Claire F. Fox, a scholar of literature and culture of the Americas, has been appointed by the University of Iowa as the M. F. Carpenter Professor, effective July 1, 2021. Fox has published widely in the fields of Latinx and Latin American visual art and culture, Latinx Midwest studies, and related areas, with her current research focusing on contemporary art and performance at heritage sites in the Americas.

Rene Rocha, professor in the University of Iowa Department of Political Science and faculty director of the Latina/o/x Studies program, has been named the Herman J. and Eileen S. Schmidt Chair, effective July 1, 2021. The chair is the only named, endowed faculty position at the UI designed to support and recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching, mentoring, and curriculum development.