Photo: University of Iowa
(Iowa City, IA) -- The University of Iowa is announcing the largest gift in the school's history. The Richard O. Jacobson Foundation is giving $70 million dollars to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The funds are to be used for a new patient care building across from Kinnick Stadium.
The new tower will support patient care, and will be named in honor of the late Richard O. Jacobson, pending approval from the Iowa Board of Regents. The University of Iowa will ask the regents for naming rights permission at the regents' meeting next week. The building is part of the University of Iowa's 10-year-revitalization plan for its central campus.
"We are proud to serve Iowa with our state’s only comprehensive academic medical center, providing life-saving and life-changing care to people from across the state and beyond," said UI President Barbara Wilson. "Richard Jacobson’s commitment to the UI was extraordinary, and this latest and very generous gift on his behalf will allow our exceptional health care team to deliver the highest level of care to all Iowans."
The new tower is to feature single patient rooms, operating rooms, and intensive care beds. U I Healthcare says it will resolve current capacity issues and aging facilities.
"Over the next decade, Iowa will face a health care crisis related to an aging population with complex care needs," said UI Vice President for Medical Affairs Brooks Jackson. "This new facility is an important piece of a larger plan to meet these needs, and this visionary gift will positively impact the lives of Iowans throughout the state for generations to come."