asst. Sports Editor
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semester, $60 for two semesters, $5
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Send address changes to: Visuals Director
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Ryan Adams/The Daily Iowan
100 Adler Journalism Building, Iowa DITV News Director
Daily Iowan Executive Editor Sarah Watson poses for a portrait inside Adler Journalism Building on March 3, 2020 , the day Watson was selected as the next leader of City, Iowa 52242-2004
the organization. Two weeks later, the DI staff packed up their desks and started putting together a paper remotely. Bailey Cichon
Managing TV Director
BY SARAH WATSON of thinking about work and In this edition you’ll find Facing low foot traffic, one BUSINESS STAFF Harley Atchison
sarah-watson@uiowa.edu class while surviving in a world stories of resilience, of hard- Iowa City vintage store turned TV Sports Director
Business Manager
with a new, deadly virus. ship, of a path forward one to online sales and social me- Debra Plath. . . . . . . . . . .335-5786 Tianna Torrejon
One year ago, on March 17, “Nope,” he said. year later. dia promotion to find a niche
Advertising Director/Circulation DEI Director
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds issued One year later, more than
Juli Krause. . . . . . . . . . . 335-5784 Cesar Perez
a State Public Health Emer- 5,600 Iowans have died of
gency. COVID-19, the illness caused My heart wasn’t only breaking for me, but Advertising Sales Films Director
One year ago, on March 18, by the coronavirus. you know, my parents went through so much Bev Mrstilk. . . . . . . . . . . 335-5792 Ryan Adams
the University of Iowa shut I, and several of my col- Production Manager Documentary Director
down campus for the entire leagues, mistakenly thought just to get me to college and to make sure I had Heidi Owen. . . . . . . . . . . 335-5789 Jake Maish
spring semester. After heading we’d be back on track if not opportunities that they didn’t.
home for an extended spring by Easter, as former President preparation — held an outdoor nated.
break mere days before, the Trump maintained, but by the flash mob for a 100-year-old We certainly didn’t get “back
summer. Surely, by the fall, we
— Former DI editor Marissa Payne resident to celebrate their to normal” as quickly as we
UI told on-campus students to
clear out their rooms. Faculty would achieve some sense of One COVID-19 researcher for their product. birthday. Now, they’re return- would’ve liked. A year later, the
and staff were asked to work normalcy. helped resurrect an engineered One area nursing home — ing to communal dining and DI remembers all we’ve lost,
remotely if their jobs allowed. But we continued our breed of mice that could de- having avoided the deadly vi- movement between rooms as and what we’ve learned from
We weren’t coming back. checkered Zooms for classes, velop COVID-19 symptoms. rus by sheer luck and thorough residents and staff are vacci- the pandemic.
One year ago, our sense of for interviews, for meetings. Those lab mice helped lead to
what was normal turned up- Fellow students brought cats, the development of a vaccine
side down, inside out, and kids, wall decor, Wi-Fi glitches, and COVID-19 treatments.
backwards. It’s been a year of and invisible struggles at home Higher education insti-
covering closures, reopenings, into our world of virtual con- tutions are facing drops in
and closures again for The nections. college-aged students and a
Daily Iowan. A year of Zoom, Former DI editor Marissa hostile Legislature, meaning at
masks, vaccines, lost loved Payne was out grocery shop- places like the UI, alternative
ones, and new hobbies. ping — the first time she’d funding sources for its strate-
On my last day of class be- done so in weeks after putting gic plan seem to have become
fore our scheduled spring out breaking news updates the only way forward.
break, a classmate asked our near hourly — when the UI an- New online flexibility for
professor if the rumors were nounced graduation would be services — such as online
true that we wouldn’t have moved online. supplemental instruction for
in-person classes for the rest of Payne understood the rea- distance students — and activ-
the semester. The UI hadn’t yet soning behind the decision. ities — like bringing high-pro-
made the announcement, but The UI had to mitigate trans- file lecturers to campus with
we knew we’d be doing online mission fo the new virus. But the click of a button instead of
classes for two weeks after the her status as a first-genera- an airplane flight — may stick
typically travel-heavy break. tion student meant the loss of around post-pandemic.
Our professor assured us the typical milestone hit home The Asian Pacific American
he was planning on seeing us hard. Cultural Center spearheaded
again in two weeks. “My heart wasn’t only break- discord hours and online ac-
I turned to my friend, a pub- ing for me, but you know, my tivities. One student is hosting
lic health major, and in a low parents went through so much an online event teaching how
voice asked the same question. just to get me to college and to to make mochi, a Japanese rice Hannah Kinson/The Daily Iowan
He chuckled, in the way a lot make sure I had opportunities cake in one event to maintain a Employees at The Daily Iowan work to publish a print-edition newspaper on Nov. 1, 2020 in The Daily Iowan newsroom at the
of us laughed at the absurdity that they didn’t,” she said. “home away from home.” Adler Journalism Building.
Infographics by Paige Ho
THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 PANDEMIC: A YEAR LATER 3A
Long journey ahead to bridge gaps
The University of Iowa lost hundreds of millions of dollars to the COVID-19 pandemic, which compounds an expected
national decline in enrollment. But administrators say the UI is ready to navigate those waters as cases subside.
What’s the cost of
BY SABINE MARTIN
AND KATIE ANN MCCARVER
Undergraduate Student Gov-
ernment Director of Finance COVID-19 really?
Education Group, which allows
the company to take over oper- COVID-19 on campus:
the spring
daily-iowan@uiowa.edu Emily Hagedorn was studying ations of the Iowa Hawk Shop’s
abroad when the pandemic be- The UI’s financial losses from online and retail sales.
