After facing lawsuits and days of criticism, the University of Iowa is shelving a plan to eliminate scholarships promised to thousands of current and incoming students.
UI President Bruce Harreld announced Wednesday that he was reinstating the Iowa Heritage Award and four other smaller scholarship programs for current students and those who start next fall.
He informed 3,000 students last week that he was eliminating their awards, citing a "devastating" funding cut approved by lawmakers.
The Heritage scholarships promised an automatic $1,500 tuition discount to the children and grandchildren of alumni for four years of undergraduate studies. Many said they came to Iowa instead of other schools as a result. Two lawsuits were filed on behalf of students this week.
The programs will be eliminated for new students in 2018.