University of Iowa freshman gan. When the USG executive COVID-19 exceed an estimated He said the current utility
Sarah Grace Hovey was living cabinet and senate came into $185 million, after rounds of fed- public/private partnership will
on campus in fall 2020 until Uni- their positions in April 2020, eral funding, according to docu- fund the university’s next stra- 1/23/2020
versity Housing and Dining sent none of them expected the year ments provided by the UI. tegic plan, which puts the UI in The University of Iowa issues first message
a campus-wide email offering that would come, Hagedorn said. Lehnertz said, between the a unique position because uni-
refunds for housing contracts “So, we really had to look at UI’s general fund, which primar- versities traditionally struggle to to international students about the novel
because of COVID-19. Taking the student experience and what ily takes care of campus, and its find funding to support strategic coronavirus
the refund, Hovey said moving they need and how we can best auxiliaries, the supportive units initiatives.
home was a financial benefit and support that,” she said. that make campus what it is, the The UI extended the timeline 1/28/2020
quelled her anxieties about con- When USG initially realized auxiliaries were hit hardest by for its five-year strategic plan The Office of Strategic Communication
tracting COVID-19. in spring 2020 it wouldn’t have COVID-19. This includes UI Ath- to allow time to evaluate the
Hovey is among many stu- as many events to fund because letics, Housing and Dining, and impact of COVID-19, according creates a landing page for COVID-19 updates,
dents who have reconsidered of COVID-19, she said, the or- other divisions of campus. to its website. Kregel said the general information, and campus resources
financial decisions because of ganization redirected many of The UI’s largest individ- theme for the UI’s new strategic
the pandemic. The university is its student fee dollars into the ual expense from COVID-19 plan, which is slated to start in 1/30/2020
preparing for a steady decrease Dean of Students’ Student Life amounted to an estimated $50- July 2022, is to build the UI up
in enrollment as it continues to Emergency Fund, which the 60 million loss in UI Athletics. To as a destination university, and International programs sends a message to
reconcile the ongoing financial organization traditionally sup- mitigate costs, the department hopefully bring more students all students who may have traveled to China
effects of the coronavirus. ported. announced that men’s tennis, to the UI.
Nevertheless, UI administra- According to a report from men’s gymnastics, and men’s “And so, what that means,
to share information, guidance, and resourc-
tors say the university has made the Division of Student Life, swimming and diving will be cut in my mind, is to identify those es related to the virus
progress almost a year since the the student-emergency fund after their current season. really strong programs on cam-
first self-reported student case supports UI students who are Lehnertz said the athletics pus — what makes the Univer- 2/28/2020
of COVID-19 was recorded on facing financial emergencies or department will borrow roughly sity of Iowa unique — to attract UI cancels CIMBA Italy as the country experi-
March 19, 2020. From March 12 catastrophic events that would that same amount from the uni- students in a variety of settings,”
this year to today, three students otherwise cause them to sus- versity to make up for these loss- Kregel said. ences rapid spread of COVID-19
self-reported testing positive for pend their education at the uni- es, because state law prohibits
the virus. versity. it from borrowing elsewhere — Enrollment steadily ap- 3/2/2020
As previously reported by The When she assumed her role putting more financial pressure proaches drop-off The Office of Strategic Communication pub-
Daily Iowan, cases trended higher by April 2020, Hagedorn said on the UI.
when students returned to cam- USG continued to funnel money The athletics department will The UI’s plan to advertise it- lishes a coronavirus website to help campus
pus at the start of the fall 2020 se- into the emergency fund with pay the UI back for the money it self as a destination university find pandemic information
mester, with 1,569 positive cases rollover funds that would other- borrows over a decade, Lehnertz deals with an impending issue
recorded by Sept. 7, 2020. Data wise go unspent. said, adding a $5 million burden for college campuses nationwide 3/5/2020
that is now compounded by the
pandemic — a steady decrease
Board of Regents institutes ban on universi-
in enrollment. Data from the ty-sponsored international travel
National Student Clearinghouse
Research Center shows a 4.4 3/8/2020
percent decline in college enroll- Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announces the first
ment nationally. In Iowa, a 7.1
percent decline in higher educa- identified cases of COVID-19 in Iowa are in
tion enrollment was reported. Johnson County
Kregel said the UI is evaluat-
ing how to address this sharp 3/11/2020
drop-off in enrollment by look-
ing at opportunities to recruit
UI announces move to virtual instruction
more non-resident students and 3/12/2020
engage more with in-state stu-
dents. UI recalls students from countries designat-
“Like every other university in ed a CDC-level 3
terms of enrollment numbers,
it’s going to be a challenge for 3/13/2020
us,” Kregel said.
According to the regents’
UI cancels events through April 30, closes
fall enrollment report, the UI Recreation Center through end of spring
reported a 2.5 percent drop in semester
overall enrollment in fall 2020.
Ryan Adams/The Daily Iowan
Regents’ institutions reported a 3/14/2020
University of Iowa officials speak during a media availability on COVID-19 at the IMU on March 4, 2020.
total enrollment decrease of 4.4
percent across its institutions, The state Board of Regents recalls all faculty,
from Johnson County shows the By June 2020, the state Board to the athletic department each which amounts to a loss of 3,333 staff, and students abroad
gradual decrease in COVID-19 of Regents had announced a tui- year. It’s instances like these, he students.
cases since then, with a recent tion freeze for students because said, where funding from the Kregel said application num- 3/17/2020
positivity at about 3 percent on of financial uncertainty caused federal CARES Act or the High- bers for 2021 are looking strong,
March 11, compared to nearly 60 by the pandemic. Lehnertz said er Education Emergency Relief however, in spite of projections UI directs employees to work remotely
percent in August 2020. tuition revenue and state appro- Fund become incredibly import- for a major decline in enroll- following public health disaster declaration
“The good thing is the prog- priations provide the bulk of the ant to the university. ment because of the pandemic.
ress that’s being made,” UI Se- UI’s general fund, so the tuition “We won’t recover from the Hovey, who took her classes
by Reynolds.
nior Vice President for Finance freeze took a chunk out of the costs that happened because of online from home this semes-
and Operations Rod Lehnertz UI’s revenue projections, and COVID-19 overnight,” Lehnertz ter, said she will return to cam-
3/18/2020
said. “And having a world class how the university pays faculty said. pus in fall 2021 when learning UI decides to close all residence halls but
health care system on our cam- and for student programs. Comparatively, Iowa State will be mostly “hands-on” and two and schedules move out from March
pus helps us to be at the front The UI and the regents want- University lost an estimat- in person.
edge of both innovation and ad- ed to do the right thing in a ed $90.2 million from overall In addition to decreasing en- 19 to March 29. Virtual instruction is both
vancement on this.” tough time, however, and avoid COVID-19 impact and state rollment, Lehnertz voiced con- delayed until March 23 and extended for
increasing tuition to levels that reductions, according to docu- cern for the need for retention
‘A silent World War’ for would have been overly burden- ments provided to the DI. The of already-enrolled students the remainder of the semester, in-person
resources some to students, Lehnertz said. University of Northern Iowa lost which greatly impacts tuition commencement ceremonies are canceled. UI
“No one comes to expect that an estimated net of $12.03 mil- revenue. Investments from the
When the pandemic initially you’re going to face something lion because of COVID-19 and public/private partnership into closes additional campus buildings, includ-
reached Iowa in March 2020, the like we faced in COVID-19,” Leh- fewer state allocations since last student success will hopefully ing IMU, Hancher, and university libraries
UI wanted to “do the right thing,” nertz said. year. ramp up retention rates, Leh-
and worry about funding any ex- The UI encountered addi- The financial impact of nertz said, as well as other cam- 3/19/2020
penses later, Lehnertz said. tional costs as it prepared for COVID-19 is compounded by a pus engagement efforts. First self-reported COVID-19 case on
He added that the UI had students to return to campus in decrease in state appropriations, “We want to develop pride
learned from the 2008 flood to fall 2020. This included switch- which the Iowa Legislature cut not only in the University of campus — a College of
take careful, complete records of ing out the UI’s air filtration sys- by $8 million in June 2020. This, Iowa, but in higher education Dentistry student
everything in a crisis, including tems to HVAC systems known plus the regents’ decision to and what it means for the state,”
any costs it amassed. In the sum- as MERV13. While the change freeze tuition rates, meant the Lehnertz said. “And so, reten- 3/25/2020
mer of 2008, Iowa City was hit was expensive, Lehnertz said, it regents’ general university op- tion matters not just for the UI announces pass/fail op-
with a 500-year-flood that dam- offers a higher degree of protec- erating budgets for fiscal 2021 dollar, but for the trajectory of
aged 20 campus buildings and tion against the coronavirus. are $65.4 million less than fiscal every one of those students.” tion for students and tenure
cost the UI around $700 million The UI Critical Incident 2020. As one of many UI students evaluation extension for
in repairs. Management Team, composed A decline in state funding was planning to return to campus
In a crisis like the pandemic, of various campus leaders, con- a primary motivator of the uni- next year, Hovey said being at faculty
he said, the university’s initial vened in March to respond to versity’s public/private partner- the UI will feel different with
costs involved a worldwide chase the pandemic and has managed ship, an agreement for a private mostly in-person classes. She
for masks, gowns, and sanitiz- the university’s response ever company to operate its utilities said she is excited to experience
ers. since. finalized in December 2019 that what she missed out on this
According to a report from the UI Campus Health Officer allows the UI to benefit financial- year.
U.S. Organization for Economic Dan Fick said in March and April ly from its utility system. “In-person classes are
Cooperation and Development, 2020, campus leaders were trying When asked whether the UI something that I am really
the world was facing an im- to figure out “what in the world would consider additional pub- nervous for because this
pending shortage of face masks was happening,” and searching lic/private partnerships in other whole year has been on-
by May 2020, when they were for information to help. parts of campus, UI Executive line for me,” Hovey said.
slated to increase a possible 10 Fick, who was interim head Vice President and Provost Kev- “I feel like I missed out
times more in demand than they of the Department of Fami- in Kregel told the DI it remains on my freshman year of
had been before the pandemic in ly Medicine at the time, said a valid option for alternative college, but I made the
countries affected by COVID-19. COVID-19 added to existing revenue at the university, partic- right decision to move
“And we were hearing from academic and clinical duties on ularly in light of decreased state home.”
sources that it was almost like a campus, making for a very busy funding.
silent World War — every coun- spring and summer in 2020. He On March 12, the regents
try in the world was going after frequently stayed up working approved a private part-
the supplies,” Lehnertz said. until midnight only to wake up nership between the
Students began moving out of at 5 a.m. to get some exercise UI and Follett
the residence halls in mid-March and start his day again. Higher
2020, and University Housing
and Dining refunded around
$16 million to students who left
campus for home, according to
a UI financial report. This made
it a challenge for the UI to cover
existing debt from two campus
residence halls, Lehnertz said.
4A PANDEMIC: A YEAR LATER THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021
An online campus COVID-19 on campus: the
tually since cases were first iden-
tified in Johnson County in early
March.
“Because of the virtual space,
we have been able to bring some
summer and beyond
A deadly pandemic shifted a normally bustling campus culture incredible speakers like Laverne
Cox and David Quammen,” she 6/17/2020
online, but after a year, some organizations plan to bring this said. UI announces plans for a hybrid fall semes-
new virtual flexibility into a post-pandemic world. Holding lectures online posed
new challenges, she said, since
ter prioritizing in-person instruction with
sors would offer none of the committee members classes of more than 50 online.
socially distanced had experience with running
spaces for music large virtual events. 7/29/2020
or opportunities But there were some silver
to meet outside of linings to the lecture events
The UI began enrolling volunteers in its
class for music de- shifting virtual. Online accessi- Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine trial — one
velopment. bility attracted larger audiences of 120 sites worldwide.
Smith is not this year, and allowed the team
alone in having a to host higher-cost speakers, 8/4/2020
first UI experience co-chair for the UI Lecture Com-
consumed by the mittee Jocelyn Roof said. UI student government bodies pen a letter
pandemic thus far. “We have been able to bring urging the UI administration to transition
Over the course of incredible and high-profile
her tenure so far, speakers this year — much big- more classes online amid rising cases state-
Vice President for ger names than in a typical year,” wide. The same day, 280 instructors pledged
Student Life Sarah Roof said.
Hansen has over- As the UI moves beyond the
to teach classes online.
Grace Smith/The Daily Iowan seen the connec- pandemic, Shrader said hold- 8/21/2020
Two students, Nick Fitzpatrick (left) and Kourany Katzen (right) are seen on and near the tions between fac- ing hybrid meetings and events
Old Capitol building on March 3. ulty and students is definitely on the table so that Because of COVID-19-induced budget con-
done mostly online. everyone can be involved in the straints, UI athletics announces it will cut
BY ALEXANDRA SKORES feedback, she’s basically teach- Hansen was announced in way that works best for them.
AND CAITLIN CROME ing herself the instrument. March 2020 as the new vice pres- Learning about opportuni- four sports at the end of the 2020-2021
daily-iowan@uiowa.edu “[I feel like] I am not getting ident for Student Life, after for- ties — like serving on the lec- academic year.
everything I am paying for by mer VP Melissa Shivers departed ture committee — was put on
First-year Maddison Smith teaching myself,” Smith said. for a role at Ohio State University. hold like the rest of on-campus 8/24/2020
expected her first Hawkeye col- Smith is one student among The self-described “COVID- life last March. Senior Associate
lege experience to be filled with tens of thousands at UI that ex- era VP” said the UI took a huge Director of Admissions Thom- First day of classes. A Zoom outage strikes
testing out new eateries and perienced most classes online. hit financially, challenging the as Paulsen said the university an uncertain tone for the semester.
meeting new friends in her res- Although the UI charted a pri- ability to do campus engage- transitioned overnight from
idence hall during the fall. After marily in-person fall 2020, ris- ment projects this year. As pre- on-campus to virtual visits — 8/31/2020
all, her high school canceled ing cases and faculty concerns viously reported in The Daily the day after campus shut down, Bars in six Iowa counties, including Johnson
the graduation ceremony and caused previously in-person Iowan, the UI’s estimated $83.4 Paulsen said the UI hosted a vir-
stopped spring activities, includ- activities to shift to a virtual for- million revenue loss stems from tual informational event. County, are ordered to close after experienc-
ing a senior prom. mat, meaning by Thanksgiving a $50 million loss in UI athlet- “We wanted to make sure ing a spike in COVID-19 cases among young
Campus would be the bustling break, 76 percent of undergrad- ics, $13.7 million in refunds and everyone could have all the in-
complex of residence halls and uate credit hours were held on- lost revenue, $14.8 million in the formation they needed as if they adults.
stately buildings she remembers line. This spring, 72 percent are General Education for tuition were to come on campus,” he
visiting, or so she thought. But online. revenue, and a reduction of $3.1 said. 10/24/2020
Smith’s first year on campus was But administrators say the UI million in state general fund al- One upside to virtual cam- Iowa plays its first football game after a tu-
nothing like she expected. this fall is moving back to what locations. pus visits was the ability to give
“I thought by the time I moved it best offers — a residential Everything has changed for families the closest experience
multuous few months when players and fans
in, it would be fine,” Smith said. campus experience. Navigating individuals at the UI, Hansen to campus free of charge. Ad- alike were unsure whether a fall season would
The Davenport native moved student support through a vir- said, from a virtual Dance Mar- missions was also able to reach continue.
into Catlett Hall this fall, but tual campus when Iowa’s history athon, to online cultural center students and families from afar
traveled home two weeks later and practice rested in in-person celebrations, and changes in ser- more easily. 11/17/2020
after a COVID-19 scare. She said instruction required a shift in vices such as counseling. Since COVID-19 conditions
she felt isolated with most of her approach, said Associate Provost “One of the lessons learned have started to improve on cam- A mandate to wear masks takes effect in
classes online because of fewer for Undergraduate Education for me is that student engage- pus and weather has warmed, Iowa amid rapidly rising hospitalizations,
opportunities to get to know her Tanya Uden-Holman. For exam- ment is a continuum, not a di- socially distanced outdoor cam-
classmates and have one-on-one ple, adding a virtual supplemen- chotomy,” Hansen said. pus walking tours have begun.
albeit with several exceptions.
experiences with her professors. tal instruction option could help Bringing valuable experi- “It is a way for families to
Feeling hopeful for an antic- better equip students away from ences to students on campus is come in and do more,” Paulsen
12/14/2020
ipated vaccine rollout, Smith campus in the future. something the Lecture Commit- said. “Virtual engagement is UIHC becomes one of the first hospitals in
came back to campus in the “Supplemental instruction in tee — the UI’s committee tasked OK, but you cannot really smell the nation to receive the Pfizer COVID-19
spring. Two weeks into the se- the pre-COVID days, that was at with bringing “thought-provok- and taste and hear the sights of
mester, she caught exactly what the IMU, and students would go ing” speakers to campus — has campus and of Iowa City like vaccine.
she’d moved home to avoid — down to the IMU and work on always put as their No. 1 prior- you can when you are walk-
the coronavirus. different classes,” Uden-Holman ity. This year, safety of the stu- ing through campus and into 1/25/2021
As a music major studying said. “Hopefully, we can go back dents, staff and lecturers from a downtown.” First day of second semester. Seventy-two
music therapy, Smith said she to that being residential, but I spreadable virus was a key factor Looking back on this past year,
often feels she’s missing out on can see us possibly having a vir- they’d never navigated before Paulsen has learned a lot not only percent of classes are online, compared to
some crucial parts to her educa- tual component as well.” when lining up speakers for about his fellow staff members 76 percent online near the end of the fall
tion by not learning in person. Despite the obstacles she’s campus. and himself, but students as well. semester.
Her major has four main focuses hurdled in her first year on cam- Co-chair of the Lecture Com- “I think students are resil-
— piano, percussion, guitar, and pus, Smith said she encountered mittee Hannah Shrader said ient,” he said. “I have found 2/1/2021
voice. Smith never took piano many encouraging professors having this role this past year strength in my colleagues and
lessons. So, she said, with tech- that provide accommodations has meant being committed to working with families who have Eligibility for the vaccine expands to anyone
nical Zoom mishaps and few to help alleviate the barriers to flexibility. The committee held overcome barriers and who have over the age of 65 and people in high-risk
opportunities for face-to-face online learning. Some profes- all its events online and met vir- had challenges.”
workplaces. Appointments at this time are
still very rare.
A gradual return to global
“It’s going to take a while be-
fore we rebuild our internation- 2/5/2021
al-student numbers realistically
speaking,” Ganim said. “I think UI sets course for largely in-person instruc-
it’s going to take anywhere from tion in fall 2021, with classes of 150-plus
Experts predict it will take time for international-student two to three years. “
online and smaller classes in-person.
enrollment and travel to return to normal. The largest number of interna-
tional students enrolled at the UI
BY MARY HARTEL the future for the program isn’t yet cooped up in his apartment for are from China, and the number
3/12/2021
mary-hartel@uiowa.edu clear as the dust settles from the much of the time since most of his of students from the country have In his first prime-time White House address,
COVID-19 pandemic. fall and spring classes have been been declining since the start of President Biden says the U.S. will ‘mark our
Last spring, Yeji Son was pre- “Nothing is set in stone at this virtual, he said “it’s all right.” the Trump administration. Those
paring to go home to South Korea time, both because the situation The biggest change in Some’s declines are expected to continue, independence from this virus’ July 4.
for the summer break, hoping with the pandemic can change life has been that many of his Ganim said.
that COVID-19 limitations would and has changed rapidly and also friends opted to stay home. Luck- International Programs is op- sically focus on new areas, new policies, he thinks it will bode well
dwindle by then. A year later, because we need guidance from ily, Some said he lives with one timistic about the applicants and connections — building deeper for the future.
she’s barely left her 750-square- Federal Agencies regarding when friend in an Iowa City apartment. activities they are seeing in other relationships than maybe we had As for the end of the pandem-
foot, two-bedroom apartment in or whether immigration regula- Some wanted to travel home last pockets of the world, Ganim said, before,” Ganim said. “And just ic, Son said she is excited for so-
Coralville. tions will go back to the way they summer but couldn’t because of with encouraging signs from stu- making sure that we can establish cial-distancing measures to end,
Son is one of 2,072 internation- were before 2020,” Bortscheller international travel restrictions, dents hailing from Africa and the pipelines with trusted partners in because sometimes as an ethnic
al students who enrolled at the wrote. he said, so he hasn’t been home Middle East. order to rebuild our internation- minority when people physically
University of Iowa this fall. Iowa’s While the pandemic has cre- since the day he left for college. “So, there are other parts of the al-student population.” step away from her, she won-
public universities have seen sig- ated challenges for everyone, “Being away from home still is world, besides China that we will Political uncertainty and a ders if the reason is because she’s
nificant drops in international Bortscheller wrote, international hard, but I’d be away either way.” need to focus on,” Ganim said. presidential administration that Asian.
student enrollment in the last few students have been dealt addi- Some said. “It’s just the fact that I “And India always presents op- was not favorable to international “So, I think that is something
years, which was exacerbated by tional hurdles far away from their never got to go back, that kind of portunities.” students and scholars may have that I am looking forward to,
the pandemic. home countries. hurts.” The process, Ganim said, will exacerbated the challenges of the and of course, going direct to my
Although International Pro- “Some students had to face Right now, Some is dealing require patience. pandemic. Ganim said now that home country, and enjoying the
grams has offered plenty of sup- a decision about whether to re- with uncertainty in figuring out “Our plan has been approved international programs are see- food there, and seeing my family
port, Son said some international main in the U.S. and potentially his future plans, deciding if he by senior administration to ba- ing a reversal in many of these and friends,” Son said.
students still feel disconnected go well over a year without see- will pursue an internship in
from campus in addition to their ing their families or to attempt the U.S. or try to go home to
home countries. to travel home and possibly find see family and friends, some-
“International students are just they couldn’t return to the U.S. to thing he said he’s looking
struggling in their own cave,” Son resume their studies due to the forward to once he feels safe
said. “I think it’s better if they have constantly changing travel restric- enough to travel.
a roommate or partner, but I know tions from January to July of 2020,” The international pro-
some international students have Bortscheller wrote. grams department is antic-
a really difficult time because of Class over Zoom can some- ipating international-stu-
the feelings [of] isolation.” times make it more difficult to dent enrollment to be down
Son, a third-year international understand English, Son, 29, said, again this year and continue
student in the counseling psychol- and she has at times had to work to decline even as people are
ogy Ph.D. program, had to stay in harder when communicating vaccinated, said Russ Ganim,
the U.S. throughout the pandem- with the class and teacher. dean of International Pro-
ic because of a lack of funds. She Some of her friends that opted grams.
hasn’t traveled home to South Ko- to return home have struggled According to the state
rea since the summer of 2019. with the time difference, sleeping Board of Regents, interna-
With widespread vaccination schedules, and tightened travel tional student enrollment
continuing across the U.S., UI In- regulations, Son said. has declined 45 percent in
ternational Programs is envision- Joslin Some, UI sophomore the last 5 years — matching
ing what the future of internation- from Burkina Faso studying com- national trends that were ex-
al student enrollment and global puter-science engineering had acerbated by the pandemic.
programming will look like in the one normal semester in college International students
coming years. before the pandemic changed ev- made up 7.9 percent of the
In an email to The Daily Iowan, erything. UI student population in fall
Michael Bortscheller, associate Some said his experience at the 2019, but dropped to 6.5 per-
director of the UI International UI has been a lot of fun, especially cent in fall 2020, according Jenna Galligan/The Daily Iowan
Student and Scholar Services, said last year. This year, despite being to UI admissions data. University of Iowa sophomore Joslin Some video chats with his younger sister on Saturday at his apartment in Iowa City.
Amplify
THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 PANDEMIC: A YEAR LATER 5A
Home away from home
away from home
As the pandemic shut down much of campus life, Multicultural International Student Support and Engagement
has continued to engage and connect with students virtually. Online programming — like Zoom and discord hours
— have fostered the “home away from home” space as the physical cultural centers remain closed.
Michael Warner-Craft
BY HANNAH PINSKI an online university structure. He He is tackling this through his Pan-Hellenic Council engaged with
hannah-pinski@uiowa.edu said the lack of consistency within leadership positions at organiza- the community by hosting a pan-
classes, such as lecture formats, tions affiliated with the Afro-Ameri- el on Black excellence and survival
The Black student population may makes it difficult to keep track of his can Cultural Center, however. with six different Black alumni from
be small at the University of Iowa, responsibilities and schedule. Warner-Craft joined the Black the UI at the end of Black History
but Michael Warner-Craft makes Warner-Craft also feels that pro- Student Union during his freshman Month.
sure it has representation and that fessors are handing out a heavier year. As a sophomore, he served as Warner-Craft’s experience with
people within it are able to find a workload because an online format the treasurer before becoming presi- these organizations and values drove
community. demands less work. He believes dent this year. him to become a leader to provide
Warner-Craft, a junior at the UI professors think there’s fewer press- Prior to COVID-19, Black Student a needed space for Black students,
majoring in ethics and public policy, ing matters when, in reality, many Union hosted events such as a Ga- somewhere they feel represented.
serves as president of the Black Stu- students are struggling to connect la, which he described as “a prom “I feel most represented and tak-
dent Union and co-president of the outside the classroom — especially for Black students.” The National en care of when I’m surrounded by
National Pan-Hellenic Council. With students of color. Pan-Hellenic Council emphasizes people who look like me and are
Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan the struggles Black students are fac- Warner-Craft believes the biggest community service and volunteers at around me,” Warner-Craft said.
Michael Warner-Craft poses for a portrait ing, he is passionate about making problem Black students face at the charities such as the Ronald McDon- “I’m really big on leadership, that’s a
outside of the Afro-American Cultural sure they have a welcoming space. university is a lack of representation ald Organization and food pantry. personal value to me so it was kinda
House on March 12. Like many students, Warner-Craft on campus, and the COVID-19 pan- While the organizations have lim- natural for me to step up and lead
has struggled with the transition to demic has exacerbated this issue. ited options for events, the National the organizations.”
Michelle Tran-Duong
BY ALEXANDRA SKORES in how I attended classes and To continue the “home away “I was struggling to adapt,” Tran-
alexandra-skores@uiowa.edu had to adjust my study schedule from home” mission of the cultural Duong said.
and my meetings with student centers, APACC started hosting Despite the last year of social
In spring 2020, University of organizations,” Tran-Duong said. chat hours on discord, a messaging distance, Tran-Duong has
Iowa second-year student Michelle “I had to do a whole 180 with my and chat platform. March 28, Tran- managed to find unique ways to
Tran-Duong attended a public life and switch it around so I could Duong and a friend are hosting a connect in her work with different
conversation where a lecturer said adapt.” how-to cuisine session over discord organizations with online games,
there was no need to worry about The Iowa City native is the center on making mochi, a sweet Japanese Zoom meetings, and holiday-
COVID-19 and masks weren’t programming assistant for the rice cake. Nutella, red bean, and themed online events. She hopes
needed. Asian Pacific American Cultural strawberry are a few favorite that once the pandemic has reached
Nearly a year later, Tran-Duong Center, the vice president of additives. a place of calm, the “home away
can look back and see COVID- service and philanthropy in alpha Coming to the UI presented from home” feeling at the cultural
19’s was minimized toward the Kappa Delta Phi, and works closely a unique challenge for Tran- centers will be maintained for those Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan
beginning of the pandemic, and with the Vietnamese Student Duong, as she identifies as a first- coming to the UI for the first-time. Michelle Tran-Duong poses for a portrait
how it has shaped her on-campus Association. She is studying generation college student. Once “I just hope one day that the first- outside of the Asian Pacific American
experience and involvement as a International Studies with dual classes were moved online in spring year students will be able to return Cultural Center on March 11.
Hawkeye. tracks in East Asian Studies and 2020, however, it was an education to their home at the APACC,” Tran-
“There was a different shift Global Studies. format she was not used to. Duong said.
Sydney Nguyen
barked on her journey as the first “I was trained over the summer classes more normally than oth- tional student program.
programming assistant for Uni- and I don’t mind working virtual- er international students who Overall, Nguyen said her goal
versity of Iowa International Stu- ly,” she said. “I have not had the had to deal with different time is to continue advocating for and
dent Support and Engagement, experience to work in person, so I zone issues. It also helped to be helping international students.
she knew it would be challenging. can’t compare it, but I can see our so close to the UI when she began She said it’s important for mem-
Nguyen, a second-year student programs reaching people.” her training online. bers of the campus community to
studying English and creative When COVID-19 initially ap- “We get fewer attendees com- listen to international students
writing, began her position in peared in Johnson County in spring pared to in-person activity,” she because they have been through
the middle of the COVID-19 pan- 2020, Nguyen said many of her said. “The differences in time so much during the pandemic.
demic. She trained for her posi- friends who were international zones for students who are out- “There’s a need for us to look
tion virtually, and she is respon- students had to make decisions to side of the United States is also out for our community and I’m
sible for creating a social-media leave or stay in the U.S. She said difficult ... On the flip side, we able to continue building that
presence and programming for there was a lot of confusion when are benefitting from programs community in my position,” she
Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan the department, and communi- the pandemic began because she being online because everyone said. “I hope a lot of people will
Sydney Nguyen poses for a portrait on ty for international students — a didn’t know whether she should re- can attend.” be a little more active in the com-
the Pentacrest on March 9. task Nguyen said she takes seri- turn home or stay in the U.S. Moving forward, Nguyen said munity. And the easiest thing is
ously. Fortunately, Nguyen, who’s she can’t wait to hold events in for people to hear what interna-
BY ELEANOR HILDEBRANDT While it’s difficult to do things originally from Vietnam, had person and meet new interna- tional students have to say and
eleanor-hildebrandt@uiowa.edu virtually, Nguyen said she has family in the country and was tional students. She said she keep with us — that’s the easiest
embraced online platforms to able to stay in Minnesota. She misses connecting with students way to hear and care and support
When Sydney Nguyen em- continue connecting students. said this allowed her to continue inside and out of the interna- us.”
Whitney Martinez
BY JENNA POST was shy. After some encourage- also provides students with educa- of community was really, really
jenna-post@uiowa.edu ment from the friends she made tional opportunities and skills for hard,” Martinez said. “I miss lay-
during Iowa Edge, however, she post-graduation. ing on a beanbag at the LNACC
As a first-generation student, decided to give it a try. There, she Members would normally meet and seeing everyone in person.
Whitney Martinez wasn’t sure found her home on campus. in person at the Latino Native But it’s coming up on a year. I feel
what to expect from her college “Prior to college, I hadn’t really American Cultural Center. Because like I’ve adjusted. I really look for-
experience. To better prepare her- connected with my culture in the of the pandemic, however, they’ve ward to sharing our virtual space
self, Martinez attended the Iowa way that I have here at the univer- met over Zoom for the past year. together.”
Edge program in 2018. She arrived sity,” Martinez said. “The respect Martinez said the adjustment Whether in person or virtual,
ready to learn about university and support we give each other, was a challenge for members of Martinez said she sees the week-
life, and left with new friends who it’s really beautiful.” the group’s executive board. At ly Association of Latinos Moving
would soon help her find her pas- Martinez is currently vice pres- first, they struggled to create the Ahead meetings as a safe space,
sion for the Association of Latinos ident of the Association of Latinos same sense of community that where she can be comfortable be-
Moving Ahead . Moving Ahead. The student orga- they had in person, but Martinez ing her authentic self.
Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan
Martinez was hesitant to join nization is for Latinx students who believes that this has improved “I probably wouldn’t have
Whitney Martinez poses for a portrait
the Association of Latinos Moving are looking to connect with their over time. stayed at the university without
outside of the Latino Native American
Ahead as a freshman because she peers and embrace their culture. It “Losing that physical space ALMA honestly,” Martinez said.
Cultural Center on March 11.
Joseph Villalobos
BY MARY HARTEL lalobos said. “It’s a little weird for me to be in as a center programming assistant,
mary-hartel@uiowa.edu A reality the sophomore soon classes and to have like this — not Villalobos said. But virtual program-
realized, Villalobos said. Before language barrier — but thought bar- ming has created barriers and strug-
As Joseph Villalobos transitioned coming to the UI, he said he did not rier,” Villalobos said. gles for Villalobos and his coworkers
to college, he became more im- know many people with queer iden- Things that translate into his to maintain community, he said. At
mersed in one identity — but felt tities in Elgin — only about two. queer identity, though, Villalobos the in-person cultural center, you
further away from another. “And I was like, ‘Wow, there are said, have helped him find similar- can talk to anyone even if you don’t
A native of Elgin, Illinois, a town so many people here who are queer ities and struggles with people who know them.
that is about 80 percent Latinx, Vil- and out and proud,’” Villalobos said. come from different worlds. This “homey” vibe is difficult to
lalobos said he decided to attend the “And it’s a cool environment to be “While I didn’t have that same replicate virtually, Villalobos said,
University of Iowa after a former in.” ethnic similarity,” Villalobos said, “I though the Pride House and Multi-
teacher recommended its English At the same time, Villalobos said, had a new thing to connect with, a cultural and International Student
Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan program. he still felt a sense of “otherness,” in new identity.” Support and Engagement team
Joseph Villalobos poses for a portrait outside “She also told me that it is like the his classrooms, mostly based in his This environment is a big part of have been determined to make it a
of the Pride Alliance Center on March 12. gay center of Iowa — Iowa City,” Vil- Puerto Rican identity. his work with the UI Pride House parallel experience.
6A PANDEMIC: A YEAR LATER THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021
A day in
the life Kate Heston/The Daily Iowan
Wall decor in Nolan Roethler’s room is seen on Tuesday. Roethler is a student-athlete on the track team at Iowa.
Roethler will graduate from the Universty of Iowa with a degree in economics and finance. He plans to continue
his academic career and get his masters at Iowa next year.
Ayrton Breckenridge/The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa senior and undergraduate BSN nursing student, Nick Figuracion (left), eats lunch with fellow nursing student, Rebecca Sandhu (right), on March 11 in the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital cafeteria.
Figuracion said, “We do what we have to do to protect us and our patients because at the end of the day we are taking care of them and they’re our first priority.”
Daily Iowan photog-
raphers spent time
with three Universi-
ty of Iowa students
— a nurse, a stu-
dent athlete, and a
computer-science
engineering major
— a year into the
Jenna Galligan/The Daily Iowan
pandemic.
University of Iowa sophomore and computer-science engineering major Joslin Some on Sunday at his apartment in Iowa City. Some is an international
student from Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso in West Africa.
Ayrton Breckenridge/The Daily Iowan Kate Heston/The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa senior and undergraduate BSN nursing student, Nick Figuracion, goes through paperwork in Nolan Rothler puts on his shoes while he prepares to go to track practice on Tuesday. Athletes like Rothler must
his apartment on March 11 before his pediatric clinical rotation at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s test for COVID-19 three times a week, have their temperature taken and wear a mask and designated wristband in
Hospital. Figuracion said, “I get excited every time I have clinical because I get to have that patient-nurse athletics facilities. Roethler will graduate from the Universty of Iowa with a degree in economics and finance. He
interaction and that’s the highlight of my day.” plans to continue his academic career and pursue a master’s degree at the UI next year.
THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021 PANDEMIC: A YEAR LATER 7A
COVID-19: Looking back
Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan Tate Hildyard/The Daily Iowan
UI freshman Katie Eganhouse moves out of Currier residence hall on March 19, 2020. The University of Iowa A long line of students outside of Sports Column is seen in downtown Iowa City on Oct. 9, 2020. That weekend,
announced yesterday that classes would be moved online and students would have to move out of the residence the governor lifted the bar closure mandate, put in place in August after a surge in COVID-19 cases among young
halls for the rest of the semester because of COVID-19. people. The reopenings caused an upswing in night-life business and added concern of virus spread.
In March
2020, campus
shut down,
restaurants
closed, and
Zoom became
all too famil-
iar. Now, a
light dangles
at the end of
a year spent
apart.
Katie Goodale/The Daily Iowan
Students walk on the T. Anne Cleary on March 11, 2020. That week, the University of Iowa suspended classes until at least April 3, 2020 and later announced it would send students
home and move classes online for the rest of the semester. March 11, a Wednesday, was one of the last days students attended classes on campus in the spring 2020 semester.
Jeff Sigmund/The Daily Iowan
Vehicles drive through a Cedar Rapids COVID-19 Test Iowa site on Nov. 30, 2020. Signs give instructions as staff
take samples from people to be tested for COVID-19. Health officials feared a post-Thanksgiving spike in cases.
Tate Hildyard/The Daily Iowan
Jeff Sigmund/The Daily Iowan A Burge Marketplace worker serves a line of students on Aug. 26, 2020. Because of health and safety regulations
Phillips waits for a poke of the needle — her first dose of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine — on Dec. 22, 2020. Phillips put in place by the University of Iowa to prevent the spread of COVID-19, students living on campus would pick up
works in the intensive-care unit at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. dining hall meals by registering in advance for a takeout box of food.
8A PANDEMIC: A YEAR LATER THE DAILY IOWAN | DAILYIOWAN.COM | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 2021
Local businesses weather on
One year later, the pandemic has brought financial challenges and new business models to Iowa City’s small businesses.
BY CALEB MCCULLOUGH still has a net loss of almost
AND CLAIRE BENSON 32,000 jobs compared to Feb-
daily-iowan@uiowa.edu ruary of 2020. At the peak of
Iowa’s unemployment, in April
When a pandemic required of 2020, leisure jobs were cut
her shop to shut its doors, Kate by more than half, dropping
Dreyer and her business part- from 146,300 jobs in February
ners had to find a way to keep to 71,400 jobs in April.
the lights on. “More than a third of the
Dreyer, along with co-own- lost jobs that we’re still endur-
ers Kay Boyer and Jessica Mey- ing in the state are located in
er, operates The Shop, a rustic leisure and hospitality,” Iowa
artisanal boutique in down- State University Professor of
town Iowa City. The Shop’s Economics David Swenson
cozy retail space features an said. “So, there’s no other way
eclectic collection of vintage to spin it. It’s just bad.”
and modern decor and cloth- Local governments — in-
ing, handcrafted furniture, cluding schools — and health
and other accessories all curat- services are other areas that
ed or created by the owners. are still enduring significant
When retail stores were dips in employment. While
forced to close by an emer- most other industries still ha-
gency order from Iowa Gov. ven’t recovered from last year,
Kim Reynolds a year ago, The retail and food processing in-
Shop’s owners turned to social dustries have seen an uptick in
media to stay connected with employment.
their customers and keep sales Iowa City Downtown Dis-
flowing. trict Executive Director Nancy
“When we realized we had Bird said almost 19 percent of
to shut our doors we definitely downtown businesses faced
took advantage of social me- serious financial strain during Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan
dia platforms, and we started this past year, resulting in ei- The Shop in downtown Iowa City is seen on Saturday. The vinatage boutique turned to online sales when it saw less foot traffic during the pandemic.
posting daily Insta stories of ther closure or obtaining new
sales,” Dreyer said. “And then ownership to continue operat- fully engaging with customers allow us to keep as many em- city’s efforts to provide finan- required to limit capacity since
every Monday night we hosted ing the business. and making sufficient sales. ployees as we have been able to cial support to local businesses Reynolds lifted all COVID-19
a Facebook Live event.” Bird said increasing online “Businesses that are still keep,” Sivan said. “We’re just this past year. restrictions in February, the
While The Shop had been presence is a common tactic operating took the safety pre- trying to improvise and find a “I mean one thing about the bar has only about a dozen
hosting online sales and using businesses have incorporated cautions seriously,” Bird said. way to operate safely with an crisis, the city and community tables with 60 seats in total,
social media before the pan- to help sales during the pan- “So, they found methods for acceptable level of risk that’s are trying to help businesses,” though it has a capacity of 139.
demic, in both its Iowa City lo- demic. trying to keep people social- acceptable to our staff.” Sivan said. “Those efforts actu- As the weather warms up,
cation and a second location in “Reaching out to patrons in ly distanced and that whole Sivan said he has received ally do help, you know. So, and Carroll said the bar will take
Kalona, those efforts shot up in different ways, getting online, transparency around hygiene appreciative customers com- there’s a lot of small businesses more advantage of a patio
March 2020 as online sales be- offering delivery of goods and — they did a really nice job plimenting the business for that have benefited.” space outside. Carroll said the
came The Shop’s main source takeout, so all those things and with that.” only offering delivery and take In February, Iowa City bar has an experienced staff
of revenue. using other methods, getting out dining options, acknowl- awarded more than $360,000 that took health and safety in-
The Shop’s experience is one creative with it, helped sales,” Making ends meet edging Oasis’s commitment to to 27 small businesses, com- to consideration as it operates
shared with countless other Bird said. “I think it was just a prioritizing the public health ing from the city’s CARES Act through the pandemic.
businesses across the state and lot of innovation that was hap- Co-owner of Oasis Falafel of its staff and patrons. funding. The criteria included “Yes, we did open in the mid-
country, that over the past year pening.” Ofer Sivan said this past year With a new contingency whether the business had re- dle of a pandemic, which isn’t
have faced hardships, difficult Bird said she also saw a cor- has been financially difficult plan each week, Sivan said Oa- ceived previous financial as- ideal,” he said. “At the same
bureaucratic hurdles, and have relation between businesses for Oasis, as the business tries sis has been able to persevere sistance and focused on busi- time, it was eight months into
had to adapt to a changing following proper health and to balance making sufficient through a year of financial un- nesses operated by women the pandemic so most people
business landscape during an safety guidelines and success- sales and also prioritizing the certainty and a wavering cus- and people of color. do what they were doing al-
unpredictable pandemic. community’s health and safe- tomer and employee base. Jennifer Banta, the vice ready as far as if they’d worked
While nearly all businesses ty. Sivan said he is hopeful that president of the Iowa City Ar- in the service industry.”
faced struggles last year, the Oasis has reduced its op- the recent rollout of COVID-19 ea Business Partnership, said
leisure and hospitality sector erations from 70 hours a vaccines across the state of Io- navigating federal relief pro- Moving forward
— which includes restau- week to 21 hours per week, wa and the rest of the nation grams was difficult for many
rants, theaters, recreation, and is down to 20 percent of will help Oasis return to a more businesses early in the pan- For The Shop, the adap-
and hotels — is by far the its original employee base. familiar routine of preparing demic. When the Paycheck tations made because of the
hardest hit industry a year “It’s been a challenge food and serving community Protection Program opened pandemic will continue into
after the beginning of the to stay afloat, finan- members. President Joe Biden up after the CARES Act, many the future. The Shop saw no
pandemic. According to data cially, so the gov- announced last week he was local businesses did not know financial losses over 2020, and
Which Wich
from Iowa Workforce De- ernment programs directing states to expand vac- the stipulations and rules that Dreyer credits that to its online
velopment from December, have been helpful cine eligibility to everyone over came with the loans. presence.
the sector with payroll the age of 16 by May 1. After several months and
116
a n d Sivan recognized the multiple relief packages, Banta
said the rules for federal relief
became more manageable.
downtown
Mama’s Deli and Catering Meacham Travel Service “The plane was being built businesses
as it was in the air, so rules
were changing,” Banta said. “I
think as we’ve gone along now,
it has gotten a lot better. Peo- 8.6%
ple know where to go to get the permanently
closed
information.”
10%
Sauce
Maker’s Loft An opportunity for some
Saloon changed
While the pandemic has ownership to stay
put a financial strain on
several restaurants, some operational
Union people have found an op-
portunity to start up a new “We’ve decided that the 10
business. Bird said there has percent growth we experi-
been a 7 percent increase in enced was definitely due to
The Mill new restaurants opening what we’re doing online, and
Silver Spider downtown, and some new we keep doing that,” she said.
retailers opened such as the Bird said, as the city moves
Bao Chow downtown Target. forward, the downtown dis-
Cactus 2 Pat and Fran’s Irish Pub trict would like to continue to
in Coralville opened in implement strategic initiatives
Map by Kate Doolittle/The Daily Iowan November, and has seen that help support with the re-
Stars indicate closed businesses in Downtown Iowa City. (Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen) significant support from the covery from COVID-19.
surrounding community, Bird said she hopes to in-
co-owner Nick Carroll said. crease the number of patio
Located at 808 5th St., the bar and outdoor seating options
is in the same location as Tap for restaurants and business-
N’ Tacos, a Mexican restaurant es this spring and summer, as
that closed early in the pan- this initiative helped attract
demic. patrons to the downtown area
While there’s an Apple- this past year.
bee’s and a couple bars in the “We want to continue to
area, Carroll said the area strengthen the destination of
was missing an “in-between” downtown Iowa City and the
neighborhood bar with the en- University of Iowa Pentacrest,”
vironment that Pat and Fran’s Bird said. “We want to create a
brings. stronger destination there for
“This is a little more low people to come and visit. So,
key,” he said. “More warm and I think those are good discus-
inviting, like, ‘We’re going to sions that we will continue to
come to relax, not to have a have going forward with our
night out or whatever.’ That’s city and university.”
the vibe we were really going As the economy continues to
for.” recover, Swenson said the lei-
The bar was inspired by sure and hospitality industry
Carroll’s friend and the son will likely be the last to catch
of co-owners Bob and Karin up. He said Iowa will likely see
Olson, Bo Olson, who died of excess commercial real estate
brain cancer in August. Before supply through 2021.
his death, Bo left a “bucket list” “Basically what we want
of things he wanted his family to do is climb back to where
to do, which included opening we were, which was sort of at
a bar, Carroll said. a stasis, just kind of holding
Opening in the middle of on,” he said. “And if we can do
the pandemic brought its own that in the next nine months
stipulations and consider- to a year, that’s about as good
Jerod Ringwald/The Daily Iowan ations, Carroll said. as one could hope for here in
A bartender serves a customer at Pat and Fran’s on March 9. Pat and Fran’s is an Irish pub located in Coralville that opened in November. Although restaurants aren’t Iowa.”
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